National Project Coordinator
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing the Zimbabwe-Mozambique Agriculture Value Chain and Trade Development Project, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The project aims to enhance regional agricultural economies by facilitating trade. It focuses on developing trade policy frameworks, operationalizing trade agreements, and supporting the private sector to deepen markets and create opportunities. Additionally, it emphasizes trade and investment facilitation to strengthen economic agents' capacity to meet international quality standards and regulations, thereby unlocking new economic prospects and enhancing regional integration.
Job Purpose
The National Project Coordinator will be instrumental in aligning public and private investment capacities to foster trade and investment opportunities within the project's scope. This role requires providing strategic leadership and essential technical and operational support to key stakeholders in agribusiness and market development, engaging both public and private sectors. The coordinator's primary function is to translate identified market opportunities into actionable strategies for the private sector, while simultaneously ensuring that policy frameworks are conducive to sustainable market growth and development.
Responsibilities
The National Project Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating all project activities to ensure alignment with project goals and timelines. This includes facilitating communication and cooperation among diverse stakeholders such as government agencies, private sector entities, and international partners. The role involves supporting government efforts to improve the policy environment for trade enhancement through diagnostics and policy analysis, and providing technical assistance for the operationalization of trade agreements and measures to address trade barriers. The coordinator will enhance multi-sectoral policy dialogue between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and other relevant markets to align policy and legal frameworks. They will provide trade support to the private sector, particularly MSMEs, to navigate trade regulations and compliance requirements, and promote agricultural trade export facilitation through business matchmaking and investment forums. Additionally, the coordinator will conduct diagnostics of enabling infrastructure and policies, map barriers and opportunities, develop investment proposals, support capacity building, facilitate smallholder farmer inclusion in export supply chains, contribute to knowledge products, and lead public-private platforms to strengthen the investment environment.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience is required in managing, coordinating, and implementing development programs or projects, preferably related to agricultural value chains, agribusiness development, market access, trade facilitation, or private-sector development. Experience coordinating activities involving government institutions, private-sector organizations, and development partners is essential.
Skills
Demonstrated experience in planning, coordinating, and implementing complex donor-funded development projects, particularly in agriculture, agribusiness, trade, or rural economic development. Proven experience in agricultural value chain development, engaging with producers, SMEs, traders, and other private-sector actors. Experience in project planning, work plan preparation, budget monitoring, implementation tracking, risk management, and reporting is crucial. Knowledge of agricultural trade and value chain issues in Mozambique, and ideally cross-border trade between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, is important. Experience supporting market linkages, SME development, trade promotion, or investment facilitation is advantageous. Familiarity with FAO or UN agency operational procedures is highly desirable.