National Professional Officer (Value Chain Development Expert)
Job Description
The Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with Divisions/Offices/Centres at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities.
RNE also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RNE develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).
The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.
The post is located in RNE and based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Responsibilities
- • Advises and coordinates with the FAO Programme Coordinator; liaises with the Programme Management Unit (PMU) and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MoEWA) to ensure the flow of cooperation and coordination necessary for the appropriate planning and implementation, and monitoring of progress of the project component in accordance with the project document.
- Works in close collaboration with and ensures timely and full coordination with the 'Project National Focal Points' to facilitate the implementation of the project; prepares periodical reports for organization of the Regional Steering Committee meetings, acts as reporter during the meetings and ensures timely preparation and distribution of the Committee minutes.
- Co-leads the comprehensive review for the priority commodities of the rural development programme and organizes full value chain analysis and development studies for all priority crops/commodities.
- Contributes to the identification of important local commodities in demand in local markets in each of the target regions and prepares and assists implementation of local commodities' value addition programme.
- Supports the improvement of value addition/agro-processing physical infrastructure and logistics, including grading facilities and laboratory services, assists the establishment and operation of local agro-processing centres and identifies and promotes access and use of technologies and innovations by small producers and their associations.
- Assists in design and implementation of a programme for value addition innovations and technology promotion in target regions including through pilot demonstration of appropriate technological packages for value addition in small-scale farming communities.
- Assists in design and conduction of a study to compare the value addition potential of traditional versus modern livestock management.
- Reviews and validates the list of identified technical experts for the project component, including their Terms of Reference (ToRs), helps managing their recruitment and supervises component technical team, consultants and the support staff in carrying out their duties.
- Co-leads the preparation and dissemination of various written project component outputs, e.g. background papers, sector reviews, technical reports, sections of reports and studies, manuals, guidelines and checklists as well as knowledge products.
- Co-leads the preparation of quarterly and semi-annual project component progress reports and terminal report, identifies lessons learned, constraints and issues that require timely resolution and corrective actions and presents recommendations for improving performance.
- Co-leads development of demand-driven and responsive partnerships to benefit Saudi Arabia from proven innovation and good practices in the south and north for value addition and marketing.
- Coordinates with Southern Region Agricultural Development (SRAD) National Director and national stakeholders to ensure close working relations with MoEWA branches and other local authorities, to ensure timely conducting of country activities, including contractual arrangements, and informs the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) of problems and obstacles that need attention and specific assistance.
- Provides support in the design and organization of social, qualitative and quantitative studies including but not limited to gender mainstreaming, productive family issues, entrepreneurship, internal migration and with respect to rural people and youth participation and opinion considerations.
- Ensures that the Southern Region Agricultural Development Project (SRADP) investment and support components including the provision of equipment, construction of extension centers and others include marketing facilities are timely completed.