Field Implementation Specialist

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.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specifically, FAO Country Offices:

i. advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
ii. provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
iii. assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
iv. position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
v. ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations, the academe and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, mechanization and modernization through improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

The position is located in Davao City, Philippines.

This position is funded under the "European Union Support for Resilient Mindanao" (EU4Mindanao) Action Which is part of the European Union’s long-term support to building lasting peace and promoting inclusive development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Mindanao as a whole.

With the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as the Overall Government Partner, EU4Mindanao is jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Organization (UNIDO), as lead agency and Administrative Agent, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The Action focuses on localizing a quadruple humanitarian, peace, climate and development (HPCD) nexus approach in communities that face multi-faceted and interlocking vulnerabilities. These communities are composed of Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and those at risk of displacement, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women and girls, and youth in Mindanao, particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Despite recent efforts to address persistent challenges in GIDAs and to advance the Bangsamoro peace process, these groups have not fully benefited from the resulting peace dividend due to persistent conflict, exposure to multiple hazards, longstanding discrimination, shortcomings in legal frameworks, and other sources of instability.

The impact (overall objective) of the Action is to foster an enabling environment for sustainable peace and development in Mindanao. Two Specific Objectives/Outcomes have been formulated:

Outcome 1: Local communities' resiliency is increased.
Outcome 2: Local value chains and value addition, fair production and economic opportunities for target communities are strengthened.

While both Outcomes aim to increase local productive capacities, they will respectively focus on agriculture (Outcome 1, FAO) and processing/agro-industry (Outcome 2, UNIDO). To operationalize the HPCD nexus, the human security approach and conflict-sensitive programming will be applied across both Outcomes, ensuring programmatic coherence and cost-effectiveness that maximize lasting impact. The Action is aligned with the 2024-2028 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), the EU Multi-annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for the Philippines (2021-2027), and the Mindanao Agenda 2023-2028 of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

Reporting Lines

The Field Implementation Specialist will report to the Assistant FAO Representative for Programme.

Technical Focus

The Field Implementation Specialist supports the effective delivery of project interventions at the field level by providing technical, operational, and coordination support to ensure timely and results-based implementation of project activities.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Ensure results-based implementation of field activities in assigned areas, aligning delivery with the project logframe, approved work plans, and performance indicators, and contributing to the achievement of planned outputs and outcomes.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on implementation progress, identifying risks, delays, and operational bottlenecks, and proposing timely corrective actions to ensure efficient and accountable delivery.
• Provide technical expertise and advisory support to local government units (LGUs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and other partners, ensuring that interventions are context-appropriate, evidence-based, and aligned with project objectives.
• Contribute to the design and operationalization of project interventions, including the development and adaptation of technical guidelines, tools, and implementation strategies based on field realities and emerging needs.
• Facilitate capacity development initiatives by designing and delivering training programmes, workshops, and field-based learning activities, ensuring knowledge transfer and sustainability of project outcomes.
• Strengthen coordination and partnerships with national and subnational stakeholders, UN agencies, NGOs, and private sector actors, promoting integrated and harmonized implementation at the field level.
• Lead field-level stakeholder engagement and communication, ensuring inclusive participation, transparency, and alignment with community priorities and project goals.
• Represent the project in coordination platforms, technical working groups, and relevant forums, contributing to knowledge sharing, visibility, and strategic positioning of the project.
• Promote and ensure compliance with UN and FAO standards, including gender equality, social inclusion, conflict sensitivity, environmental and social safeguards, and accountability to affected populations.
• Support data management, monitoring, and reporting systems, ensuring timely collection, validation, and analysis of data to inform decision-making and corporate reporting requirements.
• Contribute to knowledge management and learning, documenting good practices, lessons learned, and innovations to support continuous improvement and scaling of interventions.
• Perform other duties as required, consistent with the level of the position and in support of project objectives.
• Ensure compliance with donor visibility requirements and proper implementation of the project’s communication and visibility activities across teams and actions, including in line with the European Commission’s “Use of the EU emblem in the context of EU programmes 2021–2027” and “Communicating and raising EU visibility – Guidance for external actions” (July 2022). Ensures that all teams, consultants, grantees and implementing partners comply with relevant visibility requirements.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in the field of Agriculture, Agribusiness, Community Development/Organizing, Rural Development,
Development Studies, Environmental Science, or other related fields.
• At least five (5) years of relevant experience in field-level project implementation and technical support to agriculture and/or rural/agricultural development programmes, with demonstrated working knowledge of agricultural value chains in Mindanao, including familiarity with at least one of the priority value chains targeted by the Action (soybean, coffee, cattle, cacao, coconut, durian)
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and Filipino
• National of the Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Programme implementation and field coordination, with emphasis on results-based management, monitoring and evaluation, capacity development, stakeholder engagement, and technical support to local partners.
• Effective collaboration among government agencies, community organizations, development partners, and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated implementation, inclusive participation, and achievement of project objectives.
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to an evolving and complex humanitarian context and within multidisciplinary and different cultural background teams

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION