International project coordinator (water scarcity and agriculture)

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities.

The severe escalation of water scarcity due to the key drivers such as demographic growth, tendency to increase food self-sufficiency, urbanization expansion, energy demand and overall socio-economic development, further compounded by the negative impacts of climate change and the considerable degradation of water quality resulted in the Urmia Lake (5’000 km2) intense pressure during the last two decades and it is currently in a state of ecological crisis with major impacts on the biodiversity and socio-economic conditions. In this context, FAO is implementing the project "Integrated Programme for Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Urmia Lake Basin" (GCP/IRA/066/JPN), funded by the Government of Japan. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to more sustainable, productive and climate change resilient agricultural and rural systems with a positive impact on the environment in general and on the water balance (inflow-outflow) of the Urmia Lake. The Project is implementing through an FAO operating and management team, fully integrated within the existing governance of the Urmia Lake Restoration Programme (ULRP) and in close cooperation with different partners, selected on the basis of multidisciplinary requirements.

Reporting Lines

The international project coordinator will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the technical supervision of the Senior Policy Officer and the Led Technical Officer of the Urmia Lake Restoration project.

Technical Focus

Support technical coordination of the Urmia Lake Restoration project "Integrated Programme for Sustainable Water Resources Management in the Urmia Lake Basin" (GCP/IRA/066/JPN)

Tasks and responsibilities

S/he will work in close collaboration with the national project team and FAO and international consultants contributing t the project and will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Assist in development, implementation and evaluation on technical issues of assigned project; direct review of relevant documents and reports; identify priorities, liaise with relevant parties; identify and initiate follow-up actions;
• Coordinate the project and review the assessments of issues and trends for the implementation of the project and the preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies;
• Prepare various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications in close collaboration with national project team;
• Direct substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations;
• Manage outreach activities; designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, makes presentations on assigned topics/activities;
• Provide advice to develop policies and strategies as well as national protocols and guide lines for project with specific domains related to FAO's work
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in political sciences, agricultural economics, development economics, rural sociology, food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture (including livestock, forestry and fisheries), water resources science or related fields

• Two years of relevant experience in technical cooperation’s related activities, policy advice and analysis relating to food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes

• For consultants: Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO official languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)

• For PSA: Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

• Extent of knowledge and experience in water management projects as well as programme/project development in the field of water scarcity, watershed management and integrated agriculture and natural resource management.
• Level of knowledge and experience in concepts and methodologies related to water management in agriculture.
• Extent of experience in advocacy, policy support, capacity development and technical assistance related to water management in agriculture.
• Experience in working in multidisciplinary and multi-cultural teams.