Job Summary:
Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Country: Zambia
City: Lusaka
Office: FAO Lusaka, Zambia
Job Posting: 05/Mar/2025
Organizational Unit: FRZAM – FAO Representation in Zambia
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Zambia-Lusaka
Duration: 6 months
Post Number: N/A
Application Deadline: 19 March 2025, 10:59:00 PM
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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The main aim of the FAO country office, which is headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist governments 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. The position is in the FAO Representation in Lusaka, Zambia.
Project brief
FAO emergency and resilience building interventions contribute to the implementation of the Country Programming Framework (CFP) through two of the four priority areas: (2) Sustainable management of the natural resource base and Increasing Resilience and Uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture; (3) Enhance food security and nutrition status.
FAO’s work in emergencies and resilience building focuses on reducing people’s vulnerability to hazards before, during and after disasters through risk assessment, risk reduction, preparedness, coordination, emergency response and rehabilitation.
Reporting Lines
The Irrigation Specialist will work under the overall supervision of FAO Representative and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (programmes) and technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) in the FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OERDD), and in close collaboration with the relevant staff in FAO Zambia and counterpart entities, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:
Technical Focus
- The incumbent will be responsible for providing technical guidance and support in implementing and utilisation of the agricultural irrigation tools, implements and equipment among the emergency project beneficiaries. The primarily focus will be on the following areas:
- Planning, designing and selection of appropriate irrigation technologies to effectively serve the project beneficiaries
- Providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture personnel in the installation of irrigation equipment at project sites
Tasks and responsibilities
- Design and implement sustainable irrigation systems that are suitable for small-scale farmers in drought-prone areas.
- Provide technical expertise and training on agronomy practices to optimize crop production in limited water conditions.
- Support the maintenance and repair of water systems, boreholes, pumps, and irrigation equipment to ensure efficient water delivery to farmers.
- Assist in the formation and management of water committees to promote community participation and ownership of water resources.
- Collaborate with extension staff to train them on various water-efficient technologies, including water harvesting, promotion of drought-tolerant and water-efficient crops, and irrigation scheduling based on weather and soil conditions.
- Perform other duties as required.
Candidates will be assessed against the following
Minimum Requirements
- Advanced degree in irrigation engineering, agriculture engineering or a related field.
- At least 7 years of experience in development and humanitarian work, with a focus on agriculture, irrigation, or rural development.
- Working knowledge of English (proficient – level C)
- National of Zambia
FAO Core Competencies
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable.
- Experience in major technical fields related to engineering design of irrigation, drainage, water management and rural infrastructure, on-farm irrigation development, and land and water resources interventions is desirable.
- Relevance of experience in in capacity development for the formulation and implementation of support programmes for water users’ organizations and promotion of participatory irrigation management as well as the training of irrigation engineers and managers.
- Demonstrated experience in dealing with senior government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
- Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.
- Relevance of experience in the Southern Africa region
- Ability to work under pressure and willingness to travel frequently to project sites.
Selection Criteria
- Strong knowledge of irrigation systems, water management, and sustainable agricultural practices.
- Experience in maintenance and repair of water systems, boreholes, pumps, and irrigation equipment.
- Proven ability to work with communities and facilitate the formation and management of water committees.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
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
- 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
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
Link: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2500673
