National Project Personnel - Project Manager

Organizational Setting

The FAO country representative office for Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies and actions for addressing food, agriculture and rural development priorities in these three countries. It develops and maintains relations with national institutions, including government agencies, development partners, civil society organizations and private sector institutions. The Office is a subsidiary of FAO's Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean and the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC).

Among activities that the Office is currently supporting in Jamaica include the implementation of the project MTF/JAM/023/STF “Improving Phytosanitary, Food Safety and Market Access Opportunities Along the Hot Pepper Value Chain in Jamaica”. The project aims at strengthening the Government of Jamaica’s international competitiveness in the hot pepper industry by improving institutional capacity and supporting farmers in producing a consistent, high-quality supply of fresh and processed hot pepper and improving market access conditions, delivering three key outputs that are: Output 1: Improve the technical and resource capacity of local research and regulatory bodies involved in SPS management, focusing on reducing the prevalence of pests and on the distribution of clean seeds to enable greater availability of clean planting material. Output 2: Increase the capacity of stakeholders to produce safe foods that satisfy local and international market access requirements. Output 3: Promote the value chain and food safety management systems approach by strengthening sustainable and resilient practices to increase the output of fresh pepper production, storage, and transformation.

With a duration of approximately three years, the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Bureau of Standard of Jamaica (BSJ), the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce and other Government Agencies.

Reporting Lines

The National Project Coordinator will report to the FAO Project Country Representative for Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas, and to the Lead Technical Officer of the project.

It is expected that the Project Manager will work closely with the National Focal Point designated by the Government, National Project Management Steering Committee (PMSC), the Project Task Force (PTF) and others.

Technical Focus

Provide overall coordination and management for the attainment of all activities of the project, including support for: • Different analysis and assessments, including: gap analysis of the pest risk environment and mitigations practices, needs assessment of farms, produce handling facilities and processing sites, market assessment for the identification of potential domestic, regional and international Market segments • Development and execution of training programmes in various areas, including pest and disease identification and management, surveillance systems and management, seed germination and growing techniques, vigour testing methods, integrated pest management, the management of pre- and post-harvest losses, food safety and quality standards, etc • Sourcing, procuring equipment, materials, tools, and reagents for various tasks of the project, including testing for pathogens and modern surveillance tools • Development and implementation of operational plans for activities such as the establishment of Areas of low pest prevalence (ALPP) and pest free areas • Preparation and dissemination of food safety capacity building plans and training materials • Organize and supervise the certification process for farms, produce handling facilities and processing establishments.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Project Manager will be responsible for the following tasks: • Ensure overall efficient management, coordination, implementation and monitoring of all activities of the project • Provide methodological support, training, continuous follow-up and guidance to the national team involved in the implementation of the project. • Prepare and implement, in collaboration with all stakeholders involved a comprehensive project management tools (including, a detailed project workplan and procurement plan, RACI matrix, communication plan and risk management plan and Annual Operating Plans) • Coordinate stakeholders engagement/matrix and inception (baselines report and launch). This includes leading the Project management unit, and coordinating with a National Management Steering Committee and a technical project taskforce • Establish a monitoring and evaluation system and tools to facilitate timely monitoring and reporting of all project tasks, activities, outputs, indicators, gender equality, and budget • Provide appropriate technical and operational guidance for the implementation of all the project management tools. This includes: o Continuous hands-on training and periodical meetings with all stakeholders; o Lead the process of developing and applying selection criteria for beneficiaries (including territories, farmers and farmers organizations, insitutions, etc) ; o Undertake baseline assessments, and systematization of good practices as required; o Lead the operational and administrative management of all activities of the project, in coordination with the rest of the project management team that will comprise of the project manager, an administrative assistant, an operational support and M&E and two technical officers. This includes request for procurement, preparation of specifications for procurement, preparation of agreements with service providers and partners, hiring of consultants, monitoring and evaluation, etc ; o Customs clearance of procured equipment, materials, tools, and reagents for various tasks of the project, as required o Preparation of periodical reports and communication materials; • Support the management and coordination of all other activities relevant for the success of the project.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Rural development, Economic development, social sciences, agricultural development, and other related areas • At least 5 years of relevant experience in project and/or program management • Working knowledge (level C) of English • National of Jamaica

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

• MBA and/or certifications in project management is a plus • Knowledge on Phytosanitary, Food Safety and Market Access • Previous experience in the coordination of projects between UN agencies and the Government of Jamacia is a plus

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.