National Coordinator - Flagships Initiative

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) established to lead international efforts to combat hunger. With a mission to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all, FAO aims to ensure that people have regular access to sufficient high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives. The organization has 195 members, including 194 countries and the European Union, and operates in over 130 countries worldwide. FAO contributes to the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework, which supports the transformation of agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, ultimately improving production, nutrition, the environment, and quality of life while leaving no one behind.

Job Overview:
The FAO-Country Office for Lesotho is tasked with developing, promoting, overseeing, and implementing strategies and projects aimed at transforming food, agriculture, and rural development. In its commitment to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), FAO has established flagship initiatives designed to enhance the productivity, competitiveness, resilience, and inclusiveness of agrifood systems. These initiatives include the Hand in Hand Initiative (HIH), One Country One Priority Product (OCOP), digital villages (DVI), and Green Cities (GCI). Each country tailors its initiatives based on its unique context and comparative advantages. In addition to these global initiatives, Lesotho is implementing a Special Programme for the transformation of its agrifood system. The successful implementation of these initiatives requires strong coordination and support among various stakeholders, which is why FAO is seeking a National Coordinator to facilitate this process.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Coordinator will provide overall leadership, management, and technical guidance to ensure the successful achievement of program objectives and the delivery of project outputs across existing flagship initiatives. The primary responsibilities include:

• Familiarizing oneself with all support projects related to the Special Programme for agrifood system transformation and associated flagship initiatives.
• Providing technical guidance to government departments and other implementing partners for the execution of ongoing projects.
• Collaborating closely with national focal points for different flagship initiatives to foster ownership and leadership across government departments.
• Liaising with South-South technical partners to ensure effective delivery of technical assistance to the OCOP initiative.
• Facilitating collaboration between government departments and the National University of Lesotho to establish a robust potato seed system.
• Preparing and monitoring the implementation of annual work plans for various support projects.
• Coordinating with FAO technical units to mobilize technical and financial resources for scaling initiatives in Lesotho.
• Maintaining effective communication with global and regional partners, including the International Potato Centre and the Chinese Academy for Agricultural Science.
• Facilitating policy dialogue to establish public-private partnerships for developing a robust potato seed system, including necessary infrastructure and production facilities for in-vitro seedling propagation. 1
• Coordinating internal and external actors for the successful delivery of the special programme for agrifood system transformation. 1
• Performing any other duties related to the implementation and delivery of flagship initiatives.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, or a related field. Additionally, a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in these fields is required. Candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of agrifood systems and the ability to coordinate complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, or a related field is mandatory for this position. The FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions accredited or recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), which is maintained by the International Association of Universities (IAU) and UNESCO.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in Agronomy, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, or a related field. Candidates should have a proven track record of managing and coordinating projects, particularly those related to agrifood systems and agricultural development.

Languages:
Proficiency in English and Sesotho is mandatory for this position, with a working knowledge (level C) required. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
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. Candidates must be medically fit for appointment, and the appointment is subject to accreditation, residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. The position may involve full-time engagement, and candidates are encouraged to visit the FAO employment website for additional opportunities.