Technical Assistant (Value Chains) – SB-2

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO Representation in Cambodia is to assist the government in developing policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors use their environmental and natural resources sustainably and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

FAO is an Accredited Entity (AE) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In partnership with Cambodia's National Designated Authority (NDA), the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) are implementing a project ”Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihoods in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)\". This climate change adaptation project aims to enhance the climate resilience of farmers and local communities in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin (Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, and Oddar Meanchey Provinces) through public-social-private partnerships and improved access to growing premium markets that promote the dissemination of climate-resilient practices and technologies. The implementation of PEARL started on 26 April 2023 and will cover a duration of six years.

The project has three Outcomes: 
i.    Improved hydrological and agrometeorological services, 
ii.    Climate-adapted agriculture value chain development 
iii.    Strengthened agriculture regulation, policy, market, finance, and institutional capacities.

The project will work to improve four agriculture value chains: rice, mango, cashew nut, and vegetables.

Activities under Outcome 2 of the PEARL project will bridge the current capacity and resource gaps faced by smallholder farmers and other small-scale local value chain actors in the target areas to adopt alternative practices for climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing. The project will use the certification schemes already operational in the country, including CamGap, GI, SRP, organic certification and HACCP, as the primary vehicles of transformation to develop market incentives around cashew, mango, organic rice, and vegetables. The project will enable this market-led transformation through the establishment of a Farmer-led Agricultural Resilience Mechanism (FARM) to assist smallholder farmers and other small-scale local value chain actors in acquiring technologies and infrastructure assets that are essential for adopting climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative of Cambodia and the direct supervision of the PEARL Senior Project Officer, working closely with the Technical Advisor (Value Chain Development), Technical Advisor (Climate Change Adaptation and Value Chains) and Technical Specialist (Value Chains and Provincial Coordination), the Technical Assistant (Value Chains) will be responsible for implementing administrative, operations, and technical support including but not limited to coordination, accounting, budgeting, procurement, and technical assistance required for the smooth implementation of the Project in the target provinces i.e., Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, or Kampong Thom working respectively on specific crops i.e., leafy vegetables, mango, organic rice, cashew.

Technical Focus 

The Technical Assistant (Vale Chains) will primarily provide operational and technical support in the target provinces and for specific crops.

Tasks and responsibilities

o    Coordinate the operational and technical support in the assigned province;
o    Assist during logistical preparations and implementation of conferences, meetings, workshops, trainings, and missions to support value chain development, and operations matters in the target province;
o    Support the drafting and management of correspondence between the PEARL project and provincial stakeholders;
o    Support the drafting of TORs for PEARL project events;
o    Ensure the timely provision of required technical and operational assistance;
o    Support the preparation of project work plans and field reports, and identify corrective measures to overcome operational constraints of the PEARL project; and
o    Perform any other duties as assigned by the Senior Project Officer.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•     Bachelor’s degree in agronomy or crop science and/or a relevant subject;
•     At least three years of experience in administrative, operational, and technical experience; 
•     Working knowledge of English (level C);
•     National of Cambodia.

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

Technical/Functional Skills 
•     Work experience in more than one location or area of work 
•     Extent and relevance of experience in value chain analyses
•     Extent and relevance of experience in project operations
•     Familiarity with provincial government and other stakeholders in Cambodia

Selection Criteria
•     Thematic expertise in any of the following: agribusiness, application of value chain analysis and development, agricultural market development, and agricultural certification schemes
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION