Agricultural policy officer

Agricultural policy officers analyse and identify agricultural policy issues and develop plans for improvement and new policy implementation. They write reports and presentations in order to communicate and acquire support for the policies from government officials and the public. They also communicate with professionals in agriculture for research and information purposes and perform administrative duties.

The following job titles also refer to agricultural policy officer:

agriculture policy coordinator
agricultural consultant
agriculture policy manager
policy officer agriculture
agriculture policy advisor
policy manager agriculture
agronomist
farming advisor
agriculture policy officer

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as agricultural policy officer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Agricultural policy officer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to agricultural policy officer.

competition policy officer
regional development policy officer
economic development coordinator
employment programme coordinator
recreation policy officer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of agricultural policy officer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of agricultural policy officer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of agricultural policy officer.

Government policy implementation: The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.
Environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry: Awareness on enviromental legislation, policies, principles relevant for agriculture and forestry. Awareness of the impact on the enviroment of local agricultural precedures and practices. Means to adjust the production to new enviromental regulations and policies.
Legislation in agriculture: Body of regional, national and European laws enacted in the field of agriculture and forestry concerning various issues such as product quality, environmental protection and trade.
Ecological principles: The understanding of how an ecosystem functions and its relationship to environmental planning and design.
Agronomy: The study of combining agriculture production and protection and regeneration of natural environment. Includes the principles and methods of critical selection and adequate application methods for sustainability in agriculture.

These skills are necessary for the role of agricultural policy officer.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Develop agricultural policies: Develop programmes for the development of new technologies and methodologies in agriculture, as well as the development and implementation of improved sustainability and environmental awareness in agriculture.
Maintain relations with local representatives: Maintain good relations with representatives of the local scientific, economic and civil society.
Liaise with local authorities: Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.
Maintain relationships with government agencies: Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.
Promote agricultural policies: Promote the inclusion of agricultural programmes on a local and national level, in order to acquire support for agricultural development and sustainability awareness.
Advise on legislative acts: Advise officials in a legislature on the propositioning of new bills and the consideration of items of legislation.
Manage government policy implementation: Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural policy officer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Project management principles: Different elements and phases of project management.
Pollution legislation: Be familiar with European and National legislation regarding the risk of pollution.
Pollution prevention: The processes used to prevent pollution: precautions to pollution of the environment, procedures to counter pollution and associated equipment, and possible measures to protect the environment.
Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
Scientific research methodology: The theoretical methodology used in scientific research involving doing background research, constructing an hypothesis, testing it, analysing data and concluding the results.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural policy officer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Manage government-funded programmes: Implement and monitor the development of projects subsidized by regional, national or European authorities.
Carry out strategic research: Research long term possibilities for improvements and plan steps to achieve them.
Develop educational resources: Create and develop educational resources for visitors, school groups, families and special interest groups.
Keep task records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
Oversee quality control: Monitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. Supervise product inspection and testing.
Promote environmental awareness: Calculate the carbon footprint of business processes and other practices in order to promote sustainability and to raise awareness for the environmental impact.
Conduct educational activities: Plan, perform and supervise educational activities for a variety of audiences, such as for school children, university students, specialist groups, or members of the public.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Advise on government policy compliance: Advise organisations on how they may improve their compliance to the applicable government policies they are required to adhere to, and the necessary steps which need to be taken in order to ensure complete compliance.
Prepare government funding dossiers: Prepare dossiers to request government funding.
Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.
Conduct public presentations: Speak in public and interact with those present. Prepare notices, plans, charts, and other information to support the presentation.

2422 – Policy administration professionals

 

 

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References

1. Agricultural policy officer – ESCO