National specialist on conservation agriculture

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background, and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations, and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

FAO Ukraine is a project management Office headed by the Regional Programme Leader (RPL) under the operational responsibility of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The Office provides support to Ukraine in promoting restoration of degraded landscapes in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Ukraine through upscaling of integrated natural resources management (INRM) practices.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of FAO Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia, Programme Coordinator and project LTO under the direct supervision of the GEF Project Coordinator as well as in the close coordination with relevant partners, experts and the rest of the FAO team, the expert will be (i) responsible for the provision of support the development of the methodological approaches for best CA practices selection, (ii) supervise national processes of best CA practice selection, (iii) develop and provide with curriculum units for the national practical workshops and farmer field-to-field visits with the further demonstration of their implementation on the pilot project sites.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will work in the close coordination with relevant partners, experts and the rest of the FAO team within the framework of project GCP/UKR/004/GEF. The incumbent will be responsible to perform the following tasks:

Tasks and responsibilities

• Launching Coordination Centre of Sustainable Agriculture, CCSA, in accordance with elaborated Concept Note for CCSA
• Propose methodological approaches and indicators for the best CA practice selection taking into the account environmental and climate specific of the steppe and forest-steppe zones;
• Be involved in the process of revising and reviewing selected best CA practices in the purpose to develop the Guidelines of the best agricultural practices;
• Collaboration with the project team on the selection of the best CA practices;
• Elaboration list of topics for CA research and it`s methodology for conducting CA researches in Ukrainian scientific and educational institutions and farms;
• Collaboration with scientific and educational institutions as CCSA expert;
• Take participation with actual presentations, at training events for farmers;
• Prepare and update the curriculum of practical workshops for farmers in the cooperation with the national project team;
• Prepare and participate in the field demonstration and workshops;
• Represent main findings and achievements at the final conference;
• Elaboration of recommendations on an adaptation of the best CA practices based on the relevant international experience possible for implementation in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Ukraine.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s or doctorate degree in agriculture and/or agronomy.
• Expert knowledge on CA technologies, approaches, and crop diversity in climate smart agriculture, conservation and sustainable agriculture
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience within one or more of the following areas: CSA, CA, sustainable agriculture, agronomy.
• Working knowledge of English would be an asset.
• National of Ukraine National of Ukraine or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Knowledge on internationally accepted best practice and relevant agreements on agronomy, farming and natural resources management;
• Ability to develop and implement training events at national level;
• Good communication skills for ease of dialogue with farmers and stakeholder;
• Excellent communication skills and ability work with the team, analytical abilities and ability to synthesize outcomes
• Profound understanding of international CA technologies and approaches following up to FAO standards
• Ability to improve local existent agriculture practices maximally close to the international CA standards in accordance with local market and social specific
• Excellent communication skills and ability work with the team, analytical abilities and ability to synthesize outcomes
• Excellent command of written and spoken Ukrainian,

Selection Criteria

• Candidates to be called for interviews will be screened against the Minimum Requirements.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.