Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specifically, FAO Country Offices:

• advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
• provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
• assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
• position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
• ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations, the academe and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, mechanization and modernization through improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Project Context

The position of the Project Coordinator is funded under the "European Union Support for Resilient Mindanao" (EU4Mindanao) Action Which is part of the European Union’s long-term support to building lasting peace and promoting inclusive development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Mindanao as a whole.

With the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) as the Overall Government Partner, EU4Mindanao (thereafter called the Action) is jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Organization (UNIDO), as lead agency and Administrative Agent, and FAO.

The Action focuses on localizing a quadruple humanitarian, peace, climate and development (HPCD) approach in communities that face multi-faceted and interlocking vulnerabilities. These communities are composed of Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and those at risk of displacement, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women and girls, and youth in Mindanao, particularly in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Despite recent efforts to address persistent challenges in GIDAs and to advance the Bangsamoro peace process, these groups have not fully benefited from the resulting peace dividend due to persistent conflict, exposure to multiple hazards, longstanding discrimination, shortcomings in legal frameworks, and other sources of instability.

The impact (overall objective) of the Action is to foster an enabling environment for sustainable peace and development in Mindanao. Two Specific Objectives/Outcomes have been formulated:

Outcome 1: Local communities' resiliency is increased.
Outcome 2: Local value chains and value addition, fair production and economic opportunities for target communities are strengthened.

While both Outcomes aim to increase local productive capacities, they will focus on agriculture (Outcome 1, FAO) and processing/agro-industry (Outcome 2, UNIDO). To operationalize the HPCD nexus, the human security approach and conflict-sensitive programming will be applied across both Outcomes, ensuring programmatic coherence and cost-effectiveness that maximize lasting impact. The Action is aligned with the 2024-2028 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), the EU Multi-annual Indicative Programme (MIP) for the Philippines (2021-2027), and the Mindanao Agenda 2023-2028 of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

The Project Coordinator position is located in Davao City, Philippines.

Reporting Lines

The Project Coordinator will report to the Assistant FAO Representative for Programme.

