National Project Personnel - Project Coordinator

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized technical agency of the United Nations. The FAO mission is to work toward the eradication of hunger and strive for food security for everyone as stated in the 2030 Agenda. The FAO’s Strategic Framework aspires to transform agri-food systems so that they are more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. The ultimate goals of these efforts include better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better lives, while leaving no one behind.

The FAO projects in Nepal currently involve building technical capacity, developing policies, enhancing agri-production, strengthening food systems, improving food & nutrition security, and mitigating the adverse impact of natural disasters and climate change. The FAO also embraces the One Health approach to address threats posed by zoonotic diseases to human health. Within the framework of the food security cluster, the FAO helps to coordinate humanitarian assistance and the recovery of livelihoods in the agriculture sector.

The FAO endeavours to eradicate hunger and malnutrition through its global initiatives. The key priorities of the Country Programming Framework (CPF) for Nepal (2018-22) entail enhancing sustainable agricultural production and productivity, expanding markets and consumption, and improving food security, nutrition and safety.

The FAO recognizes that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a global threat on several fronts, including food safety. The Codex Alimentarius is a living document comprised of standards, guidelines, and recommendations aimed at the containment and reduction of foodborne AMR. Unfortunately, many countries face challenges in adopting these standards because they lack resources, expertise, and capacity as well as an awareness of the value of implementing the Codex Standards.

The main objectives of the ACT-AMR Project (GCP/GLO/5050/ROK) focus on increasing awareness, improving surveillance, and adopting policies in line with the Codex recommendations. The National Project Coordinator in Nepal will work with the national, regional and global offices of the FAO along with the relevant government counterparts to develop activities that support the realization of these objectives.

The objective of the ACT Project is to implement strategies for containing the spread of foodborne AMR in Nepal by adopting pertinent Codex standards. The National Project Coordinator will have the technical expertise to coordinate the implementation of project activities as envisioned in the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the ACT-AMR Project (GCP/GLO/5050/ROK).

Reporting Lines

The National Project Coordinator works under the overall supervision of the FAOR in Nepal, the direct supervision of the RAP Senior Animal Health & Production Officer/ ACT Project Lead Technical Officer and the ACT Regional Project Coordinator and in close consultation with the RAP Regional Food Safety Officer, ACT Global Project coordinator, and Government of Nepal counterparts.

Technical Focus:

Monitoring and surveillance of food borne AMR and standards, antimicrobial use in food production, codex standards, guidelines and code of practice with regard to AMR etc.

Tasks and responsibilities

The National Project Coordinator will be responsible to carry out the following tasks: • Lead the development and review of an analysis of the current AMR situation in Nepal with regard to the use of Codex standards, the food safety system, and appropriate approaches for addressing AMR, in general, and foodborne AMR, in particular. • Facilitate the implementation of assessment tools (e.g. ATLASS, PMP) which will establish a baseline for the current situation in Nepal and will help to identify the priority activities to implement during the project. • Lead the development of a detailed national work plan under the ACT-AMR Project in consultation with national partners (based on the situation analysis and local consultation) to ensure complementarity with ongoing activities in Nepal. • Engage with key national stakeholders to support the establishment of a multisectoral team to guide and support the activities under the ACT-AMR project as well as promote project outputs. • Facilitate the implementation of the work plan in the areas of surveillance and good practices. Monitor project progress against the work plan by tracking activities and targets with periodic reviews and revisions. • Work closely with laboratory focal points to facilitate participation in the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) IT platform by sharing AMR data collected in the food and agriculture sectors and by participating in pilot activities for eventual global rollout. • Support the introduction of a system to monitor the use of Codex standards in Nepal. • Liaise with the FAO country office to ensure that project expenses are updated regularly and are reflected in the FAO accounting system. • Produce narrative progress reports every six months on financial delivery estimates and budget forecasts. • Engage and collaborate with relevant national authorities, institutions, organizations and stakeholders (including coordinators from similar projects, e.g. WHO and WOAH national focal points) to ensure complementarity of AMR projects activities being delivered at the country level and to promote FAO/WOAH/WHO Tripartite collaboration to support the implementation of the Global Action Plan on AMR. • Work closely with consultants to collect and review a baseline of the available data on national legislation relevant to the use of Codex standards and AMR. • Organize a national workshop that invites major stakeholders from the public health, animal health and environmental sectors (e.g. private sector producers, academics, farmers, government officials, veterinarians etc.). Encourage the participation of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in workshops to develop strategies to address AMR. • Submit regular progress reports, final, and end-of-assignment reports listing the activities implemented. • Perform other related duties as requested.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• National of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal • Master’s degree in Food Safety, Microbiology, One Health, Animal Health/Veterinary Science and Public Health or related fields • At least 5 years of post-baccalaureate proven work experience in Codex, food safety and foodborne AMR or a PhD in relevant subjects with at least one year of work experience • Working knowledge (level C) of English and Nepali

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong command of spoken and written English • Proficiency in report writing and technical programme document preparation • Computer skills in Office applications including Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint • Ability to plan, organize, and administer workshops and training sessions

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated practical and relevant experience with Codex standards, food safety and foodborne AMR • Experience in facilitating national public health initiatives • Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team • Proven ability to network sensitively, cooperatively and productively with multiple stakeholders • High degree of team ethics, well-organized, results-focused and dynamic personality • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Previous experience working with UN agencies is an asset

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.