Vegetable Value Chain Specialist

Organizational Setting

FAO Mongolia works with the vision "to be a leading, credible and responsive partner in ensuring food and nutrition security of the population". The office has been coordinating projects and programmes in research, capacity building, natural resources management, technology transfer, food and agriculture policy, livestock production systems management, emergency and post-crisis management, forestry information, statistics, food security and nutrition, emergency response operations, crop production system management, and food quality and safety.

The project “SDG-Aligned Budgeting to Transform Employment in Mongolia” aims to support increased employment and promotion of decent work in Mongolia. The Project is managed by UNDP in partnership with FAO and ILO. FAO will contribute to the Employment Promotion Component of the project. This component combines efforts towards four outcome areas for boosting employability: existing national programmes for employment, Mongolia’s ecosystem for enterprising/innovation, the range of skills and capacity development services, and scalable pilots that can yield insights for policy directions which, in turn, inform the first three. FAO’s main outcome will be to undertake selected pilots with scope for scaling up, with large-scale potential for youth employment and training, especially in rural areas. The experience of pilots will contribute to effective public-private partnership models, building evidence, establishing lessons, and policy development, and better informing national programmes, apart from expanding opportunities and worker productivity.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR.

Technical Focus

The “SDG-Aligned Budgeting to transform employment in Mongolia” project aims to enhance public and private sector capacities, support the creation of decent work, specifically for youth employment and promote inclusive agro-enterprises for product development within value chain development. The project needs to identify and develop potential export-oriented vegetable products within the vegetable value chain.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Prepare a detailed work plan and budget for Vegetable value chain product development and lead the implementation of the activities, including, analysis of the vegetable value chain, selection of optimal vegetables, innovative technology for product development, effective marketing, and market linkage solutions (contract farming) for generating employment,
• Conduct research and identify potential export-oriented, value-added products in the vegetable value chain,
• Design and develop the vegetable value chain focused on employment creation,
• Prepare training materials, including guidelines, and technology leaflets, and organize meetings and any relevant capacity-building activities,
• Identify gaps in the vegetable sector and prepare policy recommendations for improvement (Component C.4.1-4 of SDG project), and contribute to the analytical review,
• Prepare and develop recommendations for the targeted value chain beneficiaries to maintain their operational sustainability,
• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in agronomy, agricultural (vegetable) value chain management, or any relevant fields,
• At least five years of relevant experience in vegetable production,
• Fluency in English is an advantage,
• National of Mongolia 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

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills,
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities and to work with minimum supervision to meet changing deadlines,
• High computer literacy in MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, Outlook etc);
• Teamwork and strong soft skills including interpersonal, ethical, listening, and communication skills, proactive, problem-solving, self-organizing, planning, setting priorities, and efficient use of time.