Technical Focus

The Project Coordinator will provide technical and operational leadership for the FAO-led components of EU4Mindanao, ensuring the effective planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of field activities that strengthen community resilience, climate-smart and conflict-sensitive agricultural production, value chain development, and inclusive livelihood support. The role will ensure that project delivery is aligned with approved work plans, results frameworks, FAO technical standards, environmental and social safeguards, accountability requirements, and donor commitments.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership, strategic direction, and day-to-day management of the project, ensuring the timely and effective achievement of project objectives, outputs, and outcomes in accordance with approved work plans, budgets, donor agreements, and FAO policies and procedures.
• Lead the overall implementation of project activities, including support in the preparation and monitoring of budgets, development and execution of Project Implementation Plans and Procurement Plans, and effective utilization of project resources.
• Establish, update, and monitor time-phased work plans, ensuring alignment with project objectives, deliverables, milestones, and donor requirements, and taking corrective action as necessary to address implementation delays or bottlenecks.
• Oversee project personnel, consultants, service providers, and implementing partners, ensuring effective performance management, coordination, accountability, and delivery of assigned outputs.
• Support project budget management and procurement oversight, ensuring expenditures, contractual arrangements, procurement activities, and resource allocations are timely, efficient, and fully compliant with FAO rules and procedures.
• Lead the application of agreed selection criteria for project sites, priority areas, and beneficiaries, in consultation with government counterparts and other stakeholders, ensuring transparency, inclusiveness, and compliance with approved project frameworks.
• Establish and maintain effective institutional partnerships and stakeholder relationships, including government agencies, donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, private sector partners, and beneficiary groups, to facilitate successful project implementation and sustainability.
• Lead stakeholder consultations, technical discussions, and coordination mechanisms related to project implementation, value chain development, capacity building, policy dialogue, and other technical areas relevant to the project.
• Maintain regular coordination with LGUs, BARMM ministries, MinDA, community-based organizations, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment and complementarities.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder coordination and contribute to Humanitarian–Peace–Development–Climate (HPDC) nexus approaches, including close coordination with the Outcome 2 team and other implementing partners.
• Ensure the design, delivery, and quality assurance of capacity development interventions, including training programmes, technical materials, concept notes, starter kits, knowledge products, and learning activities, in collaboration with technical specialists and government counterparts.
• Lead and oversee the organization and documentation of trainings, technical working group meetings, workshops, planning sessions, and other project events, ensuring quality outputs, timely follow-up, and appropriate stakeholder participation.
• Maintain and regularly update project monitoring, reporting, and results management systems, including tracking progress against indicators, outputs, outcomes, risks, and work plans, and ensuring the availability of reliable data for decision-making.
• Identify, assess, and manage operational, fiduciary, financial, environmental, social, security, and implementation risks, and proactively develop mitigation measures to ensure uninterrupted project delivery.
• Serve as focal point for project governance mechanisms, including Project Steering Committees, Project Task Forces, technical working groups, and other oversight bodies, ensuring timely reporting, coordination, and implementation of decisions and recommendations.
• Prepare and submit high-quality progress reports, analytical updates, briefing materials, and management reports, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely submission to FAO management and resource partners.
• Lead donor reporting, communication, visibility, and knowledge management activities, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and FAO standards, and overseeing the preparation of communication and visibility products, including web content, social media materials, photos, videos, publications, and press releases.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with donors and development partners, providing timely updates, coordinating donor missions, and ensuring fulfillment of reporting and accountability commitments.
• Lead project development and resource mobilization efforts, including identification of scaling-up opportunities, preparation of concept notes and project proposals, and coordination with FAO technical, regional, and headquarters teams.
• Oversee recruitment and mobilization of project personnel and consultants, in coordination with relevant FAO units, ensuring timely deployment of qualified personnel to support project implementation.
• Represent FAO and the project in technical, sectoral, inter-agency, donor, and government coordination meetings, promoting project objectives and strengthening partnerships.
• Foster a high-performing and collaborative project team environment, promoting accountability, inclusion, innovation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Lead project closure planning and implementation, including completion of technical, operational, financial, procurement, reporting, archival, and knowledge management requirements, and preparation of project terminal reports and lessons learned.
• Prepare and submit an end-of-assignment report, documenting achievements, lessons learned, best practices, recommendations, and follow-up actions in accordance with FAO requirements.
• Perform other related duties within the incumbent's area of competence as may be assigned by the FAO Representative.
• Ensure full compliance with donor visibility and communication guidelines, including adherence to the European Commission’s “Use of the EU emblem in the context of EU programmes 2021–2027” and “Communicating and raising EU visibility – Guidance for external actions” (July 2022).
• Ensure that all partners, consultants, grantees, and implementing entities consistently apply approved visibility standards.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Rural Development, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences, , Peace and Development Studies, Natural Resource Management or related fields.
• At least nine (9) years of progressively responsible experience in the management and implementation of complex agriculture and food systems programmes, preferably in fragile, conflict-affected, and disaster-prone contexts. Demonstrated experience in HPDC nexus coordination, multi-stakeholder engagement, institutional and systems strengthening, and strategic programme alignment is required.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and Filipino, with strong written and oral communication skills in both languages.
• National of the Philippines.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Proven capacity to work effectively with government counterparts, development partners, civil society organizations, and local communities, including experience facilitating coordination platforms and partnerships across sectors.
• Demonstrated understanding of inclusive approaches, including gender equality, youth engagement, Indigenous Peoples’ participation, and disability inclusion, in line with international development standards.
• Knowledge of climate-smart agriculture, agricultural value chains, post-harvest systems, and community-based extension, with experience implementing and monitoring donor-funded field projects.
• Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to work with government, community, and development partners in complex field settings.
• Ability to work under pressure, adapt to evolving humanitarian, peace, climate, and development contexts, and collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION