ABOUT THE COMPANY:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. We believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger.

JOB SUMMARY

Organizational Setting
The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems.

Working in over 120 countries, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre’s four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance.

These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level.

For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure please visit the following link.

The post is part of the Asia and the Pacific Service (CFIB) of the FAO Investment Centre and is located in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Reporting Lines
The Economist reports to the Chief, Asia and the Pacific Service and works in close collaboration with the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific (ADG/RR RAP).

Technical Focus
Provide analytical and technical support on economic and finance aspects for the formulation, appraisal, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing.

Key Results
Delivering investment and finance support solutions through the provisions of technical expertise/assistance and support to capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems in the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions
• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
• Participates in, and eventually leads multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment operations.
• Provides technical expertise for the preparation of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes.
• Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, and civil society organizations and government.
• Formulates and delivers capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, civil society organizations and private sector organizations.
• Prepares reports in accordance with governments and financing partners’ requirements.
• Provides support in task organization, selection of consultants, preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs.
• Promotes international cooperation and collaboration leading to new investment opportunities and cooperative agreements, advocates best practices and effective policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.
• Provides guidance and advice to junior staff.

Specific Functions
• Contributes to the identification, design and appraisal of investment operations, including the development of analytical and sector studies, project logical/results frameworks, monitoring and evaluation system and the costing of investment operations.
• Assesses the feasibility and viability of investment proposals through studying market prospects, prices, costs and risks and carrying out economic and financial analysis.
• Evaluates the performance of investment projects or programmes during implementation and their impact after completion and makes recommendations for enhancing the design of future operations.
• Assesses investment implications of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing policies, national plans and programmes, including poverty alleviation and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in economics, agricultural economics, natural resources economics, agribusiness management or a closely related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in the practical application of economic and financial analysis to development issues, including analytical studies and the formulation and implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment operations in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing analytical studies, feasibility studies and programme evaluation, including participation in public-private policy dialogue to promote investment.
• Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies, as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment and finance support solutions, with focus on financial and economic aspects.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the design, implementation support and evaluation of investment operations with FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other partner international financial institutions.
• Knowledge of the context, as well as partners and institutions of the Asia and the Pacific region would be an important asset.
• Relevance of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investments.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.

REQUIRED EDUCATION: Bachelor Degree

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 60