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• 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

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat
hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.

The FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan supports the Government of Kazakhstan in advancing national priorities related to food security, agriculture, and rural development priorities in close collaboration with the Government of Kazakhstan and other national stakeholders. The FAO-Kazakhstan Partnership Programme (FKPP) is one of the main instruments of this cooperation, strengthening national capacities and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

The project “Development of a National Soil Organic Carbon MRV System for Sustainable Agriculture and Carbon Market (UTF/KAZ/011/KAZ)” is implemented under the FKPP and contributes directly to national development objectives. It aims to establish a national Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system for Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), modernize soil laboratories, develop digital SOC monitoring tools, and build institutional and field level capacities.

Reporting Lines

The Project Coordinator will work under the overall supervision of the Head of the Office and the direct supervision of the Programme Officer/Team Leader, technical oversight and guidance of the Lead Technical Officers of the project, and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other national authorities, research institutions, technical partners, and technical units, as well as project team.

Technical Focus

The Project Coordinator will provide overall technical, operational and managerial support for the implementation of national project focusing on:

• Modernization of systems and infrastructure, including new SOC monitoring protocols, MRV methodologies, digital tools, laboratory upgrades, QA/QC systems, and field sampling frameworks.
• Strengthening institutional mechanisms and service delivery, ensuring coordinated implementation among ministries, laboratory networks, research institutions, and land‑use monitoring entities.
• Capacity development and institutional coordination, through design and facilitation of national training programmes, establishment of technical working groups, and long-term sustainability of SOC monitoring and data systems.
• Stakeholder engagement and partnership development, promoting strong collaboration with national authorities, research institutions, universities, farmers’ organizations, private‑sector MRV providers, and global partners such as Recarbonization of Soil (RECSOIL), Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN).
• Evidence‑based investment planning and agrifood innovation, supporting analytical work and policy dialogue on national carbon farming opportunities, sustainable soil management, and priority investments for digital agriculture, soil monitoring, and climate mitigation.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

• Provide overall leadership and day to day coordination of project implementation per the approved project document, logical framework, workplan, and budget.
• Prepare and update annual and quarterly workplans; ensure timely delivery and budget control.
• Establish and maintain operational coordination mechanisms among national institutions and partners.
• Organize and service Project Steering Committee meetings; prepare documentation and follow up on decisions; participate in Project Task Force meetings.
• Develop and/or review Terms of Reference of affiliate workforce and ensure compliance with current standards and regulations.
• Certify the deliverables of national and international consultants and service providers.
• Ensure risk monitoring, propose corrective measures, and maintain a live timeline and issues log.
• Lead the development/adaptation of SOC MRV methodologies and protocols aligned with IPCC guidance and international MRV standards for AFOLU.
• Develop field sampling protocols, baseline assessment approaches, monitoring formats, and data capture tools for SOC monitoring.
• Provide technical guidance on integrating field measurements, laboratory results, and spatial datasets (e.g., RS/GIS, models) into the national MRV workflow.
• Oversee QA/QC procedures for field data, lab analysis, and data management; support harmonization of laboratory methods.
• Guide remote sensing workflows, SOC modelling, database development, and testing of MRV platform/geoportal; ensure interoperability with NMS.
• Ensure alignment with national policies, NDC targets, and ETF reporting requirements; contribute to methodological notes and policy briefs.
• Coordinate soil sampling campaigns, baseline SOC measurements, pilot site establishment, and pasture/land management interventions.
• Support laboratory strengthening (equipment specifications, calibration standards, inter-lab comparability, SOPs).
• Plan and oversee duty travel, logistics, field missions, and institutional visits.
• Support procurement processes, including drafting technical specifications for soil analysis equipment, digital MRV tools, laboratory upgrades, and field sampling kits.
• Prepare ToRs/subcontracts, identify suitable contractors, and support technical evaluation; ensure on time and quality delivery.
• Plan and deliver training workshops, capacity building sessions, and study tours in collaboration with experts.
• Select participants for training in consultation with national agencies; promote gender-sensitive participation and inclusion of youth.
• Facilitate technical consultations, knowledge exchange among FAO, government institutions, labs, and partners; ensure clear stakeholder communication.
• Monitor activities, expenditures, deliverables, and milestones; maintain project monitoring tools and disaggregated beneficiary data.
• Prepare quarterly updates, semi annual progress reports, Inception Report, and Terminal Report per FAO rules; contribute to FAO internal reporting.
• Ensure proper documentation, archiving of data, methods, and lessons learned; contribute to evaluation inputs and recommendations for scaling.
• Work closely with administration, operations, procurement, logistics, and programme teams to ensure compliance and efficient implementation.
• Perform other duties as required and undertake duty travel as needed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agronomy, soil science, natural resources management, environmental science, climate policy, development studies or any other related field
• At least five years’ experience in project management in agriculture, climate change, MRV systems, laboratory upgrading or sustainable land and soil management
• Working knowledge of Russian and/or Kazakh is mandatory
• Working knowledge of English is required.
• Project Management Professional certificates is an asset.
• National of Kazakhstan.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience managing complex, multi‑stakeholder, donor‑funded projects
• Experience working with government institutions, research organizations and international technical partners
• Extent and relevance of experience in MRV systems, laboratory QA/QC, or IPCC-compliant carbon monitoring
• Familiarity with FAO, UN or international development organization procedures is an advantage.

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

• 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/These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings
• 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

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