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Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO helps developing countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture including livestock, forestry, and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all. Upon request from the Government of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the FAO has agreed to provide technical assistance for the execution of the Food and nutrition Security Enhancement Project (FANSEP), UTF/NEP/077/NEP from July 2019 to June 2023. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development implement the project.
Objectives
FAO Technical Assistance to FANSEP will contribute to achieve the project development objective: improved agricultural productivity and nutrition practices of targeted smallholder farming communities in selected areas of Nepal
Reporting Lines
Under the overall operational supervision of FAO Representative, technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer designated by the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok, and in close consultation and coordination with the Assistant FAO Representatives (Programme), the Team Leader will work closely with the Project Director of FANSEP at the PMU, with overall responsibility for support to the planning, implementation and management of activities related to the areas of TA undertaken by FAO.
Technical Focus
The team leader, with support from the FAO experts, will assist the project team in accomplishing project interventions to achieve the outputs envisaged under the project components in general and the FAO committed technical components in particular. He/she will undertake field visits and provide advice to the concerned Officers and also mobilize other TA from members of his/her working team as necessary. He/she will be responsible for coordinating the inputs provided by these experts. He/she will follow a participatory process in implementing the project activities with emphasis on the adoption of the Systems Learning Approach. In addition, he/she will lead the agribusiness and market linkage component of the project and will conduct market and value chain analysis of relevant commodities in the agriculture sector.
Tasks and responsibilities
The Team Leader will be responsible for the following tasks:
- Assume overall responsibility for the project management and smooth implementation of the activities in accordance with the project document and FAO procedures;
- Plan, manage and lead the specialized multi-disciplinary TA teams and provides technical and operational leadership
- Analyse project specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the Project Development Objectives, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and resourcing strategies
- Guide project TA team for the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks
- Provide leadership to conduct, design and oversee periodic monitoring or evaluation and analysis activities to support the development of technical standards, instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and programmatic advisory services
- Provide strategic advice to team members and PMU, Cluster offices and Rural Municipalities in the development and implementation of their project activities
- Provide leadership, oversight and coordination to ensure the implementation of the GESI strategy and action plan working in collaboration with the ESS, M&E and other team members
- Lead, collaborate and provide technical backstopping to ensure the quality and effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities
- Conduct market and value chain analyses of relevant commodities in the project areas. The analysis includes understanding and identifying the supply and demand situation of the targeted areas, characterizing and mapping the producers and buyers of relevant commodities and agricultural inputs. Familiarize him/herself with commodity value chains, including marketing of relevant agriculture commodities and identifying the key market linkages required to improve and sustain livelihoods of the beneficiaries
- Represent the FAO at national meetings and conferences, identify and implement strategic partnerships, advocate best practices and increased policy and programmatic coherence dialogue and develop and negotiate effective working relationships and consensus and agreement with national stakeholders
- Lead and participate in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy
- Provide strategic directions regarding the work on crop and livestock production, climate smart technologies, nutrition sensitive agriculture, resiliency building and market linkage for the project
- Provides strategic, managerial and technical leadership, guidance and support to the TA Team on FANSEP implementation
- Assist the FANSEP Project Director and other officers involved in the implementation of the project in the scheduling of consultant inputs to coincide effectively with the schedule of implementation requirements of the project activities
- Develop the inception report and overall action plan as well as the budget for FAO TA, aligning it with the objectives, outcomes and outputs of the FANSEP project components in consultation with PMU
- Prepare annual and six-monthly integrated work plans as well as the budget on the basis of the TA agreement document, inception report and overall action plan and coordinate the timely delivery of inputs as stipulated by the work plans
- Ensure that the inputs of the project specialists, technical officers, consultants and support staff are scheduled in such a way as to maximize the synergetic effect of their combined inputs through proper timing
- Develop rapport and maintain close working relationships with the technical staff working in the team to carry out the work programme and its effective planning and implementation
- Put into effect the technical advice provided by the review and backstopping missions
- Facilitate and supervise the organization of training and workshops related to the project activities, including the development of curricula and implementation of Training of Trainers (ToTs), refresher courses and FFSs on Crop, Livestock, Market Linkage and Nutrition
- Arrange for joint (international and domestic) participatory meetings of the consultants, especially at the beginning of their first input, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of their inputs in the context of the aims and objectives of the project.
- Identify opportunities for engaging NGOs, the private sector and projects related to the livelihood activities for greater synergy
- Assist in promoting knowledge about principles of participation, downward accountability, transparency, feedback and learning, including methods to operationalize them
- Prepare the work plan, with details on the inputs to be provided to effectively implement and achieve their terms of reference as a team.
- Provide support for the monitoring and evaluation of implemented activities, including field-level training programmes through FFSs and other training events
- Provide briefing to the study tour participants before they undertake visits and organize debriefing and follow-up upon their return
- Assist the Project Director in the identification of international training and study tours
- Oversee and coordinate the preparation and submission of periodic and technical reports ensuring quality standards and timeliness in accordance with the provisions of the TA agreement.
- On behalf of FAO, provide support in preparing and submitting six monthly work plans and fund disbursement requests to the Government and to the donor in compliance with the TA agreement document.
- Assist in sorting out issues as they emerge between the consultants and/or project staff and keep FAO informed of any unresolved issues or delays and suggest remedial measures
- Support the Project Director as required, in project-related tasks
- Liaise and maintain partnerships with other agencies and partners on behalf of World Bank and FAO
- Be responsible for coordinating, overseeing the preparation of, and the delivery of project’s progress and technical reports as well as other documents as envisaged by the project;
- Undertake any other assignments deemed necessary for the smooth implementation of the project
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
- National of Nepal
- Advanced University (Master) degree in Agricultural economics, agribusiness, or any agriculture or livestock related field with extensive experience of economic policy, agribusiness development, and/or leadership and management of large-scale integrated projects
- Ten Years of relevant experience in developing and implementing programmes related to agriculture, livestock or food and nutrition security
- Working knowledge of English and Nepali
- Candidate should have knowledge of computer skills (MS Office package: word, excel and power point)
FAO Core Competencies
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Ten Years of relevant experience in developing and implementing programmes related to agriculture, livestock or food and nutrition security or natural resource management and climate change
- Having experience of managing and working with multi-disciplinary team
- Competency and demonstrated practical relevant experience in Crop and Livestock value chain management
- Experience with similar internationally funded development projects will be an added advantage
- Good communication skills
Selection Criteria
- Extent of relevant technical knowledge and experience in the areas of agriculture, livestock, and natural resource management
- Having experience of working with multi-disciplinary and multicultural team
- Experience in the management of Agricultural projects and programmes
- Good working knowledge of English (Written and Spoken)
- Experience with similar internationally funded development projects will be an added advantage
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