National Gender Specialist

Organizational Setting

In an effort to strengthen local agricultural value chains, boost school attendance, promote school nutrition and enhance the capacity of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to achieve the goals set out in its Second National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition 2019-2023, the World Food Programme (WFP) Cambodia with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Local Regional Aid Procurement (LRP) to support the implementation and sustainability of its successful home grown school feeding (HGSF) model. FAO will work with WFP and other partners to support the USDA LRP program in Cambodia.

The LRP program includes cash transfers to schools for the procurement of nutritious foods for the preparation of daily breakfasts for and primary school students. Training, learning and mentoring approaches will build demand side capacities of some 163 schools and their commune councils to undertake procurement, contracting and supply management. FAO will work on the supply side of the HGSF programme to engages local producers, mostly smallholder farmers and suppliers to enhance their ability to participate in competitive bidding, improve administrative and financial management, while ensuring that the school feeding value chains provide timely delivery of adequate, fresh, safe and nutritious food supplies for school kitchens. Continued research and development will ensure robust value chains in which all stakeholders are equipped to maximize HGSF opportunities, while building systems and institutional capacities for long-term national ownership.

Reporting Lines

The National Gender Specialist works in close coordination with the National Project Coordinator, under direct supervision of the Head of Operations, the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Cambodia and technical guidance of the Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer - Lead Technical officer (LTO) - based in FAO-RAP.

Technical Focus

• Gender • Business literacy • Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) program • Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains

Tasks and responsibilities

• In collaboration with WFP, conduct gender analysis in HGSF program and nutrition-sensitive value chains and design strategies to address gender gaps; • Identify bottlenecks for equitable participation amongst men and women in the bidding processes; • Design gender sensitive materials on business literacy, financial skills and market information and provide training to smallholders, suppliers and schools committees; • In collaboration with the Value Chain Specialist, identify entry points to support existing women producer groups. • Ensure all project activities are gender sensitive; • Compile lessons learned on women empowerment throughout the implementation of the project; • Perform other related duties as required in support of the National Project Coordinator and National Value Chain Specialist.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in gender studies, social science, agriculture, economics or related field. • At least 5 years of experience in working on gender analysis and business literacy • Working knowledge of English and Khmer • National of Cambodia

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in gender analysis in HGSF Program and value chains • Extend and relevance of experience in developing training materials for smallholders • Extend and relevance of experience on providing capacity building on business literacy to smallholders and women producers groups. • Ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders at national, sub-national, district level and community level. • Ability to produce quality reports and communication materials both in English and Khmer. • Work experience in School Feeding Programmes will be considered a strong asset.