National Professional Officer (Crop Protection and Plant Protection)

Date Posted: Sep 21, 2023

Job Detail

Location:

Kabul
Company:

FAO Organization
Type:

Full Time/Permanent
Shift:

Rotating Days
Career Level:

Experienced Professional
Positions:

1
Vacancy number:

2302861
Experience:

5 Year
Gender:

Any
Salary:

As per Company salary scale
Degree:

Bachelors
Apply Before:

Oct 10, 2023

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About FAO Organization

Project Background:

Combating land degradation and biodiversity loss by promoting sustainable rangeland management and biodiversity conservation project is a five year intervention of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This project aims to improve the sustainability of agriculture, forest, and land-use management through rehabilitating degraded rangelands, biodiversity conservation and enhancing and maintaining the livelihoods of Afghan rural communities in Khost, Laghman and Nuristan provinces in Afghanistan by employing the community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) approach. The project has three major components: (i) capacity-building at the national, sub-national, and district levels in community based natural resources management for sustainable rangeland and forest planning; (ii) Integrated management and restoration of degraded landscapes for biodiversity conservation and sustainable/regenerative rangeland management; (iii) Systematic creation and sharing of knowledge, project coordination, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and institutional capacity development.

The Senior GIS specialist will be responsible for all the geospatial data creation and management which would facilitate the implementation of participatory assessment and mapping of natural resources of the target districts. In addition, they will be preparing land-use/land-cover, watershed and topographic maps for RMAs and FMAs and target areas.

The Senior GIS specialist will closely work with appointed specialists and support the project task team in preparing maps of land-use/land-cover, rangeland hotspots, FMAs and RMAs, mission maps etc which would facilitate in devising strategies and plans for implementation of sustainable natural landscape planning. They will provide technical guidance for the implementation of forest restoration and management, agroforestry and small-scale greenhouses.

FAO is looking for qualified national staff fill the position of senior GIS specialist. This position will support the work of the GEF-funded” Combating land degradation and biodiversity loss by promoting sustainable rangeland management and biodiversity conservation” project in Afghanistan.

Job Description

The position is located in the FAO Representation in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Reporting Lines

The National Professional Officer (Crop Production and Plant Protection) works under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Afghanistan and the direct supervision of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer.

Technical Focus

Crop production and plant protection-related programme development and management, coordination and operational support based on the knowledge of the local conditions, culture, language and institutions of the country of assignment.

Key Results

Effective and efficient management and coordination of the technical and operational support of the crop production and plant protection-related programme and project activities of the FAO Representation on area Agriculture particularly seed sector development.

Key Functions

- Advises and liaises with government authorities, local, national and international institutions in the areas of FAO's activities and other UN agencies. Represents FAO at inter-agency meetings.
- Promotes the image of FAO through advocacy of the Organization's mandate, programmes, national priorities and activities including the coordination of development and maintenance of communication tools such as website, press releases and publications; provides FAO's information, knowledge and resources to government, NGOs, the private sector and other local entities on food, nutrition and agriculture situations; and supports the implementation of FAO's regulatory frameworks (Codex Alimentarius, Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Safe Use of Pesticides, etc.) in the country.
- Coordinates and manages the maintenance of country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries including information on external aid in FAO's corporate systems and monitor and communicate changes in national policies affecting the agricultural sector.
- Produces technical, economic and policy studies as required and participates in the development of country level development frameworks such as the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
- Identifies, formulates and prepares programme and project proposals, monitors and reviews the status of the programme/project implementation to ensure that all operational activities are carried out in line with the work plan and the project document; identifies inconsistencies and delays and submits proposals to the FAOR on how to improve results and increase efficiency.
- Briefs, trains and supervises lower grade level programme staff regarding all aspects of the job. Ensures adherence to procedures and work requirements and accuracy and diligence of the work provided.
- Performs other duties as required.

Specific Function

- Produces technical, economic and policy studies as required and participates in the development of country-level development frameworks such as the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
- Collaborates with pertinent technical units at headquarters and RAP to bring in a medium to long term vision and strategic direction on development of the crop production and plant protection sector in Afghanistan that will help FAO contribute in the achievement of national goals on food security and agriculture sectoral development as well as towards sustainable agrifood systems transformation and the four betters of FAO.
- Coordinates technical inputs and processes from key stakeholders such as line ministries, national, and international institutions, and the private sector into the project activities.
- Manages the crop production and plant protection activities of the ongoing projects.
- Identifies, formulates and prepares programme and project proposals and work plans on crop production and plant protection, monitors and reviews the status of the programme/project implementation to ensure that all operational activities are carried out in line with the work plan and the project document; identifies inconsistencies and delays and submits proposals to the FAOR on how to improve results and increase efficiency.
- Coordinates with stakeholders related to crop production and protection and promotes smart agriculture practices, delivers the project’s crop production and protection activities in accordance with the project document and approved annual work plan and budget.
- Supports in monitoring projects’ fund use and ensures it meets FAO standards for conducting financial management and control.
- Drafts project procurement documents including draft terms of reference, letters of agreement, request for proposals, bidding documents and other materials and obtain needed technical clearances.
- Organizes annual project workshops, and coordination meetings with the relevant staff and units to monitor the crop production and protection progress.
- Ensures collaboration and coordination between the participating institutions and organizations related to crop production and protection activities and initiatives.
- Reviews the six-monthly project progress reports related to activities in crop production and protection, other management reports and terminal reports as required.
- Performs other duties as required.

Job Requirements

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

- National of Afghanistan.
- Advanced university degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, forestry, fisheries, or any other field related to the work of the Organization.
- Five years of relevant experience in agricultural development and/or project implementation in an area of FAO's activities in the country.
- Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and of the local language (Pashto and Dari).

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, particularly in field positions.
- Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project development and management.
- Demonstrated understanding of the purpose and functions of the technical programme, operational guidelines and project/programme management procedures, preferably those adopted by the United Nations or FAO.
- Extent and relevance of experience in the field of policy analysis relating to food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development OR extent and relevance of experience in the collection of country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries.
- Extent and relevance of experience in the identification, formulation and preparation of programme and project proposals as well as programme/project implementation, monitoring and review.

Skills Required

Submission Guideline:

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills;
Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile;
Once your profile is completed, please apply and submit your application;
Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile;
Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications;
Incomplete applications will not be considered;
Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered;
Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

Submission Email:

Job Description - National Professional Officer (Crop Production and Plant Protection) (2302861) (fao.org)

Job Detail