Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. 

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) aims to be the go-to place for investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, CFI provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international financing institutions, national and international organizations, the private sector, research institutions, academia and producer organizations 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 more widely and position the Centre as a trusted voice on investment and finance.
CFI is a multidisciplinary Centre comprising the Director’s office, which leads on strategy and business development, knowledge management, communication and administration, and five regional services: Asia and the Pacific; Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia; West and Central Africa; East and Southern Africa; and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The post is located in the Latin America and the Caribbean Service (CFIF) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. 

Reporting Lines
The Irrigation and Rural Infrastructure Engineer reports to the Chief, Latin America and the Caribbean Service (CFIF) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI). 

Technical Focus
Provide analytical and technical support on water resources management, irrigation, drainage and rural infrastructure aspects for the formulation, 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 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 multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
•    Supports the implementation and the preparation of final evaluation of investment and finance support solutions.
•    Participates in 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 food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, civil society organizations and governments. 
•    Contributes to capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations.
•    Prepares reports in accordance with the requirements of FAO, governments and financing partners. 
•    Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences, and interacts with international and national partners.
•    Establishes, promotes and maintains relationships with relevant Strategic Programmes, FAO Technical Units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Member Nations.
•    Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.
Specific functions
•    Provides inputs for the formulation of irrigation and drainage, agriculture water resources management including on-farm, as well as rural infrastructure investment strategies and operations.
•    Interacts with team members to facilitate exchange of critical information, validation of findings and recommendations regarding investment constraints and opportunities.
•    Provides inputs and/or reviews for technical soundness, consistency and compliance with national strategies and policies, as well as financing partners’ requirements, as applicable, investment project documentation, sector and policy reports and recommendations, technical documents including engineering design, institutional aspects of irrigation and drainage system operation and maintenance, and other relevant material.
•    Supports knowledge gathering on agriculture and water-requirements of crops, modern agriculture practices with applied irrigation technics and appropriate institutional set-ups

 
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•    Advanced university degree in irrigation engineering, agriculture water resources management, or a closely related field.  
•    Five years of relevant experience in irrigation, drainage and rural infrastructure and agriculture water management including experience in engineering design, construction, supervision, institutional set-ups in systems operation and maintenance for investments. 
•    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. 
•    Extent and relevance of experience in major technical fields related to engineering design, construction and work supervision. 
•    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 irrigation, drainage and rural infrastructure, agriculture water resources management, food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, investment and finance support solutions. 
•    Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank and 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 specific subregion would be an asset.
•    Extent of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of support programmes for water users’ organizations and promotion of participatory irrigation management as well as the training of irrigation engineers and managers. 
•    Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.
 

 

 

This vacancy is archived.

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