Posted on mer, 20 Nov 2024, 14:05

Deadline on mar, 31 Déc 2024, 23:59

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is soliciting:

• In-kind contribution of at least 2 years for the position of ePhyto Programme Assistant within the IPPC Secretariat

Deadline: Submissions are due on 31 December 2024

Please note that this call is to solicit in-kind contribution. This means that a nominated person comes and works as ePhyto Programme Assistant within the IPPC Secretariat based in Rome, Italy, for a period of at least two years and paid by the proposing contracting party, national or regional plant protection organization (NPPO or RPPO) or other relevant international organization. This in-kind contribution will be contractualized through a letter of agreement signed with FAO on behalf of the IPPC Secretariat.

1. Scope and purpose

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international agreement on plant health with 185 contracting parties, which aims to protect the world's cultivated and wild plants by preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests. The IPPC is governed by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM). The IPPC Secretariat is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and supports the implementation of policies and activities of the CPM. The IPPC Secretariat carries out other functions as may be assigned, one of which is to facilitate the implementation of the Convention as well as the development and implementation of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) to fulfil the IPPC's mandate.

To contribute to the achievement of the IPPC strategic objectives including "Facilitating safe trade development and economic growth" the Secretariat oversees the implementation of the "IPPC ePhyto Solution". Indeed, the IPPC ePhyto Solution enables countries to produce, send, and receive harmonized electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhytos) with other participating National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) through the IPPC ePhyto Hub in a secure, low cost, timely, and efficient manner. The IPPC ePhyto Solution is the global leader in the digitalization of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) trade documents and is the only fully operational digital exchange mechanism available worldwide, facilitating safe global trade in plants and plant products.

2. Reporting Lines

Under the authority of the Implementation and Facilitation Unit Lead in the IPPC Secretariat, the ePhyto Programme Assistant reports to the ePhyto Programme Manager.

3. Tasks and responsibilities

• Support the implementation of the IPPC ePhyto Solution.
• Give advice, analyze relevant technical issues and draft necessary documents and correspondences.
• Support setting-up and keeping track of meetings, facilitating and drafting minutes of ePhyto meetings such as the ePhyto Steering Group (ESG) and other IPPC working groups/focus group related to ePhyto.
• Develop training materials and support development of advocacy and communication materials for ePhyto and communicate on the ePhyto Programme including advocacy.
• Promote the use of the Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS) in developing countries and provide training courses when needed.
• Contribute to maintenance and improvement of the ePhyto tools managed by the IPPC Secretariat (ePhyto Hub and GeNS)
• Have a thorough knowledge of Programme activities and act as de facto deputy when needed in the absence of the ePhyto Programme Manager.
• Undertake other related professional duties as required and assigned to by the supervisor.

4. Instructions for making nominations

Nominations will be accepted from contracting parties, national or regional plant protection organizations (NPPOs or RPPOs) and relevant international organizations.

Each nomination must be accompanied by the following documentation:

1. The nominee’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) – electronic copy of the nominee’s CV (MS Word) with the file named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_CV.
2. The nominee’s Cover Letter (CL) – electronic copy of the nominee’s CL (PDF format) with the file named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_CL.
3. The supervisor’s authorization or institution's agreement for nomination.

All the submissions should be sent to the IPPC Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]) with a copy to [email protected] no later than 2024-12-31. Please include “ePhyto Programme Assistant” in the subject line.

5. Criteria to assess the candidates

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Agriculture or Environmental Science with a specialization in Crop Science, Agronomy, Plant Science, Disease and pest control or a related field, in International Relations, in Development Studies. 
• Three years of relevant experience in plant protection and/or international cooperation and project management.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). 

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work.
• Extent and relevance of experience in plant protection, international cooperation project management.
• Extent and relevance of experience in electronic certification.
• Extent and relevant experience in writing technical and promotional documents as well as in drafting studies and reports including in-depth analysis.
• Familiarity with working with digital and virtual tools.