Fisheries Analyst

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

FAO has been working in Lebanon since 1977. FAO Lebanon project portfolio has been growing in response to the different crises. Projects mainly target farmers, fishers, and their organisations with the aim of building their resilience and capacity to access potential markets, while undertaking sustainable management of resources.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Lebanon is supporting national efforts to enhance sustainable agricultural development, improve food security, and strengthen the resilience of rural livelihoods. The Fisheries Analyst will contribute to the implementation of fisheries development and management projects, providing technical analysis and operational support under the guidance of the Fisheries Technical Coordinator.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of Fisheries Technical Coordinator and in close coordination with other Units and colleagues in the office.

Technical Focus

The Fisheries Analyst will provide technical, analytical and implementation support to FAO Lebanon’s fisheries and aquaculture programme, working under the direct supervision of the Fisheries Technical Coordinator. The role includes desk-based analysis and field engagement: from the office, the Analyst compiles and processes fisheries sector data, produces technical reports and situation analyses, and maintains project documentation; in the field, the Analyst engages directly with fishing cooperatives and communities, monitors aquaculture project sites, and collects the evidence that informs planning and reporting.

The Analyst’s portfolio spans aquaculture development, fishing community engagement, fisheries sector analysis and project implementation support across several concurrent projects, requiring the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and to adapt priorities as directed by the Fisheries Technical Coordinator.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Compile and analyse fisheries sector data from multiple sources and support the preparation of value chain analyses, market assessments and situation analyses, tracking sector trends and producing technical reports and briefing notes for the Fisheries Technical Coordinator and Programme Leader.
• Contribute technical fisheries data and analytical inputs to FAO Lebanon's corporate reporting requirements, donor reports and knowledge products, providing accurate and timely evidence from across the fisheries portfolio.
• Support the design, planning and monitoring of aquaculture interventions, contributing technical inputs to activity plans, procurement specifications and implementation schedules in coordination with the Fisheries Technical Coordinator and the operations unit.
• Conduct field monitoring visits to aquaculture project sites, assessing production performance, health status, feed management and infrastructure condition, and documenting findings with implementation constraints flagged to the Fisheries Technical Coordinator for review.
• Support the Fisheries Technical Coordinator in delivering technical guidance to aquaculture producers on good aquaculture practices including species selection, stocking density, water quality management and post-harvest handling, and contribute to the development of related training materials and technical guidelines.
• Engage directly with fishing cooperatives, artisanal fishing communities and fishing households, facilitating projects’ delivery, participate in meetings and workshops related to fisheries projects, supporting beneficiary identification and registration, and assisting in the organisation of training sessions and capacity-building activities.
• Liaise with the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and other national counterparts at the operational level, facilitating information exchange, coordinating field activities and supporting compliance with national regulatory frameworks.
• Support the day-to-day implementation of fisheries and aquaculture project activities across concurrent projects, contributing to workplan monitoring, activity tracking and progress documentation under the direction of the Fisheries Technical Coordinator.
• Support procurement and logistics for fisheries project inputs, including aquaculture equipment, fishing gear, feed stocks, training materials and other goods and services, and maintain accurate records of project activities, beneficiary data and implementation documentation.
• Assist in the preparation and regular updating of project workplans, activity schedules and procurement plans in coordination with the Fisheries Technical Coordinator and the operations unit.
• Support monitoring of implementation progress against approved workplans and budgets, flag bottlenecks and risks to the Fisheries Technical Coordinator, and assist in maintaining implementation records across concurrent projects.
• Assist in coordinating with implementing partners, service providers and field teams, preparing records of coordination meetings and following up on action points as directed by the Technical Coordinator.
• Assist in the preparation of donor progress reports, project financial reports and internal monitoring documents, compiling data and drafting sections as directed by the Fisheries Technical Coordinator.
• Assist the Fisheries Technical Coordinator in compiling fisheries sector data and evidence for writing proposals, including documentation of fisheries co-benefits such as climate resilience, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Maintain and operate monitoring and data management systems for the fisheries portfolio using digital data collection tools, and document lessons learned, good practices and field evidence for knowledge sharing purposes.
• Participate in project review and internal coordination meetings as directed by the Fisheries Technical Coordinator, contributing implementation updates and supporting the preparation of meeting materials.
• Provide comprehensive administrative assistance to the project, including scheduling, correspondence, filing, procurement-related support, preparation of contracts and purchase orders, and ensuring the timely processing of all project-related administrative actions in close coordination with relevant FAO units.
• Perform any other related duties as required by the Fisheries Technical Coordinator.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Sciences, Fisheries Management, Aquaculture, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Rural Development, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5 years of relevant experience in fisheries or aquaculture development, natural resource management, agriculture development, or rural development, preferably in a coastal or inland fisheries context;
• Working knowledge of English (level C) and Arabic (Level C)
• National of Lebanon

FAO Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated organization skills and ability to meet tight deadlines;
• Ability to prioritize tasks;
• Communication skills;
• Ability to work in a harmonious and effective way in a multicultural team;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective working relationships with supervisors and colleagues

Technical/Functional Skills

• Technical knowledge of fisheries and aquaculture systems, including good aquaculture practices, sustainable fishing methods, fish health management, post-harvest handling and fisheries value chain dynamics, applicable to both marine and inland water fisheries contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to compile, process and analyse fisheries sector data from multiple sources, including landing surveys, cooperative records and field assessments, and to produce clear, structured technical reports and analytical briefs for management and donor audiences.
• Experience engaging directly with artisanal fishing communities, fishing cooperatives and aquaculture producers, with the interpersonal skills needed to build trust, gather field intelligence and facilitate the effective delivery of training and technical advisory activities.
• Ability to support the design and monitoring of aquaculture interventions, including field monitoring of production performance, preparation of technical specifications for aquaculture inputs and documentation of monitoring findings with corrective action recommendations.
• Experience supporting procurement and logistics processes for fisheries or aquaculture project inputs, including contributing to technical specifications and verifying the quality of delivered goods.
• Familiarity with FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) and relevant international fisheries governance frameworks, with the ability to apply these principles in the design and monitoring of field interventions.
• Good organizational and self-management skills with the ability to track progress and maintain documentation across multiple concurrent projects simultaneously.
• Good reporting and technical writing skills in English; proficiency in Arabic for community engagement in Lebanese coastal and inland fisheries areas is essential.

Selection criteria

• Proven experience in: (i) supporting the implementation of fisheries or aquaculture project activities, including field monitoring, community engagement and technical reporting; (ii) compiling and analysing fisheries sector data and producing structured technical reports or situation analyses; (iii) engaging directly with fishing cooperatives, artisanal fishing communities or aquaculture producers; (iv) supporting procurement or logistics processes for fisheries or aquaculture project inputs.
• Familiarity with Mediterranean fisheries, Lebanon’s artisanal fishing sector and the Department of Fisheries is highly desirable.
• Experience with digital data collection tools and GIS for fisheries monitoring is an asset.
• Prior experience with FAO, UN agencies or NGOs is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION