Organizational Setting 

FAO’s Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SFS) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Africa (RAF). The office provides technical assistance and support to governments and country offices in the sub-region developing policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition while using their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines

Under the general supervision of the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa (SFS) and the guidance of the Director of the Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate at the SADC Secretariat, the Plant Health Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the STOSAR II Regional Project Coordinator and technical supervision of the FAO Plant Production and Protection Officer. The incumbent will be responsible for the overall coordination, management, and organisation of all project activities for the plant pests and diseases sector in Component 2 of the Action at regional level and national levels. These activities will be executed in close consultation with the SADC Crops Programme Officer as well as with the respective partners in the relevant Ministries.

Technical Focus

Plant production and protection with particular focus on overall management and direction on all aspects of the project implementation on transboundary plant pests and diseases section of Component 2 of the STOSAR II project namely, (ii) improving access to markets through domestication of regional plant pests strategies developed during STOSAR I and implementation at country level, including enhancing capacities to address sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements for international trade while ensuring deadlines and milestones are achieved.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Provide the overall management and direction on all aspects of project implementation on Component 2 of the project (Improving access to markets through implementation of plant pests’ management strategies at the regional level, and in SADC member states, ensuring deadlines and milestones are achieved).
•    Support country level domestication of the regional transboundary plant pest and disease (TPPD) control strategies developed under STOSAR I, working closely with the SADC Plant Protection Technical Committee and its sub committees in consultation with the National SPS Committees.
•    Translate national strategies into practical action for improved control of trade-sensitive TPPDs.
•    Support and facilitate activities aimed at the strengthening of priority TPPD management capacities, including the implementation of surveillance and early warning systems as well as risk analyses and control at the regional and national levels.
•    Carry out awareness campaigns to inform crop value chain actors of SPS regulations and promote adherence/compliance to SPS regulations.
•    Support identification and collaboration with complementary initiatives (projects, programmes) including collaboration with Centres of Excellence in priority thematic areas (e.g., control of priority TPPDs, lab certification, SPS, etc.).
•    Support equipment and accreditation of plant health laboratories so that they can perform required services efficiently and up to the set standard.
•    Raise awareness and promote implementation of Commodity-specific standards for phytosanitary measures.
•    Support implementation of electronic Phytosanitary Certification of Exports (ePhyto) in the remaining 13 SADC Member States and make the SADC region e-Phyto compliant.
•    Support SADC Plant Protection Technical Committee to perform its statutory functions in relation to SADC Member States and international standard setting bodies.
•    Support and implement advocacy initiatives to promote uptake and acceptance of the developed innovative approaches to risk management of trade related plant pests at national, regional and international levels.
•    Ensure mainstreaming of cross cutting issues into the plant pests’ section of the project, including’ Gender, HIV/AIDS, Poverty, Governance, sustainability etc.
•    Facilitate the development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for component 2 of the project with support from the key project stakeholders and target beneficiaries including ensuring timely reports production and clearance.
•    Monitor potential risks that could constrain project implementation and take timely mitigating action.
•    Perform other related duties, as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced University degree in Agriculture, Crop Science, Crop Protection, Plant Health, or related fields
•    At least 10 years practical and active experience of working with International and Regional Institutions and implementing development projects of a regional nature in the fields of agriculture and plant health in a developing country context
•    Working knowledge (Level C) of English

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Strong administrative and organizational skills,
•    Computer literacy
•    Good English technical report writing skills.
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work
•    Extent and relevance of experience in plant protection and health
•    Familiarity with Southern Africa Region

Selection Criteria

•    Experience of development work related to plant health in Sub-Saharan Africa will be an added advantage.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements