This Call for Interest is for a Temporary Professional Officer (TPO) position, which is a short-term contract. The appointment of a short-term staff member carries no expectation of continuous employment or conversion to any other type of appointment with IFAD. This call is advertised as a temporary assignment with a duration of 18 months.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.
The Strategy and Knowledge Department (SKD) provides expert guidance on IFAD's strategic direction, thematic priorities and technical quality of IFAD’s operations. It plays a critical role in providing technical expertise to operational teams to enhance development effectiveness, by generating and disseminating IFAD’s development knowledge and evidence on strategic themes, and encouraging innovative application of cutting-edge global knowledge and evidence in IFAD investments to support countries tackle their most complex development challenges in fostering inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. SKD is composed of: (i) Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division (ECG); (ii) Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division (PMI); and (iii) Research and Impact Assessment Division (RIA).
PMI provides technical support to IFAD Country Programs to ensure the proper application of corporate quality standards required for achieving development results and impact in key thematic areas, including food production systems (i.e. fisheries, livestock, and agronomy), land, natural resources management, water and rural infrastructure, renewable energy, financial services, rural markets and enterprises, ICT4D and rural institutions. It contributes to the generation of evidence and knowledge on these themes, and facilitates their use in IFAD projects and activities. PMI also leads IFAD’s non sovereign private sector investment activities.
Job Role
IFAD has received supplementary funds from Norad towards the project “Advancing Resilient and Nutrition-sensitive Smallholder Aquaculture”, of which PMI has technical responsibility and managerial accountability for the grant. The project aims to build resilience, improve nutrition and increase incomes of rural smallholder producers, who are IFAD’s target groups engaged in aquaculture and related activities.
IFAD is seeking to recruit a Temporary Professional Officer (TPO) to strengthen PMI’s capacity to support IFAD’s Fisheries and Aquaculture programmes. Specifically, this position is funded by the Norad grant, and the priority focus of the TPO is to provide technical expertise and support for the coordination, monitoring and evaluation, progress reporting and overall implementation of the Norad funded aquaculture interventions. In addition, the TPO may be assigned to provide support to other IFAD Fisheries and Aquaculture investment programmes and grants. The position is based in Nairobi with main focus on the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Region. The TPO will be a technical specialist in the area of Fisheries, Aquaculture or related fields and will work under the overall strategic, policy and management guidance of the Director PMI and under the technical guidance, mentorship and direct supervision of the Senior Global Technical Specialist (Fisheries & Aquaculture). S/he will work collaboratively with other thematic Technical Specialists, Country Directors (CD)/Country Programme Officers (CPOs) and other relevant staff to ensure consistency, cohesion and synergy in the delivery of technical support to country programmes and partnership development for rural poverty reduction. The TPO is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD’s resources. This includes support to recruitment, supervision and evaluation of performance of consultants, service providers and staff under his/her purview.
The following Key Results Expected/Major Functional Activities are generic and representational, the majority of which will be performed by the Temporary Professional Officer:
Provide support for co-ordination and implementation of Norad funded interventions:
The TPO provides quality technical support to country teams for work planning and budgeting, management, coordination, M&E and overall implementation of Norad funded initiatives in ESA region, particularly in Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya, while paying close attention to the delivery of the Results Management Framework targets. S/he will support Country Teams in the recruitment, supervision and performance evaluation of consultants, service providers and staff under the programme. S/he will ensure close technical support to relevant stakeholders within each country, coordination and cross-fertilization across countries, timely delivery of results, as well as timely production of consolidated project progress report and all other necessary reporting documents. The staff should also ensure that the knowledge and experience drawn from the Norad grant resources are leveraged to support relevant IFAD programs, country strategies, and initiatives in order to maximize the impact of the grant resources.
Knowledge management, M&E and capacity development:
The Technical Specialist supports knowledge management and innovations and contributes in strengthening the technical capacity to enhance the results and impacts of Norad-funded interventions and related programmes, and leveraging the lessons across IFAD operations. In this respect, the staff will facilitate development and sharing knowledge, lessons, best practices and various learning tools to improve the performance of this grant and relevant IFAD investment programmes. This includes support to Country teams in the conduct of thematic reviews of project programme performance, including in work planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and reporting on the results and impacts of programmes. S/he will co-ordinate and organize training, knowledge development and dissemination with partners and stakeholders through publications, blogs, seminars, workshops, ICT etc; and furthermore, participate in IFAD-wide thematic discussions and developing appropriate technical knowledge content for updating IFAD website.
Partnership building and resource mobilization:
The Technical Specialist strengthens partnerships for leveraging resources, supports advocacy and policy initiatives to increase the impacts of Norad grant and other IFAD programmes in the region and sustainability of the results. In this regard, s/he develops and maintains a network of peer contacts inside and outside IFAD to keep up-to-date on activities at the country and regional levels, including with technical organizations, NGOs, and development agencies. The staff engages in policy and technical dialogue/processes and strategy issues for increased attention and resources in aquaculture towards eradicating rural poverty.
Education: Advanced university degree in the area of fisheries, aquaculture, marine science, aquatic science or related fields. Degree must be from an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php
Experience: At least five (5) years of progressive experience with development initiatives and programmes in Fisheries and Aquaculture, of which at least two (2) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope. Experience in the ESA region would be an added advantage.
The candidate should demonstrate; (i) proven track record of field-based experience with design, coordination and/or implementation of fisheries and aquaculture projects in the context of rural development initiatives; (ii) Capacity for technical, research and identification of innovative solutions at the country and regional level related to Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue economy; (iii) knowledge on IFAD cross cutting themes related to Nutrition, Gender and social inclusion, Environment and climate change; and the private sector
Language: Written and verbal communication in English (Excellent) and French (Good). Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic or Spanish) is desirable
