Technical Project Assistant

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works towards achieving sustainable agricultural development, food security, and nutrition globally. In Lebanon, FAO plays a crucial role in addressing the unique food security and nutrition challenges faced by the country. With its presence and operations in Lebanon, FAO in Lebanon (FAO-B) aims at strengthening the agricultural sector, improve food security, and enhance the nutritional well-being of vulnerable populations. The objective is to address the challenges and promote sustainable solutions to ensure food security, improve nutrition outcomes, and enhance the resilience of food systems. 

Since 2011 in Lebanon, the contribution of the SDG-2 related sectors such as agriculture, forestry, livestock and fishing at aggregate level decreased from 3.9 percent to 3.2 percent. SDG2 related sectors are vital for peripheral governorates such as Akkar, Baalbak-Hermel, Beqaa, Nabatiyeh, South Lebanon and North Lebanon where the poverty rate is significantly higher than the national average especially among women. Poverty rates increased from 28% in 2019 to 82% in 2021 (ESCWA, 2021).

Domestic cereal production covers, on average, less than 20 percent of the consumption needs and the country relies heavily on imports. Although Lebanon relies on food imports to cover a large share of its food consumption needs, the total volume of these imports is decreasing due to the declining availability of foreign currencies and removal of subsidies on food and fuel commodities. 

Most recently, the conflict in Ukraine and the consequent uncertainty surrounding global trade, have had an additional negative effect on Lebanon’s wheat imports. In 2021, more than 96 percent of the Lebanese wheat imports originated from the Black Sea (80 percent from Ukraine and 16 percent from the Russian Federation, Moldova and Romania) making the country particularly vulnerable to the shocks in the Black Sea region.

Rising inflation and record high depreciation of the local currency continued to be key drivers of food insecurity impacting all the analysed population groups according to the last Integrated Phase Classification for Acute Food Insecurity carried out for May-October 2023 in Lebanon. Unemployment continued to affect a quarter of the Lebanese population, with higher impact on specific groups such as women and youth. In addition, despite high levels of humanitarian and social assistance in the first quarter of 2023, the value of assistance does not cover the minimum requirements to meet basic food needs. 

Reporting Lines

The Technical Project Assistant will report to and work under the technical supervision of the FAO Representative in Lebanon. Reporting line for day-to-day coordination and deliveries is to the Liaison and Resilience Officer in FAOLB. 

Technical Focus 

Lebanon is heavily reliant on food imports. About 80 percent of its required wheat is imported. At the same time, Lebanon has arable agriculture land that is not being utilized. the existing agriculture practices are not productive and efficient to unlock the untapped production potential. The Government of Lebanon, through the Ministry of Agriculture launched a Vision Plan to expand the soft (bread) wheat cultivated areas in Lebanon.

Within this framework, the Ministry of Agriculture requested FAO’ support to procure certified soft (bread) wheat seeds and ensure their provision to vulnerable food insecure farmers to strengthen their resilience and improve their livelihoods in addition to providing support to the LARI multiplication centre.

In light of the above, the Technical Project Assistant will be responsible for providing technical and budget monitoring support  for the following projects: “Enhance national food security and support sustainable food systems by increasing the resilience of Lebanon’s wheat value chain”- OSRO/LEB/042/JPN & Emergency support to vulnerable smallholder farming households affected by the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon-TCP/LEB/3902 in accordance with FAO’s rules and regulations and in close collaboration with the MoA and LARI focal points.
 

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Lebanon, the direct supervision of the Liaison and Resilience Officer, and in close collaboration with FAO staff, the Technical Project Assistant will be responsible for providing technical and budget monitoring support for the following projects: OSRO/LEB/042/JPN & TCP/LEB/3902 in accordance with FAO’s rules and regulations. In addition, he/she will liaise regularly with the National Project Coordinator (NPC) assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture as well as the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) focal point. The overall work is estimated to take 150 working days.

The Technical Project Assistant, will provide advice (technical, legal, etc.) in close collaboration with FAOLB, the concerned services at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) as well as other stakeholders and will be performing the following duties: 

Technical and Administration:

•    Work in close collaboration with the FAO Programme Associate in the follow-up and day-to-day implementation of both projects, including the preparation and monitoring of contracts and Letters of Agreements, deliverables and payments as well as carrying out field missions; 
•    Review and update the projects’ work plans on regular basis and prepare related technical narrative reports;
•    Assist in monitoring and follow-up of implementation progress of project activities;
•    Assist in the timely preparation of technical specifications of needed inputs (expendables and non-expendables) and procurement requisitions, receipt and delivery when needed;
•    Assist in the preparation of projects’ exit-strategies when applicable;
•    Work in close coordination with the A/FAOR Administration in the preparation and issuance of bidding documents, monitoring of contract deliverables and payments, and preparation of financial reports;
•    Organize and coordinate meetings, workshops in close collaboration with FAO staff, the NPC and LARI focal point;
•    Organize and carry out on-site field missions to monitor the distribution of wheat seeds or any additional agricultural inputs to targeted beneficiaries upon delivery by the suppliers;
•    Monitor the wheat seeds growth on regular basis during the 2023 season until harvesting and supervise the Post-Distribution Monitoring Surveys for both projects;
•    Prepare correspondences of technical and administrative nature; draft correspondences to verify data, answer queries, and obtain additional information on transactions and financial matters, as required;
•    Attend FAO projects and programme meetings and other external meetings and prepare related minutes of meetings;
•    Prepare technical presentations on the projects’ achievements according to FAO formats;
•    Prepare and review technical materials/bulletins covering the targeted subjects of the projects for visibility purposes and in close collaboration with FAO communication expert;
•    Prepare a final report including consolidated main findings and recommendations;
•    Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Finance and Budget monitoring

•    Reconcile expenditures, balances, payments, statements and other data; assist in the preparation of recurring and special reports by preparing and editing data in appropriate format as requested; monitor project, programme and general project accounts.
•    Maintain detailed records of budget expenditures vs planned budget, forecast and estimates, obligations and available balances; record receipts and disbursements (ledgers, cashbooks, vouchers, etc.);
•    Assist in the preparation of projects budget revisions and forecasts;
•    Make disbursements from petty cash fund and balance accounts;
•    Oversee the timely payment of project related commitments.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Education: University Degree (BSc) in Agriculture/Plant Protection or Production or a relevant field is preferred. 
•    At least 5 years of practical experience in project implementation and technical follow-up of emergency and/or development projects.
•    At least 5 years of proven working experience in plant production and or protection.
•    Working knowledge of English and Arabic. Limited knowledge of French would be an asset.
•    National of the country

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills
 
•    Ability to combine, synthesize and analyse information.
•    Good interaction skills with people from different educational levels, and social and cultural backgrounds.
•    Research experience and ability to meet tight deadlines.
•    Excellent organizational, communication capacity and excellent reporting skills in English and Arabic.
•    Experience in emergency and development projects.
•    Previous work experience with UN agencies would be an asset. 
•    Good computer and analytical skills.  
•    Ability to work efficiently and accurately with a multi-disciplinary team.         

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION