Project Coordinator

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations 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 FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) focuses on supporting member countries in achieving sustainable agrifood production systems and addressing regional priorities for food security and rural development.

Job Overview:
The Project Coordinator will play a crucial role in the implementation of the HARMONIZE project, which aims to enhance pandemic prevention, detection, and response capacities across Africa. This position requires a strong technical leader who can coordinate various stakeholders, including the African Union's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (AU-CDC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and UNICEF. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that project activities align with FAO's strategic objectives and are executed efficiently and effectively. The role involves overseeing project planning, monitoring, and reporting, as well as fostering partnerships and collaboration among various entities involved in the project. The Project Coordinator will also be expected to provide leadership to a multisectoral team and ensure that the project adheres to the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The incumbent will be responsible for a wide range of tasks, including but not limited to: maintaining a dashboard of project partners, coordinating the development of annual work plans, preparing procurement and recruitment plans, formulating contracts with implementing partners, monitoring project implementation, ensuring compliance with the log-frame and M&E framework, preparing and submitting reports to FAO and the Pandemic Fund Secretariat, leading coordination meetings, liaising with other pandemic fund projects, providing technical leadership, managing resources, and assisting in resource mobilization efforts. The Project Coordinator will also be expected to identify and address any constraints or issues that arise during project implementation and ensure that all activities are conducted in accordance with FAO and Pandemic Fund guidelines.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, One Health, Epidemiology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related field. Those with a bachelor's degree must have two additional years of relevant professional experience. A minimum of five years of professional experience in managing multisectoral, multicounty projects under an international framework is required, with a focus on the One Health approach. Candidates should also have a working knowledge of English at Level C, as well as strong communication and teamwork skills. Familiarity with FAO's work and policies, especially in the African region, is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in relevant fields such as Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, One Health, Epidemiology, or Biomedical Sciences is required. For consultants with a bachelor's degree, two additional years of relevant professional experience are necessary to meet the minimum qualifications for this position.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of professional experience in managing projects that involve multiple sectors and countries, particularly those that utilize the One Health approach. Experience in project planning, implementation, and monitoring within an international context is essential. A demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage resources effectively is also required.

Languages:
A working knowledge of English at Level C is mandatory for this position. Additionally, the ability to write technical and communication documents in both English and French is highly desirable, with intermediate proficiency in French considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This position is likely to be full-time and may involve international recruitment. The specific contract duration and seniority level have not been detailed in the job description. Compensation and benefits will be aligned with FAO's policies and standards.