Investment Operations Specialist

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Dihlabeng Local Municipality; Hybrid; ZAR 629 000 - 1 102 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international organization is seeking candidates for multiple specialist roles aimed at improving agrifood systems. Applicants should have an advanced degree and experience in agricultural investment operations. The position involves technical advisory roles and collaborating with government stakeholders for food security and sustainable development solutions. Proficiency in English, French or Spanish is required, and the contract can be home-based with travel for field missions.

Qualifications

• At least one year of professional experience in agricultural or rural sector studies.
• Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish; other languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead teams for development and evaluation of agricultural strategies.
• Prepare reports as required by governments and partners.
• Advise on developing inclusive and sustainable food systems.

Skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Agricultural investment operations

Policy advice

Food security strategies

Communication

Capacity development

Technical expertise

Education

Advanced university degree in relevant fields

Job description

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre's four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level.

The purpose of this call is to provide FAO’s Investment Centre (CFI) with a list of qualified candidates for a number of profiles with different specializations as indicated below. The contract can be home based with required travel for field missions.

Requested Profiles (or Job Titles)

• Agribusiness, Agri-processing and Value Chain Specialist
• Agriculture Specialist
• Animal Husbandry, Health, Feed, and Processing Specialist
• Capacity Development and Extension Specialist
• Climate Change and Climate Smart Agriculture Specialist
• Climate Finance Specialist
• Credit and Rural Finance Specialist
• Digital Agriculture Specialist
• Economist – Agricultural Economist
• Expenditure Review Specialist
• Fisheries and Aquaculture Specialist
• Food Safety Specialist
• Food Security and Nutrition Specialist
• Forestry Specialist
• Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion Specialist
• Impact Assessment Specialist
• Information and Communication Technology and MIS Specialist
• Institutional Development Specialist
• Irrigation Engineer
• Knowledge Development Specialist
• Land Tenure and Land Tenure Information Management Specialist
• Livestock Specialist
• Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
• Natural Resources and Environmental Management Specialist
• On-farm Water Management Specialist
• Project Management Specialist
• Quality Label Specialist
• Remote Sensing and GIS Specialist
• Resilience and Emergency Specialist
• Rural Area Water Supply Specialist
• Rural Infrastructure Specialist / Cold-storage Specialist
• Rural Sociologist and Community-Driven Development
• Veterinarian / One Health Specialist / Zoonotic disease

Reporting Lines

The Investment Operations Specialist will work under the overall technical supervision of the Service Chief and the direct supervision of a CFI Officer, in close collaboration with the FAO Representation in the relevant country of assignment.

Technical Focus

Provision of technical advice or expertise and capacity development for (i) provision of policy advice to member countries in collaboration with IFI partners; (ii) the design of investment operations, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to mobilize resources for food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation; and (ii) implementation support and evaluation of investment operations, in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Lead, or participate in, multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification, assessment and preparation of investment operations in the fields of food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation and participate in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
• Lead, or participate in, multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment operations.
• Advise governments, or provide technical expertise, in the preparation of food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation studies and strategies, and in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes. (only for Consultants)
• Advise on developing, or support the development, of inclusive and sustainable food systems, involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, civil society organizations and government.
• Lead the formulation, or formulate, and deliver monitoring and evaluation, communication and capacity development strategies and activities in the areas of food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation, investment support to government staff, and non-state actors and private sector organizations.
• Prepare reports in accordance with government and financing partners’ requirements.
• Promote international cooperation and collaboration leading to new investment opportunities and cooperative agreements, advocates best practices and effective policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Candidates will be assessed against the following

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in economics, agricultural economics, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, agribusiness management, natural resource management, irrigation and drainage engineering, rural infrastructure engineering, communication, social sciences, international relations or a related field as appropriate for the specific profile, or relevant educational background including specific academic or technical qualifications within the required field of expertise. .
• At least one year of professional experience in conducting agricultural/rural sector/subsector analytical studies, and/or in planning, design, supervision of agricultural and rural investment operations, including elaboration of feasibility studies and implementation of agricultural and rural investment operations in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English, French or Spanish. Limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian would be an asset.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in leading, or participating in, multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation investment operations
• Extent and relevance of experience in food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation analytical studies and programme evaluation
• Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Funds for Agriculture and Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
• Extent and relevance of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and climate change adaptation and/or mitigation investments
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and other country level stakeholders.
• Relevance of experience in different geographical areas.