Irrigation Expert

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

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• 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
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• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda, is implementing the project aimed at reconsidering the potential of water resources development to expand irrigated land in Rwanda. The project aims to put more effort into increasing the area under irrigation by reconsidering all irrigation potentials, including medium, small, and micro sites. By reconsidering irrigation potential in Rwanda, the project will increase the total irrigated land to maximize crop production and productivity, sustainable land use and crop intensification, adaption to environmental degradation and climate resilience. Reconsidering irrigation potential will decrease the barriers to accessing water, impact poverty through different dimensions such as crop/animal production and productivity, on-farm and off-farm employment generation, income/consumption, vulnerability, food security, non-farm output, nutrition, multiple use of water (e.g. domestic and irrigation purposes).

Thematically the projects focus on two outputs\:

(1) Analyse and review geographic data and prepare a stocktaking of national inventories of irrigation potential in Rwanda,
(2) Conduct comprehensive preliminary feasibility studies and validate the identified potential sites.

FAO is now hiring an International Irrigation Specialist to support mapping large, medium, small, and micro irrigation potential sites, to classify all sites and carry out pre-feasibility studies for the most suitable sites in consideration of easy implementation and cost efficiency.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Rwanda, the direct supervision of the project Lead Technical Officer (LTO) in close collaboration of the Better Production Team Leader/ Senior Irrigation Specialist at FAO Rwanda, with the technical guidance of the Senior Water Development and Management Officer based in the Regional Office for Africa.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will conduct, in close collaboration with national experts (Irrigation, GIS and economist experts), a thorough assessment of irrigation potential across the country, prepare a stocktaking of national inventories of the identified irrigation potential sites and conduct a comprehensive prefeasibility studies for the sites deemed to be the most promising in terms of easy implementation and cost efficient.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will specifically\:
• Review the desk study conducted by the National Consultants to identify all potential irrigation sites. This study will closely gather the results from the current irrigation master plan.
• Review the maps/shapefiles and other documents produced by the National Consultants indicating all the potential sites countrywide. The mapping exercise will be extended to all administrative boundaries, i.e up to village level.
• Use all existing mapping database at all levels including the geo-referenced Digital Elevation Models (DEM) at 25 cm accuracy (if available).
• Support to organize the validation workshops that involve the government, private sector, international organizations, other stakeholders who intervene in irrigation sub-sector.
• Support to organize the validation meetings of the feasibility studies of the selected potential sites,
• Participate to develop the resource mobilization strategy for the selected potential sites.
• Contribute to the consultation workshops to inform potentials investors and donors for the identified sites.
• Propose the Public Private Partnerships models that can be applied for the identified sites with emphasis on the implication of the youth and gender balance.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Water/ irrigation engineering or a related field.
• 15 of professional experience in designing, constructing, and managing irrigation systems.
• Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Proficiency in the elaborating master plans, study, design, and implementation of irrigation infrastructure development projects.
• Knowledge of environmental and safety regulations and compliance.
• Experience in feasibility studies.
• Excellent skills in analysis and report writing.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills in English.
• Ability to effectively use standard GIS Software, for designing irrigation potential sites and others.
• Good command of computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power point, Internet).
• Capable to work independently and perform under tight deadlines.
• Good interpersonal and teamwork skills, networking aptitude, and ability to engage effectively with policy and decision-makers.

Selection criteria

• Proven experience in the irrigation project identification, formulation, design, and implementation.
• Proven experience in rural infrastructure development projects at international level.
• Ability to effectively use standard GIS Software,

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

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 create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance\: https\://fao.service-now.com/csp

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