FAO - NRM and field extension Officer, Rumbek

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Vacancy Announcement No: FAO/34/2017

                                                                         Issued on: 28 November 2017

                                                                                                Deadline For Application: 15 – December  2017

Position Title:

(1 position)

NRM and field extension Officer.

Grade Level:

SB4

CONTRACT TYPE:

National Personnel Project (NPP)

Duty Station: Rumbek.  

Organizational Unit:

FAO Representation in South Sudan (FRSSD)

Duration: 3 MONTHS Extendable.

Eligible Candidates:

 South Sudanese only

Anticipated start date: Immediately

Organizational Setting

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.

With the funding from the USAID, FAO is implementing the project entitled, “Sustainable Agriculture for Economic Resiliency Project in South Sudan”. This project aims to improve the ability of households and communities to withstand, recover from, and prevent shocks that negatively impact livelihoods – whether they are naturally occurring or related to violent conflict. Moreover, the project aims to play a key role in supporting agriculture to build the resilience of rural livelihoods. To improve livelihoods in conflict affected areas of South Sudan with stressed and crisis levels of food insecurity, the project will focus interventions on: (i) strengthening the resilience of the agricultural production systems; and (ii) increasing production as well as enhancing consumption, markets and livelihoods.

The Rumbek sub-office will implement all activities in the Lakes region.

Tasks and objectives to be achieved

The National Natural Resource Management and field extension Officer will work under the overall supervision of the NRM Officer in Juba and the direct supervision of the Are Coordinator and in support of technical and project staff. The incumbent will be responsible for the facilitation/mediation/interface between the natural resource component of the FAO South Sudan office and national stakeholders, especially national technical counterparts, local and traditional authorities, NGOs and grass-root groups. In addition, he/she will support the implementation of project field extension activities at the field level and in monitoring Implementing Partners on the ground.

The National Natural Resource Management and Field Extension Officer will perform the following tasks:

1. Strategy support/formulation at field level

1. Provide technical support on natural resource management, environment and climate change to support programming and strategy development in implementation areas including agriculture, fisheries, livestock and conflict mitigation;
2. Assist with the development of context-specific approaches, tools and activities and their integration into field projects for addressing natural resource management, energy access and climate  change adaption.

1. Situation review / analysis

1. Assist with the analysis of constraints, drivers and enabling factors which hinder/enhance sustainable natural resource management in South Sudan;

1. Assist in the field-level analysis of associated natural resource-related conflicts, including conflict management and resolution aspects.

1. Intervention technical support

1. Assist in liaising and coordinating activities with NGOs, UN agencies and regional institutions, and explore possible synergies and opportunities for joint projects and programmes at the local, national and regional levels;
2. Provide technical support/analysis to various natural resources, environment and climate change assessments, studies and initiatives;
3. Provide technical support for the implementation of NRM project related activities at the field-level, including activities related to climate change adaptation, climate resilience, water access, promotion of peacebuilding dialogue processes and safe access of bio-energy at community level.

1. Training and capacity development

1. Support in conducting community and partner capacity and training needs assessment for the development of training materials for improved community management of natural resources and extension service delivery;
2. Develop training material, and design training courses, curriculum and related training material;
3. Facilitate and supervise trainings in the field;
4. Ensure the quality and standards of the training provided under FAO projects are met;
5. Contribute and carryout extension reforms and capacity development and delivery for extension/advisory FAO services through formulated and agricultural/rural extension and provide technical assistance in capacity development of agricultural innovation systems to strengthen the support to the implementation partners and community beneficiaries.

1. Project implementation monitoring
   1. In collaboration with Area Coordinator and the M&E Team, monitor the project activities at field level;
   2. Assist Area Coordinator in the coordination and supervision of field activities;
   3. Monitor all partners in the use of appropriate acceptable humanitarian standards and best practices in delivery of food security and livelihood services (travel is required in form of roving monitoring and supervisory capacity);
   4. Liaise with FAO’s Implementing Partners (IP) at State and County level, solve problems if any, and support the Area Coordinator in monitoring the IP’s activities;
   5. Liaise with the FAO Monitoring and Evaluation team and facilitate M&E activities during distributions, post distributions surveys, post planting surveys and post harvesting surveys.
2. Overall project support
   1. Liaise with Area Coordinator, logistics unit and other relevant actors in the field in order to ensure the successful implementation of distribution operations – to both partners and beneficiaries;
   2. Build partnerships and promote inclusiveness in all aspects of coordination and project cycle as a representative for FAO;
   3. Contribute in the preparation of briefs, progress and final reports and final statements related to relevant programmes to be shared with recipient governments and donors as appropriate;
   4. Prepare for and participate in technical meetings related to the project on humanitarian relief and resiliency matters including the agriculture/food security cluster.

Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications  

Education:  Advanced university degree in natural resources management, social, environmental sciences, agriculture, forestry, ecology, biological sciences or related field;

Experience:

• 3-5 years of relevant experience in implementing natural resources management;
• Extensive knowledge and prior experience on watershed management system;
• Experience on peace building dialogue and negotiation processes at community level.

Languages:

• Working knowledge of English.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Thorough knowledge of the Organization's administrative and HR policies, procedures and practices;
• Demonstrated use of initiative and ability to make appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipate next steps;
• Ability to interpret and apply administrative and staff rules;
• Demonstrated ability to liaise with multiple UN, NGO, governmental, and media agencies;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work.

Interpersonal Communication Skills:

• Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping clients and colleagues informed;
• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively in English.

Security: Before starting the mission/travel, the consultant must find out in what security phase the country of assignment is in and what this implies for his/her own security. As soon as he/she arrives at the duty station, through the FAO Representation or directly, he/she must contact the designated UN security officer to be briefed on all the recommended security measures. In case this procedure is not properly applied, the consultant may not be covered under the Malicious Acts Insurance Policy.

Health: All consultants/PSAs, on duty travel, must accept responsibility for their health and well-being as part of their official duties and also on their return.

The following are the main responsibilities of the traveler:

• seek health advice, preferably four to six weeks before travel;
• comply with recommended vaccinations and other prescribed medication and health measures;
• ensure health precautions are taken before, during and after travel;
• obtain a physician's letter pertaining to any prescription medicines, syringes, etc. being carried;
• precaution to avoid transmitting any infectious disease to others during and after travel;
• report any illness on return, including information about all recent travel; and

• respect the host country and its population.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Expected Outputs:

1. Elaborate report including mapping of Natural Resources in each intervention area, stakeholders and conflict related analysis, identification of Socio-Ecological units;
2. Identification and list strategic livelihood interventions aiming to intertribal/community conflict mitigation;
3. Elaborate NRM Committee training module with the involvement of key stakeholders;
4. Implement NRM Committee training sessions (in case of direct implementation);
5. Monitor and follow up NRM Committee training sessions (in case of NGOs implementing the training);
6. Assist the Water expert in the identification of locations where to establish/rehabilitate water supply infrastructures;
7. Assist the Water Expert in the elaboration of Water Management Committee training module with the involvement of key stakeholders;
8. Implement Water Management Committee training sessions (in case of direct implementation);
9. Monitor and follow up Water Management Committee training sessions  (in case of NGOs implementing the training);
10. Monitoring and follow up reports;
11. End of assignment report;