National Assessment and Value Chain Specialist

Organizational Setting

The cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Ukraine has been designed to reinforce national capacities and to contribute to the broader development of agriculture, sustainable management of forests and fisheries, and animal and plant disease control. FAO is also contributing to building resilience and supporting early recovery in conflict-affected regions by supporting the economic recovery of farmers and rural communities. FAO’s presence in Ukraine has been scaled up across it three offices located in Kyiv, Lviv; Kharkiv and Dnipro under the overall responsibility of the Head of the FAO Office/Designated Responsible Officer in Ukraine.

The recent and large-scale escalation in hostilities in Ukraine is exacerbating the already dire food security situation of the most vulnerable rural households and small farmers. In response to the evolving situation, FAO Ukraine is scaling up its emergency humanitarian and resilience programming in conflict-affected areas of Ukraine, including previous areas of focus such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson; Lviv and Zakarpattia in the West; and newly affected and newly accessible areas. In order to address the rapidly deteriorating situation, FAO us guided by its Rapid Response Plan (RRP) that is aligned with the Humanitarian 
Response Plan (HRP) and the UN’s Transitional Framework for Ukraine land focuses on responding to immediate needs by providing life and livelihood-saving assistance to the most vulnerable smallholder farming households impacted by the conflict as well as to providing urgent support to the country’s agrifood sector which contributes to both national and international food security. Supporting the capacity of the Government of Ukraine to sustain critical food system services is also a key pillar of the Plan.

This is a home-based role, with the incumbent working from Ukraine.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Project Office and the direct supervision of the Responsible Officer for Assessment and Analysis.

Technical Focus

The National Assessment and Value Chain Expert will support data collection, processing, and analysis related to food security, agriculture, and value chains, conduct value chain assessments, provide technical expertise on geographical indications, and coordinate capacity building, reporting, and procurement-related tasks, ensuring alignment with FAO standards and procedures.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will be responsible for coordination of the day-to-day activities assigned by the Head of the Assessment and Analysis Unit. These activities include:  

•     Data Collection and Processing:

o    Support development and implement data collection tools and methodologies, including surveys and questionnaires. 
o    Ensure data quality, accuracy, and consistency throughout the collection process. 
o    Process and analyze collected data using appropriate statistical software and techniques.

•     Value Chain Assessment:

o    Conduct comprehensive assessments of agricultural value chains, including mapping of actors, analysis of bottlenecks and constraints, and identification of opportunities for improvement. 
o    Provide recommendations for enhancing value chain efficiency, resilience, and inclusiveness. 
o    Contribute to the development of value chain development strategies and action plans.

•     Capacity Building and Coordination:

o    Build the capacity of local enumerators and partners on data collection methods, tools, and quality assurance. 
o    Prepare training materials and conduct training sessions for data collectors. 
o    Coordinate data collection activities with local enumerator service providers and ensure adherence to established protocols.

•     Secondary Data Review and Analysis:

o    Track, review, and explore secondary data sources relevant to food security, livelihoods, agriculture, value chains, and recovery. 
o    Collate and synthesize information from various information hubs and databases. 
o    Contribute to the development of publications, including reports, briefs, and notes, based on secondary data analysis.

•     Presentation and Reporting:

o    Participate in the analysis and interpretation of assessment findings. 
o    Support development of visually compelling presentation tools, such as notes, slides, and reports.
o    Assist in the preparation of technical reports and briefs summarizing assessment findings and recommendations.

•     Contract and Procurement Management:

o    Timely initiate and prepare Letters of Agreement (LoAs) with service providers. 
o    Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, and reporting of service providers. 
o    Contribute to the maintenance and updating of the procurement plan. 
o    Follow up on payments to service providers to ensure timely and accurate disbursement.

•     Technical Expertise in the field of Geographical Indications:

o    Support FAO project teams with technical expertise for the activities related to assessment of the pre-conditions, step-by-step planning and implementation of the projects related to establishment of the new geographical indications.

•     Other Duties:

o    Perform any other duties as required by the FAO team and other project-related activities.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•     University degree in Economics, Statistics, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or a related field.
•     At least three (3) years of relevant experience in data collection and analysis, value chain assessment, food security and livelihoods analysis, or related areas.
•     Working knowledge (Level C or native) of English 
•     Working knowledge (Level C or native) of Ukrainian 
•     National of Ukraine or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Proficient user of office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and data analysis.
•     Knowledge of financial rules and regulations in Ukraine.
•     Proven experience in coordinating field activities with service providers or local partners. 
•     Demonstrated ability to process and analyse quantitative and qualitative data using statistical software and prepare analytical reports.
•     Proficiency and flexibility in using statistical software, especially R, Stata, SPSS, SAS or similar (preferably open-source) software.
•     An advanced-level degree will be considered an advantage
•     Ability to work effectively under pressure, adapt to evolving and complex humanitarian contexts, and operate within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
•     Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and motivational skills, with a proven ability to work as part of a team.
•     Capacity to meet tight deadlines and work independently with minimal supervision.
•     Good knowledge of humanitarian principles.