Programme Resilience Specialist at Food and Agriculture Organization Of the United Nations

Organizational Setting

• The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO representative, is to assistant 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 to ensure zero hunger in the country. FAO provides support in three priority areas: sustainable increase in production and productivity, agriculture-based economic growth, and increased resilience of livelihoods to threats and crisis.
• The current portfolio of projects in Nigeria includes activities related to agriculture (crop), livestock, Fisheries, Natural Resource management and Food Security Information Management and Analysis.
• The incumbent will contribute to the country’s programme and portfolio as foreseen in the project he/she will coordinate and be assigned.

Reporting Lines:

• The Programme Resilience Specialist reports to the FAO Representative (FAOR) and direct supervision of the Head of Office of the FAO North east sub office and in close collaboration with the Assistant FAOR Programme and the Emergency Resilience Programme Specialist.

Technical Focus:

• Contribute to FAO Nigeria efforts in designing and implementation of emergency agricultural and resilience sensitive programme.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Coordinate the design and development of quality project funding concept notes and proposals across FAO’s thematic areas of work for resource partners;
• Lead the preparation and development of interim and terminal projects implementation reports for submission to resource partners;
• Oversee the planning and effective implementation of FAO’s work in N.W Nigeria and foster
• Synergy, complementarity and integration of other FAO Nigeria programmes to ensure quality and sustainable outcomes.  
• Make technical contributions and analysis to enable effective integration of key areas in FAO emergency projects. These include: civil society, gender and youth; Disaster Risk Reduction; protection, governance and conflict management, equality and humanitarian principles.
• Contribute to regular strategic review of FAO strategic positioning as to emergency and resilience response in N.E and N.W Nigeria; and other parts of the country as needed;
• Provide critical guidance on and build partnership relations with international and national non-governmental organizations, potential implementing partners, donors and other UN-Agencies in order to reinforce synergies between key stakeholders and ensuring correct implementation of activities in the field;
• Facilitate meetings, workshops, events for raising awareness, sharing knowledge and results of FAO interventions in N.E and N.W of Nigeria;
• Participate in emergency response programming and recovery/rehabilitation planning including through inter-agency coordination platforms;
• Prepare briefs and reports on FAO programmes in response to the crisis in north east Nigeria;
• Lead the provision of FAO inputs to other relevant interagency documents and briefs on the humanitarian situation in North East and/or North West Nigeria,
• Participate in various inter agency forums that are relevant to FAO including the Food Security Sector and other coordination and planning forums.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Requirements
Candidates will be assessed against the following:

• University Degree in Agriculture, Social Sciences or related field.
• Additional qualifications and experience in resource mobilization including project proposal development and report writing for emergency humanitarian response especially in Africa will be an added advantage
• At least 7 years of experience in rural development in a humanitarian context. 
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) for Consultants.
• For PSA.SBS working knowledge of English. 

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
• Extent and relevance of experience in working in humanitarian context in the field of resilience building in agriculture and with deep understanding emergency agriculture concepts and programming
• Extent and relevance of experience in working with communities and diverse stakeholders in conflict affected areas.
• Familiarity and proven experience in project management and development
• Excellent computer skills, communication, writing and presentation skills;
• Readiness to carry out visits to project sites and duty travel as required;
• Flexibility and adaptability to work in emergency situations with tight deadlines;
• Excellent team-building and cross-cultural skills;
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the on-going emerging policy issues in the areas of Agriculture, Food Security, Rural Development, Poverty Eradication and social protection
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and experience in working with a wide range of individuals at high levels in government, private sector and civil society;
• Experience of working with the government counterparts, national or international financial institutions, private sector/ civil society in the field of economic and social development in Nigeria.