National Institutional Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of FAO Country Offices, headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO Lao PDR assists the Government to develop policies, programmes and projects to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO participates in the development and implementation of field projects in the sectors of food security, agriculture and rural development. This requires the integration within the broader framework of sustainable food and agriculture that aims at increasing production and productivity, addressing climate change, and managing natural resources; and enhance rural livelihoods

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR - Programme, technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) based in FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok/Thailand, and in close coordination with the Assistant FAOR – Admin and International Operation Specialist and national project team, the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

Technical Focus

This project aims to enhance institutional frameworks, strengthen climate governance, and improve financial mechanisms to enable Lao PDR to attract and manage climate finance efficiently. Given the complexity and cross-sectoral nature of the project, a National Institutional Specialist is needed to oversee the project implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and reporting, ensure institutional coordination and stakeholder engagement, and facilitate knowledge-sharing and capacity-building efforts.

Tasks and responsibilities

Overall Project Implementation and Management
•    Lead overall project implementation, M&E, and reporting under NDA and FAO technical guidance
•    Develop and lead the implementation of detailed project work plans and ensure timely delivery of all project outputs
•    Coordinate the Project Management Unit (PMU) activities and ensure effective collaboration among all project staff and consultants
•    Contribute to the Terms of Reference (TOR), invitations for proposals and the preparation/management of Letters of Agreement (LoA) and/or contracts to deliver certain project outputs
•    Ensure compliance with FAO rules and procedures as well as GCF requirements

Institutional Capacity Building Coordination
•    Lead all institutional capacity building activities 
•    Coordinate the design and delivery of training workshops for NDA office and ministerial focal points particularly on GCF project design and management
•    Support development of online training modules in Lao language for sustainability
•    Support the further development and operationalization of the MRV systems, ensuring line ministries and stakeholders’ inputs
•    Facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building across participating institutions

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination
•    Work closely with the NDA office and Department of Climate Change (DCC) to engage the Technical Working Group on Climate Change (TWGCC) and Environment and Climate Finance Sub-committee (ECFSC)
•    Coordinate with 13 key ministries and agencies that are members of TWGCC
•    Ensure effective multi-stakeholder engagement processes with 50% women participation targets
•    Support the NDA in organizing regular coordination meetings and coaching for ECFSC and TWGCC

Strategic Framework Development Support
•    Support updating of the GCF Country Programme document 
•    Draft the Terms of Reference and contribute to the Readiness Needs Assessment process 
•    Coordinate consultation and validation workshops with diverse stakeholders
•    Ensure integration of gender, environmental and social safeguards, and indigenous peoples’ considerations

Quality Control and Reporting
•    Provide quality control for all consultation activities and deliverables
•    Prepare Annual Progress Reports (APR), meeting FAO and GCF requirements and coordinate with NDA for validation
•    Ensure proper documentation of all project activities and lessons learned
•    Support completion report preparation at project end

Project Monitoring and Adaptive Management
•    Monitor project implementation against logical framework indicators
•    Identify and address implementation challenges proactively
•    Coordinate biweekly team meetings and document progress
•    Support adaptive management approaches as needed

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Advanced degree in Public Administration, Environmental Policy, Development Studies, or related fields.
•    Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in climate change, institutional development, and project management
•    Working knowledge of English
•    National of Laos

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

•    Experience working with government agencies, international organizations, and donors.
•    Strong leadership, coordination, and stakeholder engagement skills.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION