FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN SPECIALIST

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FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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Qualified female applicants and qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member countries are encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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Organizational Setting:

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Reporting Lines:

The Food Supply Chain Specialist will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in the Philippines ad interim, direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), and day to day guidance of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Specialist.

Technical Focus:

In order to support the successful implementation of the Socio-economic and Peacebuilding Framework (SEPF) which guides the UN engagement with government and development partners to support and reinforce efforts in the Philippines to recover and stay firmly on the path toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) will be conducting a joint research on “Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Systems and Adaptive Measures Practiced in Metro Manila”.

The research aims to investigate and document the trends and transformation of the agri-food supply and distribution systems to Metro Manila brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. It seeks to answer the following general questions:

1. What are the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the agri-food supply and distribution systems catering to Metro Manila and how have these systems adapted to the “new normal”?
2. What are the emerging best practices in local governance, sustainability and business delivery, and digital solutions, to addressing bottlenecks in agri-food supply chains, and access and availability of food by consumers?
3. What policies by government and programmes by development partners are needed to address agri-food supply chain and food security issues under the new normal?

This research shall build on and validate the “rapid assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on food supply chains in the Philippines” conducted by FAO and IFAD, and other related assessments/reports. It will assist the UN in identifying programme areas for possible collaborative interventions by FAO, UNDP, WFP, and IFAD.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Food Supply Chain Specialist will be the principal investigator for the research on “Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Systems and Adaptive Measures Practiced in Metro Manila and will carry out the following tasks:

1. Lead the conduct of COVID-19 impact analysis along the supply and value chains of selected agri-food commodities in at least two major agri-food distribution centers in Metro Manila and document emerging adaptive practices by supply and value chain actors to adjust to the “new normal”. The Specialist shall employ the following methods:

• Desk review of literature, official government statistics and reports, assessments/reports from UN agencies, and media articles/videos
• Direct observation of local markets, segments of the supply and distribution chains
• Key Informant Interviews with government agencies, food systems experts, and selected LGUs.
• Household-level food security, nutrition and vulnerability analysis with gender lens using remote data collection
• Analysis of food prices and market dynamics

1. Lead the development of annotated report outline at the start of the assignment to refine the methodology, define the data sources, and indicate the timeline for required data gathering activities.

1. Lead in the development of policy brief summarizing the findings of the research and recommending policy and interventions needed to address agri-food supply/value chain and food security issues under the new normal.

1. Lead in the development of a joint programme concept note or proposal to the United Nations agencies on possible joint programme areas based on the identified gaps and emerging adaptive practices showing potential for scaling up and replication.

1. Coordinate with, regularly apprise, and receive guidance from the FAO-UNDP-WFP-IFAD Research Supervisory Group;
2. Coordinate with partner government agencies on consultations, interviews, and data collection;
3. Coordinate with IFAD-financed projects such as DAR ConVERGE, DTI RAPID Growth, DA/BFAR FishCORAL, and DA CAR CHAMP for data collection;
4. Prepare relevant presentation materials;
5. Supervise the research assistant/s assigned to the project;
6. Participate in meetings and events related to the expertise, as assigned;
7. Carry out any other relevant duties within her technical competence as may be requested by FAO.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• The candidate must have an Advanced University Degree in agriculture, fisheries, environmental studies or management, social sciences, or related fields
• At least twelve (12) years work experience in research or development projects related to agriculture, fisheries, nutrition, food systems, or sustainable development
• A national of the Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Language requirement: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

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