National Soybean Trial & Seed Associate

VA NO. FAO/MZR&KBL/PRJ/SC/04-2021

Functional title:

National Soybean Trial & Seed Associate

Type of contract:

National Project Personnel / Service Contract (NPP/SC)

Grade/level:

SB-3

Number of post (s) :

2 (Two)

Duration :

10 Months

Extendable/renewable:

Extendable, based on satisfactory performance and budget availability

Probationary period:

Initial 3 months

Project/programme/unit:

Emergency and Resilience Unit – FAO Afghanistan

Duty station:

Mazar-E-Sharif and Kabul with domestic field missions to other project locations.

Sub-station:

N/A

DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organization Settings:

Through  its  country  offices  or  FAO  Representations,  FAO  assists  governments  to  develop  policies,

programmes and projects to address hunger, food security and malnutrition and provides technical support for the sustainable development of their agricultural, livestock, animal health, and irrigation and forestry sectors as well as emergency preparedness and response. The activities of the FAO Representation include design and implementation of country-tailored field programmes, liaison with local donor representatives and active public awareness-raising and outreach activities related to the mandate of FAO.

FAO’s assistance in Afghanistan achieves its objectives through capacity development and direct project implementation in four specific areas of FAO’s technical expertise:

• Better governance through the improved capacity for policy planning, land reform, decentralization, and management of common natural resources;
• Fostering expansion of irrigation and field water management;
• Intensive agriculture for surplus commercialization, value chains development, and job creation;
• Supporting vulnerable farmers for improved food and nutrition security, resilience, and emergency

response to natural and man-made disasters and climate change.

Project Background:

FAO provides emergency and resilience assistance to the most vulnerable and food insecure people across Afghanistan, reaching to the most remote rural areas. This humanitarian assistance covers immediate and time-critical needs, helping to protect and restore agricultural livelihoods, and preventing people in need from resorting to negative coping mechanisms, thus increasing the resilience of affected populations to withstand future shocks.

This position is established under the Emergency and Resilience Unit in Afghanistan. The unit has the main office in Kabul and regional offices in Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar, and Mazar-e-Sharif. The National Soybean Trial & Seed Associate will be based in Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul with frequent travel to project locations in the provinces covered by the respective offices.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (TECHNICAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATION)

Education:

• University degree in agriculture, agronomy, agriculture research and seed production fields, or any in field related.

Work Experience:

• At least three (3) years of experience in project support services, field work management, trial data collection, Analysis, seed, seed production and handling and reporting experience;
• Basic knowledge of Agriculture research (VCU and DUS tests of soybean and soybean production in the country;
• Experience working with national and international organizations that are operating in the field of Agriculture development in Afghanistan is a significant advantage.
• Working experience with ministries, national institutions, and the rural sector in Afghanistan;
• Previous work experience with the UN is an advantage.

Other Technical/Functional Skills:

• Good  knowledge  and  understanding  of  MAIL   programmes  and  administrative/management procedures;
• Strong  demonstrated  experience  in  arranging  meetings,  coordinating  activities  and  exchanging correspondences;
• Ability to train MAIL staff on Soybean production;
• Demonstrated experience in working independently, and as a constructive member of a team;
• Ability or willingness to travel extensively in remote or inaccessible areas to conduct meeting and

awareness raising;

• Having necessary motivation to work as a team through creating a supportive environment;
• Knowledge of common UN administrative and financial rules and regulations;
• Ability to organize work systematically, set priorities and meet deadlines;
• Ability to structure and convey information in an appropriate format and timely, ensuring accuracy

and consistency;

• Understanding of FAO’s mandate;

IT Skills:

• Strong professional command of Microsoft Office, in particular Word and Excel.

Language Skills:

• Working knowledge (level C) of the FAO official language used for communication within the country.
• Fluent in Dari and Pashto

CORE COMPETENCIES:

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

SUBMISSION GUIDELINE:

Interested Afghan nationals should complete the FAO Personal History Form (PHF) and submit it along with

their application letter and CV to the email address below, clearly mentioning the vacancy number and post title (National Soybean Trial & Seed Associate - FAO/MZR&KBK/PRJ/SC/04-2021) in the subject line of the email; otherwise, your email will not be considered for further process.

FAOAF-vacancies@fao.org

The FAO PH Form can be downloaded using the following internet link: