Enterprise & CIGs (Common Interest Groups) Development Specialist

Organizational Setting

FAO Afghanistan is investing, across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy.
In 2023, FAO will contribute to the humanitarian components of the UN Strategic Framework 2023-2025 through four priority actions: (i) Safeguarding Wheat Seed Security, (ii) Enhancing Local Production of Nutritious Food, (iii) Livestock Protection and Dairy Sector Support, and (iv) Restoring Irrigation Structures to Boost Cash Incomes. FAO will also contribute towards resilience building activities and longer-term transformational processes as part of the implementation of the UN Strategic Framework 2023-2025.

This a National Project Personnel position – SB4.

Reporting Line

The Enterprise and CIGs Development Specialist works under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR (Programme) and in close collaboration and coordination with the Head of Emergency Response and Resilience Team and Head of Food Security, Agriculture and Risk Analysis.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will contribute to the implementation of overall programm/projects of FAO in Afghanistan through integrated approach to strengthening FAO’s contribution to more efficient and inclusive food systems and provide technical support to the programme unit.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Support programme unit to enhance engagement and partnership with the private sectors as and when needed;
• Contribute to the process of developing and implementing the Country Programming Framework (CPF);
• Establish, maintain and update FAO AF programme/projects profile;
• Support developing appropriate community based development organization policies, guidelines and standards;
• Develop an assessment plan for a rapid capacity assessment of implementing partners on home gardening training;
• Develop and pilot qualitative tools to support data collection at the provincial and district level for the different home gardening practices and vegetables seeds cultivated;
• Represent FAO AF at various dialogues, coordination forums and meetings organized at the national, sub national, FAO RAP, and HQs levels;
• Develop, review and refine the various training modules on the cultivation of various crops, farm management, marketing and other IEC materials;
• Travel to sub-national locations to facilitate Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) as part of the various assessments/analyses as needed;
• Support and/or lead the data analyses and formulation of reports of the various assessments/analyses as needed;
• Prepare and conduct training for the CIGs in group dynamics, financial management, revolving fund management and business plan development;
• Development of farmer Groups /CIG and their linkage to market;
• Timely formulation of CIGs of farmers including of women producers and poultry keepers (throughout the duration of the assignment).
• Regular support to the CIGs in establishing market linkages and formulating business plans of the CIGs (throughout the duration of the assignment).
• Organize and conduct relevant technical training sessions for farmers and vegetable cultivators on climate-smart agronomic practices, production and market linkages at national and sub national levels;
• Review and translate technical reports to Dari or Pashto and provide technical comments/inputs to all related projects’ documents;
• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advance degree (Master’s) or University degree (Bachelor’s) in social/natural science, business administration/management, agriculture economics, programme/projects development and implementation or the equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• For Advance degree at least five (5) years of professional experience involving program/project management and implementation, business management, economic analysis, sustainable enterprise policies, financial and non-financial business development;
• For University degree at least seven (7) of professional experience involving program/project management and implementation, business management, economic analysis, sustainable enterprise policies, financial and non-financial business development;
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and local languages (Pashto and/or Dari).
• National of Afghanistan.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to effectively coordinate an extensive, multi-stakeholder project with results-based management;
• Good written communication skills, including in emergency settings;
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to deliver results within deadlines;
• Experience organizing stakeholder meetings or workshops at national and provincial level;
• Experience in mobilization of community based organizations (COBs) or enterprise development is preferred;
• Working experience in complex programme management;
• Good knowledge of corporate information systems;
• Previous work experience with UN is an advantage;
• Excellent data visualization skills;
• Excellent data reading and data reporting skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relations with other staff/colleagues from different cultural backgrounds as well as with line departments, counterparts, and other stakeholders at the province level;
• Previous experience working with international organizations, including INGOs, bilateral or multilateral agencies, and UN agencies is desirable;
• Experience of work under emergency conditions is preferred;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office package.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION