FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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- FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
Organizational Setting
FAO’s office for Yemen is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing countrywide food, agriculture and rural development priorities under Yemen. It develops and maintains relations with the relevant Ministries at country level. This position is based in FAO Representation in Sanaa, Yemen. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent reports to overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Yemen and direct supervision of the Agriculture Officer.
Technical Focus
Assist in the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring/evaluation of value chain related programmes within FAO mandate and specifically be responsible for implementing selected agriculture value chain work.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Review the main existing cereals crop value chains in the country including market trends, technological and infrastructure status, market demand and supply, primary actors and their roles and linkages, post-harvest handling, business support service needs (including capacity building), and regulatory and control mechanisms.
• Assess the major constraints affecting crop value chains and identify potential development opportunities and approaches to overcome these constraints in line with FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF).
• Identify opportunities to upgrade the competitiveness of crop value chain(s) through opportunities in the local and distant markets and develop strategic approaches to exploit those opportunities.
• Identify areas of improvement for better production and productivity to increase competitiveness of the small-scale producers, and agro-food enterprises engaged in the value chain and opportunities for better employment and income including value addition and processing activities,
• Provide advice on crop combination options for optimal and sustainable production (suitable options for intercropping seasonal crops).
• Advise on appropriate management techniques for the different crops.
• Contribute to the development of proposal for mainstreaming capacity building and innovative training approaches (e.g. Farmer Field Schools, cereal crop production) in the promotion of value chains.
• Review the legal and regulatory environment of specific crops, value chains with a focus on policies, incentives, export promotion mechanisms, training, quality promotion, certification, standardization, and partnerships, and propose needed harmonization of the legislative and regulatory framework for value chains.
• Assist in preparing the specifications of inputs, supplies and equipment, envisaged in project documents and assist in their procurement and distribution to beneficiaries.
• Recommend the optimal combinations of improved seed varieties and inputs including specifying the seed varieties most appropriate for the targeted areas and the best and / or most cost-effective inputs.
• Describe storage options for each crop and costs associated with the different options. (For how long can small-scale farmers store the crop realistically, different storage options, risks associated with crop storage)
• Describe any opportunities or potential barriers that farmers should consider in assessing the potential of the crop.
• Assist in providing support in all aspects of cereals crop production and protection including seed use and marketing, production practices, plant protection, preservation, and marketing.
• Advice and assist in the identification of value chain related policies and best practices that contribute to improved agricultural production and food security in the country for the selected crops.
• Participate in the design of emergency/rehabilitation projects and programs, including the preparation and presentation of project proposals and fully-fledged project documents.
• Ensure technical clearance is obtained from the relevant technical unit for all project proposals project documents and technical specifications.
• Undertake travel to ensure adequate operational support is provided to the implementation of emergency projects and programs.
• Prepare monthly progress report (with detailed information regarding project activities) for timely submission to FAO.
• Support seed sector and assess seed security among varied types of farmers, including women and youth, in the key agro ecologies of the country.
• Support the understanding of seed production and marketing activities in the country and identify key challenges and opportunities they face.
• Perform any other tasks requested by the FAO Representative and/or line managers in relation to his/her expertise.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advance University degree in Agronomy, Rural Extension or other related subjects.
• Five years of relevant experience in Rural Extension. Relevant background experience on technical areas related to crop production, value chain approaches and market-oriented production.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and Arabic
• National of Yemen.
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
• Demonstrated ability to analyze problems, make appropriate recommendations, effective decisions, including in emergency settings;
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Extent and relevance of experience in UN Agencies and/or INGOs
• Familiarity with project cycle, finance, asset and human resources management tools
• Familiarity with Office tools including virtual/teleworking platforms;
SELECTION CRITERIA:
• Relevance and level of academic qualifications;
• Extent of experience in programme/project management and administration;
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing;
• Ability to identify and resolve problems expeditiously and pragmatically;
• Tact, initiative and sound judgement;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with the UN system; experience in public administration
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
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