FAO is recruiting a Young Professional Officer in Community-Driven Innovation in Rome, Italy. The P-1 position closes on October 14, 2026.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is accepting applications for a Young Professional Officer – Community-Driven Innovation position at its headquarters in Rome, Italy.
The P-1 staff position focuses on grassroots and community-driven innovation in agrifood systems, including agroecology, Farmer Field Schools, participatory research and multi-actor learning. The application deadline is October 14, 2026.
Opportunity Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | FAO |
| Position | Young Professional Officer – Community-Driven Innovation |
| Grade | P-1 |
| Location | Rome, Italy |
| Employment type | Staff position |
| Contract | Fixed-term, 2 years with possibility of extension |
| Post number | 2008723 |
| Job number | 2602005 |
| Posted | September 23, 2026 |
| Deadline | October 14, 2026 |
About the Opportunity
The position is based in FAO’s Office of Innovation (OIN) at FAO headquarters in Rome. The Office of Innovation helps strengthen innovation across FAO’s programmes, partnerships and approaches.
The technical focus is on innovation in agrifood systems, particularly community-driven and grassroots innovation, co-creation processes, multi-actor learning and evidence generation supporting agrifood systems transformation and agroecology.
Key Responsibilities
The Young Professional Officer will contribute to activities including:
- Analysing social, economic, environmental and technology information and data.
- Maintaining records, databases and web pages.
- Providing technical support to projects.
- Supporting training tools, materials, workshops and seminars.
- Supporting meetings, consultations and conferences.
- Documenting grassroots, farmer and community-driven innovations.
- Supporting Farmer Field School activities and the Global Farmer Field School Platform.
- Contributing to participatory learning and innovation processes.
- Developing evidence, knowledge products and training materials.
- Supporting analysis of challenges involving innovation, governance, policy and scaling.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants must have an advanced university degree, such as a Master’s degree or equivalent, in:
- Agricultural innovation
- Systems agronomy
- Agricultural economics
- A related field
At least one year of relevant experience in international development is required, particularly experience involving agrifood systems, rural development and innovation.
Language Requirements
Candidates need:
- Working knowledge of English at proficiency level C.
- Intermediate knowledge of another FAO official language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish.
Additional Skills
FAO lists experience or knowledge in areas such as community-driven and participatory approaches, agrifood systems, rural development, innovation systems, Farmer Field Schools and participatory research.
Knowledge of tools and methods including KoboToolbox, Stata, R and Python, as well as food security metrics, value-chain analysis and gender and social inclusion analysis, is also identified in the technical requirements.
Young Professionals Programme Age Requirement
FAO states that candidates for this opportunity should be 32 years of age or younger as of December 31 of the year of application.
The Young Professionals Programme is intended to support talented professionals, with priority consideration given to nationals of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and developing countries generally.
Salary and Benefits
The vacancy states that FAO offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.
Depending on eligibility, benefits may include:
- Dependency allowances
- Rental subsidy
- Education grant for children
- Home leave travel
- 30 working days of annual leave per year
- Pension fund entitlements
- International health insurance
- Optional life insurance
- Disability protection
The source does not state a specific salary amount for this vacancy.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is:
October 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
How to Apply
Applicants must create and complete an online profile through the official FAO recruitment portal. FAO recommends including employment records, academic qualifications and language skills and attaching a motivation letter.
Only applications submitted through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application Tips
Applicants should:
- Highlight relevant Master’s-level qualifications.
- Clearly demonstrate international development experience.
- Emphasize experience with agrifood systems and innovation.
- Include relevant participatory research or community-based work.
- Highlight data-analysis experience with R, Python, Stata or related tools where applicable.
- Demonstrate English and another FAO official language.
- Prepare a focused motivation letter.
- Submit the application well before the deadline.
Opportunities Feed Assessment
This FAO opportunity combines international development work with agrifood innovation, participatory approaches, data analysis and agroecology. The vacancy also provides a fixed-term two-year appointment with the possibility of extension, subject to applicable conditions.
Candidates should carefully review the age, education, experience and language requirements before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FAO Young Professional Officer opportunity?
It is a P-1 staff position focused on community-driven innovation within FAO’s Office of Innovation in Rome.
Where is the position based?
The position is based at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
What degree is required?
A Master’s degree or equivalent in agricultural innovation, systems agronomy, agricultural economics or a related field is required.
How much experience is required?
At least one year of relevant international development experience is required.
Is there an age requirement?
Yes. FAO states that candidates should be 32 years old or younger as of December 31 of the application year.
What is the deadline?
Applications close on October 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
Is this a permanent position?
No. The listing describes it as a two-year fixed-term appointment with possibility of extension.
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