NATIONAL CRA FINANCE SPECIALIST

Organizational Setting

For more than four decades, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations 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, improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Reporting Lines

The National CRA Finance Specialist reports to the National Technical Assistance Coordinator (Climate Change Adaptation Specialist) and will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative of the Philippines.

Technical Focus

FAO in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will be implementing a seven-year Green Climate Fund (GCF) project entitled “Adapting Philippine Agriculture to Climate Change” (APA project). APA aims to increase the resilience of rural men and women who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods in areas vulnerable to climate change while transforming the country agriculture toward climate resilience. This will be achieved through improved capacity of farmers to develop Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) enterprises and adopt financially and economically viable CRA practices, and of the government & private sectors to build supporting systems for scaling up. The project aims to directly benefit 1.25 million farmers and indirectly reach another 5.0 million people across 9 provinces in 5 regions in the Philippines.

The project will be executed by DA and PAGASA through FAO Operational Partners Implementation Modality (OPIM) and FAO Philippines providing technical assistance to achieve its objective and expected outcomes.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following tasks and duties:

• Assess the current availability and accessibility of financial products for small-scale farmers, farmer organizations and agriculture enterprises in the project regions/provinces including the challenges faced by the latter in accessing and utilizing finance. • Identify and analyze potential finance opportunities for small-scale farmers and farmer organizations to adopt CRA/engage in CRA enterprises and improve their resilience to climate change. • Engage with small-scale farmers and other stakeholders to understand their needs and preferences for climate-resilient finance products. • Design and facilitate dialogues and partnerships between financial institutions and farmers/farmer organizations and other stakeholders to increase the availability and accessibility of climate-resilient finance products for small-scale farmers and CRA enterprises. • Identify opportunities and facilitate dialogues between CRA enterprises, LGUs and other s stakeholders to support the CRA enterprises mobilize resources for CRA investment plan implementation • Design and deliver training programs for small-scale farmers and CRA enterprises on business and financial management. • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of finance products subscribed and/or leveraged by the project in supporting small-scale farmers’ CRA enterprises. • Carry out any other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as may be requested by FAO.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in finance and economics, climate change, land use management, agricultural economics, development economics, project management and business administration or related fields • At least seven (7) years of work experience on developing guidance to channel finance to address issues associated with food and agriculture systems and climate change. • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English • National of the Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point). • Familiarity with FAO operational procedures is an advantage • In line with FAO policy, commitment to placing accountability to people affected by disaster framework at the core of FAO’s emergency policy and practice, from preparedness up to the onset of an emergency in all phases of the programme cycle

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.