Chief Technical Advisor (CTA)

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is a specialized agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mission is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reduce rural poverty, and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. The organization is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and works closely with governments, civil society, and the private sector to implement programs and policies that promote sustainable development and resilience against climate change.

Job Overview:
The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for the MELBA Malawi project will play a pivotal role in leading the technical aspects of the project aimed at establishing a national monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the agriculture, forestry, and land use sectors. This position requires a deep understanding of climate change adaptation strategies and the ability to coordinate complex projects involving multiple stakeholders. The CTA will be responsible for ensuring that all project activities are executed efficiently, on time, and within budget. The role also involves significant collaboration with various teams, including the EbAM project team, to ensure that the objectives of both projects are met in a cohesive manner. The CTA will also serve as a Geospatial Expert, leading the design and deployment of a Spatial Information Management System (SIMS) tailored for the EbAM Project, which is crucial for effective data management and decision-making in climate adaptation efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Chief Technical Advisor will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including but not limited to: leading the operational management of the MELBA project, ensuring timely and budget-compliant delivery of all activities; establishing project governance structures such as the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Project Technical Committee (PTC); organizing key events and capacity development initiatives; managing stakeholder engagement and communications with government counterparts and other stakeholders throughout the project cycle; leading the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes to track progress and impacts, identify best practices, and provide evidence for decision-making; formulating and implementing annual project work and communications plans; coordinating the development of the MEL system architecture and field testing of monitoring tools; facilitating capacity building programs and documenting lessons learned; coordinating technical and policy inputs with Malawian focal points; preparing and submitting regular project reports to the PSC and donors; maintaining the project M&E framework; and generating key information for national statistics on food and agriculture, integrated watershed management, and land use changes.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in relevant fields such as climate change, environmental science, natural resources management, forestry, agriculture, political science, sociology, rural development, or statistics. Additionally, candidates should have at least 5 years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, monitoring and evaluation, natural resources management, and/or climate change adaptation, preferably with experience in complex, multi-stakeholder projects at both national and subnational levels. A working knowledge (level C) of English and Chichewa is mandatory, and candidates must be nationals of Malawi.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in fields pertinent to the role, such as climate change, environmental science, natural resources management, forestry, agriculture, political science, sociology, rural development, or statistics. The degree must be from an institution accredited or recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU) or UNESCO, ensuring that the educational qualifications meet international standards.

Experience:
Candidates are expected to have a minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in areas such as project coordination, monitoring and evaluation, natural resources management, and climate change adaptation. This experience should ideally include working on complex projects that involve multiple stakeholders at both national and subnational levels, demonstrating the ability to manage diverse teams and navigate the intricacies of project implementation in a governmental context.

Languages:
The position requires a mandatory working knowledge (level C) of English and Chichewa. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication with stakeholders and for the successful execution of project activities. Additional language skills may be beneficial but are not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The FAO does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or processing. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. It is important to note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions accredited or recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED). The appointment will be subject to certification of the candidate's medical fitness for appointment, as well as any residency or visa requirements and security clearances.