Senior Statistician (Agricultural Census Team Lead)

Organizational Setting

The Statistics Division (ESS) develops and advocates for the implementation of methodologies and standards for data collection, validation, processing and analysis, in the food and agriculture statistics domains. In these statistical domains, it also plays a key role in the compilation, processing and dissemination of internationally comparable data, and provides essential capacity building in support of Member Countries. The Division also disseminates publications, working papers and statistical yearbooks, that cover agriculture and food security statistics, including prices, investments, production, trade and agri-environmental statistical data. Finally, as the ESS Director also plays the role of FAO Chief Statistician, the Division supports the various functions of the Chief Statistician, namely to ensure stronger governance of FAO's data and statistical system, foster consistency of FAO's data and statistical programme within the Strategic Framework, ensure statistical excellence through the implementation of statistical standards and quality assurance mechanisms, and position FAO's presence in data and statistical discussions at global level.

The incumbent will lead the Agricultural Census Team, which is responsible for, developing the methodological guidelines for the FAO World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (WCA), conducting agricultural surveys, and documenting country practices. The team is also responsible for assisting countries in strengthening their national agricultural statistical systems by providing technical assistance to carry out national agricultural census at least once every decade and to run a continuous programme of agricultural surveys, using standard international concepts, definitions and methodologies.

The position is located in the Statistics Division (ESS) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Statistician (Agricultural Census Team Lead) reports to the Deputy Director for Data Generation and Capacity development in ESS under the overall guidance of the Director, ESS.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will lead the work of the Agricultural Census Team with a focus on agricultural censuses and surveys.

Key Results

Leadership and conceptual thinking for the development and implementation of comprehensive technical, statistical and/or analytical frameworks to support the programme of work and related products, projects and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Leads and manages highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams and short-term working groups, providing strategic vision and technical leadership; coordinates and/or participates in Divisional teams, Organization-wide committees, project teams and working groups and/or provides leadership/secretariat services on international technical networks and/or technical policy and standard setting bodies.

  
  

• Analyses global and country specific requirements as well as agricultural, economic, social and environmental factors to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work as well as Detailed Work Plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.

  
  

• Designs, implements and monitors work programmes including the conception and development of comprehensive short-, medium- and long-term plans and strategies for the development of statistics and/or analytical frameworks.

  
  

• Leads the design development of edge tools, methods, systems and databases, the conception and implementation of critical indicators and/or policy models.

  
  

• Leads and reviews research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative tools and methodologies to be used within the Organization or by external stakeholders.

  
  

• Leads the production of a variety of technical reports and oversees the provision of inputs for flagship publications, technical documents, divisional publications and/or web pages.

  
  

• Leads and provides response to requests and provides technical/policy advice, assistance and solutions to Regional, Subregional, and Country Offices including technical backstopping to field projects.

  
  

• Leads, organizes and participates in the provision of capacity development services, which include the planning and organization of training workshops and seminars, and oversees the preparation of related information, materials, on-line tools and information kits.

  
  

• Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences, advocates strategic partnerships, best practices and increased policy dialogue; develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national partners.

  
  

• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework and Divisional Plans.

  
  

Specific Functions

• Leads the implementation of the World Programme of Census of Agriculture (WCA) and FAO's Agricultural Survey Programme.

  
  

• Monitors the development in national agricultural systems, identifying emerging topics that require methodological research as well as identifying countries in need of technical support from FAO.

  
  

• Leads the monitoring and documentation of countries' censuses during the census round, including the preparation of metadata reviews and the compilation of main census results.

  
  

• Leads the development, updates and uptake of conceptual, methodological and operational guidelines to collect statistical information of the agricultural sector at national level through agricultural censuses and agricultural surveys.

  
  

• Coordinates the technical dialogue on agricultural censuses and surveys with National Statistical Offices. Ministries of Agriculture and the UN Committee of Experts on Agricultural and Rural Statistics (UN‑CEAR) for the endorsement of international guidelines and handbooks.

  
  

• Leads and implements technical support to FAO units and Member Countries in the design, planning, and implementation of agricultural census and surveys, including the formulation of country projects, the design of questionnaires and manuals, the implementation of cognitive and pilot testing, sample design, training of field staff, the use of advanced data collection technologies, validation and analysis of collected data and the dissemination of census and survey data and microdata.

  
  

• Leads the dissemination of census data from WCA rounds in FAO Statistical Database (FAOSTAT).

  
  

• Coordinates the preparation of technical articles, working papers, books and training materials and document best practices in agricultural censuses and surveys.

  
  

• Coordinates and implements the formulation of technical assistance projects on agricultural censuses and surveys.

  
  

• Ensures high visibility to FAO's work on statistics, further develops strategic partnerships with relevant FAO divisions/offices, and other Agencies and Institutions for collaborative work and develops and negotiate effective working relationships and agreements with international and national partners.

  
  

• Strengthens relationships with potential donors for the mobilization of extra-budgetary resources in support of the implementation of agricultural censuses and surveys.

  
  

• Maintains a motivated and effective workforce, by ensuring the recruitment of highly qualified staff, promoting communication both within and across teams, mentoring, coaching and supporting career development and by implementing effective approaches for performance management.

  
  

• Performs other duties as required.

  
  

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, economics, or a related field with quantitative training.

  
  

• Ten years of relevant experience in the compilation and analysis of food and agricultural statistics in national or international organizations and in the coordination of high-level statistical publications as well asexperience on the design and implementation of agricultural census and surveys methodology, including data validation and dissemination.

  
  

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

  
  

Competencies

• Results Focus

  
  

• Leading, Engaging and Empowering

  
  

• Communication

  
  

• Partnering and Advocating

  
  

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

  
  

• Strategic Thinking

  
  

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.

  
  

• Strong command of statistical methods including: data presentation, analysis and descriptive statistics; main continuous and discrete random variables (binomial, normal, standard normal, log-normal) and their properties; probability distributions; conditional probability, probabilities of intersections of events, Bayes' theorem; correlation and rank correlation; sampling and sample size: simple, stratified, and multistage random sampling; Inference, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing and significance; linear regression (single and multiple) comparison of population means and variances, ANOVA; Chi-square and goodness of fit tests; nonlinear models: maximum likelihood estimation; elements of survey and questionnaire design.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge of statistical methods for the collection and compilation of food and agricultural data.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in collecting, compiling and disseminating agricultural statistics.

  
  

• Extent of knowledge and experience in agricultural census and survey methodology, including census and survey design, sampling, questionnaire design, data collection and validation methods and the dissemination of data and microdata.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of experience in conducting quantitative analyses, analytical studies and methodological research in food and agricultural statistics using appropriate statistical software.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of experience in the formulation of technical assistance projects as well as the planning and the provision of capacity development programmes and technical support at the country level of agricultural censuses and surveys.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international meetings, seminars and training courses.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of experience in the preparation of global statistical publications and reports to inter-governmental bodies.

  
  

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience on intellectual property matters related to data and statistical products.

  
  

• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources from international donors.

  
  

• Demonstrated ability to work under minimal supervision, present statistics materials lucidly and effectively and produce high quality papers in English.

  
  

• Extent of experience in leading and supervising multi-cultural teams and delivering a results-based programme of work.