Agri-Business Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO's mission is 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. The organization operates in over 130 countries and has a workforce of more than 12,000 employees. FAO's work encompasses a wide range of areas including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and rural development, with a focus on sustainable practices and policies that promote food security and nutrition.

Job Overview:
The Agri-Business Specialist will play a crucial role in the FAO's project aimed at promoting climate-smart agriculture and enhancing the adaptive capacity of vulnerable rural communities in Egypt. This position involves providing technical support for entrepreneurship and start-up development in the agriculture and agro-food sectors across three project sites: Kafr El-Sheikh, Beheira, and Aswan. The specialist will be responsible for preparing training materials, conducting needs assessments, and facilitating training sessions for beneficiaries. The goal is to empower smallholder farmers and rural communities by enhancing their skills and knowledge in agri-business management, ultimately leading to improved agricultural productivity and increased household incomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Agri-Business Specialist will be tasked with a variety of responsibilities including: preparing training materials using FAO Farm Business School and ILO Start Your Business manuals; conducting needs assessments to identify necessary skills; supporting training sessions for at least 75 participants in each project location; providing technical support for business plan development; organizing business plan competitions; facilitating workshops to evaluate enterprise ideas; offering coaching and follow-up for established businesses; assisting in the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework; conducting workshops to link producers with financial support and markets; participating in field visits; preparing technical reports; and maintaining communication with project staff for ongoing support.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in agri-business management, business administration with an emphasis in Agri-Business, or a related field. Additionally, a minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience is required. Candidates should have a working knowledge of both English and Arabic, and must be nationals of Egypt or residents with a valid work permit.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as agri-business management or business administration with a focus on agri-business. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the complexities of agricultural economics and business management in the context of rural development.

Experience:
The position requires at least 7 years of relevant professional experience in agri-business management or a related field. This experience should include practical knowledge of entrepreneurship development, training facilitation, and project management within the agricultural sector.

Languages:
Proficiency in both English and Arabic is mandatory for this position. This bilingual requirement is crucial for effective communication with local stakeholders, beneficiaries, and project teams. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and involves working in multiple locations across Egypt, specifically in Kafr El-Sheikh, Beheira, and Aswan. The role may require travel to these sites for training and project implementation activities. The FAO emphasizes results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing as core competencies for all employees.