Socio-economic Specialist (2 positions)

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

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• 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
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO Country Offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments in developing policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and nutrition and reduce hunger and malnutrition, promote sustainable agricultural development, reduce rural poverty, develop inclusive agri-food systems and strengthen livelihood resilience – in line with the Organization’s Strategic Objectives and United Nations’ global and Government of Egypt’s national Sustainable Development Goals.
FAO is implementing a project entitled "EU for Hayah Karima - EU support to Rural Development, Climate Change Resilience and Nutrition" in Upper Egypt. The Action is in line with a major Egyptian initiative, “Hayah Karima” (Decent Life), launched in 2019 initially for five years, which seeks to improve the life and livelihoods of 57 million Egyptians in rural areas by renovating local infrastructures, upgrading basic services, and creating jobs.

The project will support rural development, food and nutrition security, and climate change resilience in 120 villages in Assiut, Sohag, and Qena governorates. It is focused on supporting the farmers in improving agriculture and irrigation techniques and rural communities' income generation through employment and skills development opportunities. FAO action will help in managing food losses through value chain analysis and value addition of income-generating crops, transformation of agricultural waste into economic secondary products, and strengthening the capacity of value chain actors in food safety and waste management.

The Socio-economic Specialist will be based in one of FAO’s intervention governorates (Assiut or Sohag).
She/he will work closely with the governorate coordinator and project personnel.

Reporting Lines

The Socio-economic Specialist will work under the direct supervision of FAO Representative in Egypt, the day-to-day guidance of the Project Manager, and in close collaboration with the governorate coordinator, FAO country office and project personnel as well as Government counterparts and all stakeholders.

Technical Focus

The Socioeconomic Specialist will be responsible for conducting a socio-economic assessment of the project area, focusing on the project's impact on the beneficiaries. The assessment will provide an analysis of the economic, social, and environmental implications of the project and provide recommendations on how the project can be improved to maximize its impact on the target beneficiaries.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Conduct socioeconomic assessments and analyses of rural livelihoods, poverty, employment, gender, and youth dynamics to inform project interventions.
• Ensure inclusion of vulnerable groups, gender equality, and youth engagement across all project activities.
• Contribute to value chain analysis with focus on income-generating crops and agricultural waste transformation.
• Identify barriers and opportunities for women and youth participation in agribusiness and waste management start-ups.
• Promote gender equality and youth engagement by identifying opportunities for job creation, skills development, and entrepreneurship.
• Provide recommendations to strengthen community-based enterprises and farmers’ organizations.
• Design and deliver training, awareness campaigns, and Farmer Business School (FBS) activities to strengthen agripreneurship, cooperative management, micro-enterprise creation, and waste management practices.
• Support awareness campaigns on socioeconomic and environmental benefits of waste management and food loss reduction.
• Facilitate participatory approaches to ensure communities are engaged in planning and decision-making.
• Facilitate market linkages by mapping buyers, processors, and private sector partners, organizing B2B events, trade fairs, and buyer–seller meetings.
• Provide advisory support to start-ups on quality standards, branding, and market entry strategies.
• Facilitate linkages with micro-finance institutions, banks, and cooperatives, ensuring equitable access to finance.
• Support strengthening partnerships and linkages with public and private institutions that generate relevant information and technologies related to value chain enhancement.
• Develop socioeconomic indicators and contribute to project monitoring and evaluation.
• Support implementation of Letters of Agreement (LoAs), including follow-up, timely reporting, and performance tracking.
• Collaborate with the communications team to ensure documentation of project activities, lessons learned, best practices, and success stories.
• Prepare reports, briefings, and other written materials on socioeconomic issues related to the project.
• Work with local authorities, civil society, and cooperatives to enhance ownership and sustainability of interventions.
• Support the project management team in strategies to increase project impact and sustainability.
• Perform any other duties as requested.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agriculture economics, social sciences, agribusiness developments or other related fields.
• At least 5 years of experience in similar functions designing, implementing and reporting on socio-economic activities.
• Working knowledge of English.
• National of Egypt.

FAO Core Competencies

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

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

• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• 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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