National Programme Development Specialist

Organizational Setting

The portfolio of the FAO Bhutan Country Office (CO) has been ben expanding over the last decade, and there is ample scope for further growth and expansion. The need for FAO’s increased technical assistance and support has been repeatedly shared by the Government as well.

In this regard, the CO will recruit a national Programme Development Specialist (PDS), who will be dedicated to developing new programs/projects for the CO, as well as to assist in the implementation of current program/project activities. The recruitment of the PDS is for an initial period of 11 months in 2022. The PDS will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Bhutan, and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (AFAOR) in Bhutan. The PDS will mainly perform the following tasks:

Reporting Lines

The PDS reports to the AFAOR at the FAO Country Office in Bhutan.

Technical Focus

The PDS is a contract position with the FAO Country Office in Bhutan. The PDS will be responsible for program/project development, donor liaison/mapping, and resource mobilization. The PDS will also support the implementation of on-going FAO programmatic and project activities in Bhutan. The incumbent shall ensure coherence with FAO’s corporate policy and operational guidelines for all communication and information outputs.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide support in liaising with government and other offices in collecting and collating relevant information for program/ project development;
• Reach out to potential development partners and donors to assess their current and future priorities, investment areas and opportunities;
• Assist in liaising between the CO, the RGoB and development partners on areas of strategic interest to FAO’s work in Bhutan;
• Develop stakeholder engagement plan for FAO CO;
• Match programmatic priorities of government, potential donors, and CO’s Country Programming Framework (CPF);
• Lead in mapping of thematic areas and donors supporting the country;
• Develop project ideas, concept notes, project documents, etc. following the corporate project cycle, and for liaising with potential donors and seeking their support;
• Ensure that the project development process and assessments are inclusive, participatory, gender responsive and based on substantive stakeholder analysis;
• Provide inputs to detailed ToRs and modalities of engagement for expertise required for proposed or-on-going FAO projects/programs in Bhutan.
• Support the implementation of defined FAO program/project activities, working closely with the FAO country office, relevant government counterparts and FAO Implementing Partners (IPs) to ensure adherence to agreed work plans and deliverables;
• Support in coordinating FAO technical support missions, and facilitate the organization of FAO related events, workshops and meetings as required;
• Assist in preparation of project briefs, project progress and final reports as required;
• Monitor project expenditures recorded and managed under FAO programs/projects to ensure compliance with the agreed results-based project budget; Assist in drafting project budgets, revisions and amendments and prepare budgetary documentation;
• Assist in holding regular technical consultations with relevant FAO staff, government counterparts, and other internal/external partners on project related matters and provide updates;
• Support the CO in the implementation of communication and visibility activities and tasks as required; and
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree in agricultural economics, economics, and related fields; Advanced degree would be an asset.
• Minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in program development, project management/implementation, resource mobilization, socio-economic analysis/research, government/donor liaison, with extensive leadership skills in working with diverse groups of people.
• Good command of English in speaking and writing, and fully conversant in local language.
• Experience in working with government institutions as well as civil society/private sector.
• A proactive, self-starter, capable of working independently (when necessary) to achieve the time-bound outputs.
• National of Bhutan 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

• Extent of and relevant experience in the areas of program/project management, resource mobilization and donor/government liaison.
• Extent of experience in undertaking communication and visibility activities and tasks.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
• Depth of knowledge of development issues in Bhutan.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Work experience in Bhutan and/or other countries in the Region.
• Familiarity with FAO policies and programmes and systems is desirable.

Selection Criteria

Based on requirements, competencies and skills.