Innovation Facilitator at FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization: (Deadline 10 May 2022)
Job Posting
: 22/Apr/2022
Closure Date
: 10/May/2022, 11:59:00 PM
Job Type
: Non-staff opportunities
Primary Location
: Rwanda
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, nationality, background and culture
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentialit
Organizational Setting
The Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the University of Rwanda, the College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine (UR/ CAVM), Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), and École Supérieure d’Agro-développement International (ISTOM), France, are implementing the DeSIRA Project, “Capacity development for innovation in Rwanda: strengthening innovation partnerships in six districts”, for a period of four years (2021-2025) with funding from the European Union (EU). The main objective of the project is to strengthen agricultural innovation partnerships and disseminate best practices and processes that support climate-relevant and sustainable transformation of agriculture systems in Rwanda. To this end, the project uses a participatory, inter-disciplinary approach to improve capacities for climate-smart innovation in local innovation partnerships in six districts: Burera, Rutsiro, Ruhango, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, and Bugesera, with focus on different value chains. Thematically, the project focuses on: Diversification of livestock and crop systems; Effective management of irrigated areas, and; Crop intensification and diversification in drought-prone areas.
The project will deliver three outputs:
• Facilitate engagement of multi-sector stakeholders and the functioning of innovation partnerships along each selected value chain as well as in each District,
• To address knowledge gaps and technical and functional capacity needs through participatory action research,
• Communicate and disseminate best practices for scaling up and informing the policy process.
Capacity development of actors involved in local innovation partnerships in the six target Districts is a central feature of the project. This will trigger entrepreneurship and business aspirations of women and youth benefiting from the project and will strengthen capacities to innovate in target value chains. Two innovative approaches will be used in this context: The Societal University Village Initiative (SUVI), a university-led rural transformation approach, and the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP)’s Common Framework, an approach and tool kit for developing functional capacities for agricultural innovation systems.
FAO is now recruiting twelve Innovation Facilitators (six female and six male), also known as SUVI champions, to be based in the six target Districts and support research, public-private dialogue and capacity development activities of the project at community level.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Rwanda and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR/Programmes, in close collaboration with the National Project Manager (NPM) and technical guidance of the lead technical officer (LTO) based at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The incumbent will also be technically supervised by the University of Rwanda.
Technical Focus
The Innovation Facilitator will support and facilitate the project’s agricultural research and development activities around targeted value chains, especially by developing capacities of innovation partnerships at the District level and enhancing the relationships between researchers, innovation partnerships, policy makers, private sector and other actors along target value chains.
Tasks and responsibilities
• In collaboration with FAO and project partners, contribute to analysis and development of agricultural innovations systems at local level, with focus on priority value chains.
• Contribute to planning and implementing the Project’s capacity development activities for beneficiaries and actors in the innovation partnerships, using the SUVI and TAP approaches.
• Facilitate dialogue and inform the discussion on the research agenda and policy actions at community level in collaboration with local leaders.
• Contribute to the profiling of villages in terms of socio-economic development challenges and opportunities;
• Identify issues facing the innovation partnerships in the selected value chains, and identify appropriate actions;
• Propose innovative ideas for entrepreneurship to address the challenges observed in respective villages and innovation partnerships.
• Support data collection for research activities to be performed by Masters and PhD candidate(s) enrolled in the project’s activities.
• Support the dissemination of improved seeds of targeted value chains and of fertiliser recommendations through various approaches including screen houses, demonstration plots, field trials, Farmer Field Schools (FSS), Twigire Muhinzi groups, etc.
• Perform any other related duties as may be requested by the supervisor.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor degree in agriculture sciences, veterinary medicine, animal production, agricultural economics; agribusiness, agriculture engineering, agricultural education, agricultural extension, rural development studies, or a related field;
• Being a recent graduate or having a few year’s work experience;
• Being a resident of, or willing to move to one of the target districts: Burera, Rutsiro, Ruhango, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, and Bugesera;
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Knowledge of Kinyarwanda is required and knowledge of French it is a benefit.
• Nationality of Rwanda.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Team work
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience of agriculture and rural development
• Extent and relevance of experience in value chain development
• Familiarity of the functioning of cooperatives and other forms of farmer organizations in Rwanda.
• Understanding of capacity development and innovation system concepts
• Demonstrated experience and interest in research-based activities.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required. Vaccination status will be verified as part of the medical clearance process
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
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