Field Technical Specialist on Clusters Development

Organizational Setting

FAO Ukraine is a project management Office headed by the Regional Programme Leader (RPL) under the operational responsibility of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The Office provides support to Ukraine to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia and the Budget Holder, the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator and the technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer and in close coordination with the International Project Coordinator.

Technical Focus

The Field Technical Expert on Clusters Development will be responsible for promoting formation and development of clusters, business groups and associations among project beneficiary agricultural MSMEs from prioritized value chains in Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhizhia oblasts.

Tasks and responsibilities

Specifically, the Field Technical Expert on Clusters Development will carry out the following tasks:

• Carry out a review of existing clusters, business groups and associations in the targetted value chains and analyse their effectiveness;
• Provide information, workshops/training on the results of the above analysis;
• Provide project beneficiaries with advice on and support to join existing clusters, business groups or associations or to create new ones;
• Facilitate and support establishment of contacts and communications between project beneficiaries and the clusters/ groups members;
• Support the development a roadmap for the establishment of a food business incubator;
• Provide day-to-day technical consultancy support and guidance to project team leader;
• Prepare monthly progress reports, including the work progress, problems and solutions, next month work plan, and final assignment report on findings, conclusions and recommendations;
• Perform any other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness, rural development, social science or related field;
• At least 5 years of experience in the field of private sector and organizational development in agri-food value chains context (development of clusters, business groups and associations);
• Working knowledge of English and/or Russian;
• National of Ukraine or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Good understanding on producer organizations and collective action in agribusiness and rural transformation context;
• Strong knowledge of Ukraine’s socio-economic context and agribusiness associative sector;
• Excellent communication skills.