Project Coordinator

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency dedicated to achieving food security for all and leading international efforts to defeat hunger. Operating in over 130 countries, FAO supports the transformation to efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. In the Philippines, FAO has partnered with the government and various sectors for over four decades to address challenges in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, focusing on sustainability, productivity, and resilience.

Job Purpose

The Project Coordinator will provide essential technical and operational leadership for the FAO-led components of the EU4Mindanao project. This role is crucial for ensuring the effective planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of field activities. The primary goal is to strengthen community resilience, promote climate-smart and conflict-sensitive agricultural production, develop value chains, and support inclusive livelihoods. The Project Coordinator will ensure all project delivery aligns with approved work plans, results frameworks, FAO technical standards, environmental and social safeguards, accountability requirements, and donor commitments, contributing to sustainable peace and development in Mindanao.

Responsibilities

The Project Coordinator will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and day-to-day management for the project, ensuring timely achievement of objectives, outputs, and outcomes in line with work plans, budgets, donor agreements, and FAO policies. This includes leading project activity implementation, supporting budget preparation and monitoring, and developing Project Implementation and Procurement Plans. The role involves establishing and monitoring time-phased work plans, addressing implementation delays, and overseeing project personnel, consultants, and partners for effective performance and accountability. Budget management and procurement oversight are key, ensuring compliance with FAO rules. The Coordinator will lead the selection of project sites and beneficiaries, establish and maintain strong institutional partnerships with government agencies, donors, UN entities, civil society, and private sector partners. They will lead stakeholder consultations, technical discussions, and coordination mechanisms, ensuring regular communication with local government units, BARMM ministries, MinDA, and community organizations. Facilitating multi-stakeholder coordination and contributing to HPDC nexus approaches, including close collaboration with UNIDO, is vital. The role includes ensuring the design and delivery of capacity development interventions, leading the organization of trainings and workshops, and maintaining project monitoring, reporting, and results management systems. Risk identification, assessment, and management are critical, as is serving as the focal point for project governance mechanisms. High-quality progress reports, analytical updates, and management reports must be prepared and submitted. The Coordinator will lead donor reporting, communication, and knowledge management activities, develop effective working relationships with donors, and lead project development and resource mobilization efforts. Overseeing the recruitment and mobilization of project personnel and consultants, representing FAO in coordination meetings, fostering a high-performing team environment, and leading project closure planning are also key responsibilities.

Work Experience

A minimum of nine years of progressively responsible experience in managing and implementing complex agriculture and food systems programs is required, preferably in fragile, conflict-affected, or disaster-prone contexts. Demonstrated experience in coordinating the Humanitarian-Peace-Development-Climate (HPCD) nexus, engaging multiple stakeholders, strengthening institutions and systems, and aligning strategic programs is also necessary.

Skills

Key skills include results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing. Proven capacity to work effectively with government counterparts, development partners, civil society, and local communities is essential, including experience facilitating coordination platforms. Demonstrated understanding of inclusive approaches (gender equality, youth, Indigenous Peoples, disability inclusion) is required. Knowledge of climate-smart agriculture, agricultural value chains, post-harvest systems, and community-based extension, with experience in donor-funded projects, is important. Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills are necessary for complex field settings. The ability to work under pressure, adapt to evolving contexts, and collaborate in multidisciplinary teams is crucial.

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