FAO recruits 01 Plant Protection Specialist

Job Description

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST – VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT: 1901412

Plant Protection Specialist

Closure Date: 01/Jul/2019, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: FRSOM

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Somalia-Mogadiscio

Duration: 11 Months

Post Number: N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender and nationality

People with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

This position is located in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Reporting Lines

The Plant Protection Specialist will be under the overall supervision the FAO Representative in Somalia, general supervision of Head of Programme and the direct supervision of the Programme Manager.

Technical Focus

The Plant Protection Specialist will provide technical backstopping for plant protection and food safety aspects under the project.

Tasks and Responsibilities

 Conduct data analysis with appropriate statistical tools in relation to data and information gather in the field on pesticides and phytosanitary matters;

Lead the drafting and supervision of terms of agreement (as a part of LoA) to be signed with government agencies in relation to relevant project activities;

Provide technical advice on the proposed phytosanitary legislation and on international requirements in phytosanitary export and import procedures, as well as training on the management of phytosanitary system;

Develop internal capacity in IPPM, phytosanitary and pesticides of a core team from the MoAI as identified by the MoAI;

Develop training manuals on plant protection, food safety and pesticides to support capacity-building activities linked to the project;

Support the Federal and State governments in the adoption of phytosanitary standards in line with IPPC procedures deemed as vital to the implementation of the project;

Originate and facilitate technical training for various stakeholder participating in project activities covering plant protection, food safety and phytosanitary matters;

Develop technical specifications for laboratory equipment and consumables destined for the National quality testing facilities to be setup;

Catalogue and document key pests in the selected value chains and develop strategy for their sustainable management;

Assists Ministry of Agriculture at State level to strengthen and improve their capacities and capabilities in the surveillance and monitoring of pests and in developing appropriate response strategies;

Provide guidance and support towards the establishment of the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) at federal and state level;

Support the Ministry of Agriculture to promote international linkages, cooperation and increased policy dialogue linked to Plant protection services, relevant bilateral agreements and conventions;

Provide technical backstopping to the projects in terms of plant health, food safety and support the development of policy and strategy in relation to phytosanitary matters in consultation with International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC);

 In coordination with FAO headquarters technical division for pest and pesticides management (AGPMC) setup the basis for functional pesticide regulatory system that will support the Government in the future development of a robust pesticide policy;

Contribute in designing and delivering capacity building in phytosanitary services and pesticide use to Government partners and other stakeholders;

Contribute to the establishment of a functional pesticide life cycle management system including the establishment of a pesticide registrar’s office and train nominated regulatory officers on procedures used internationally for pesticide regulation and registration;

Design data collection formats/tools and analytical frameworks to be used in evidence-based decision making in relation to phytosanitary matters and pesticide regulation;

Provide technical support and training to Ministry of Agriculture Plant Protection officers on the implementation of relevant international agreements and conventions linked to pest and pesticide management including the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management and the Rotterdam Convention;

Facilitate collaboration among ongoing regional and national IPM programmes and contributes to the development of community-based learning on IPM including through farmer field schools;

Participate in project proposal development and resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate strategy.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree in agriculture entomology, pathology, plant protection, plant sciences or related subject.

At least Ten (10) years of relevant experience in; pest monitoring, pesticide lifecycle management and phytosanitary procedures in the context of developing countries.

Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Technical expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of Departmental programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with FAO Strategic Objectives;

Extent and relevance of experience in developing and delivering programmes of work or projects on the monitoring and management of crop pests;

Demonstrated experience in supporting Plant Protection projects in developing countries;

Track record of delivering training to government extension officers on phytosanitary and pesticides matters;

Knowledge and relevance of experience in developing and delivering strategies, programmes or projects on integrated pest management particularly in the context of small holder farmers;

Proven experience in supporting Governments develop phytosanitary laws and procedures in line with IPPC guidelines;

Extent of experience in the use of toolkits and apps use for field data collection;

Record of accomplishment in leading pesticide registration process in developing countries;

Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable;

Experience and extent of carrying out similar activities in a post conflict states will be an added advantage;

Evidence of resource mobilisation either internal FAO TCP funds or multilateral donors;

Familiarity with the code of conduct of pesticides, IPPC procedures and the Rotterdam convention.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)

Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list

Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications

Candidates should upload language certificate/s when submitting their application.

For more information, visit the FAO employment website

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered.

Vacancies will be removed from the recruitment portal at 23:59 Central European Time (CET) on the deadline for applications date. We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline

If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org 

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