Project Coordinator
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency dedicated to defeating hunger and malnutrition globally. FAO country offices assist governments in developing policies and programs to achieve food security, reduce hunger, and promote sustainable agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors. In Zambia, FAO's Country Programming Framework prioritizes areas such as inclusive green growth, environmental sustainability, and enhanced productivity. The organization supports the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems, contributing to better production, nutrition, environment, and quality of life.
Job Purpose
The Project Coordinator (PC) will provide technical and operational support for FAO's "Sustainable Fish Value Chains for Landlocked Developing Countries (SVC4LLDCs)" project in Zambia. This role involves managing project activities, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring the successful implementation of value chain development initiatives. The PC will contribute to achieving the project's objectives within FAO's Strategic Framework and the Blue Transformation Roadmap, aiming to enhance the social, economic, and environmental viability of aquatic food systems. The position requires strategic leadership in project management, value chain analysis, and reporting to ensure operational and technical execution aligns with project goals.
Responsibilities
The Project Coordinator will technically support the implementation of the project work plan, coordinating the planning, design, and execution of activities to ensure timely delivery of outputs. Responsibilities include reviewing and finalizing project reports, identifying, recruiting, and managing project partners, and maintaining strong linkages with beneficiaries and stakeholders. The PC will monitor and evaluate project activities, contributing to the development and dissemination of information products. Specific duties involve preparing progress reports for the Project Management Unit, executing the annual country work plan and budget, and supporting value chain analysis and development activities. The role includes leading the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform, developing partnerships, and collaborating with national and international consultants. The PC will coordinate and analyze quarterly progress reports, oversee the communication strategy, and lead regular monitoring and evaluation, reporting progress to FAO HQ.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in implementing and coordinating value chain development activities within fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture, forestry, or natural resources sectors is necessary. Experience in managing donor-funded development projects, including work planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting, is essential.
Skills
The role requires strong knowledge of fisheries value chains, market systems, and sustainable aquatic food systems. Proficiency in project planning, implementation, coordination, and management is crucial, along with expertise in value chain analysis methodologies and upgrading approaches. Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills are needed, as is the ability to prepare high-quality technical reports and work plans. Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue, partnership development, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks is important. Familiarity with FAO operational procedures is desirable. Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills, along with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, are required.