National Specialist – Development of LAC Strategic Plan

The FAO Representation in Lesotho seeks a National Specialist to lead the development of a comprehensive five-year Strategic Plan for the Lesotho Agricultural College (LAC). The role involves guiding a participatory, evidence-based process to produce a strategic plan that positions LAC as a centre of excellence in agricultural education, innovation, extension, and agribusiness development.

Responsibilities

• Review all relevant institutional documents including previous strategic plans, financial audits, departmental reports, accreditation reports and research output data and submit a formal Inception Report
• Conduct a PESTLE analysis of the higher education sector identifying trends, competitive positioning, and future funding and partnership opportunities
• Conduct an internal organisational assessment covering academic programmes, research output, student services, infrastructure, financial resources and governance
• Produce a Strategic Audit Report synthesising findings into a definitive SWOT analysis and a list of critical strategic issues
• Participate in consultative workshops with Ministry senior management, LAC staff, students, alumni and key external stakeholders to gather input and build consensus
• Participate in goal-setting and strategy-formulation workshops to define and prioritise strategic goals
• Prepare a draft Strategic Plan integrating all agreed goals and strategies, together with a Costed Implementation Plan and a results-based M&E Framework
• Present the draft Strategic Plan to Ministry and College stakeholders for validation and revise it to incorporate their comments
• Deliver a professionally formatted Final Strategic Plan ready for Governing Council's consideration and approval
• Submit a Final Consultancy Report highlighting the process followed, methodology applied, and key recommendations

Requirements

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Business Administration, Strategic Management, Organisational Development, Public Policy, or a closely related field
• Ten (10) years of demonstrated experience leading and facilitating strategic planning processes, preferably for institutions in the higher education or public sector, within the agriculture or agribusiness sector
• Working Knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and Sesotho
• National of Lesotho or resident of the country with a valid work permit
• Demonstrated experience and strong knowledge of the national context, with particular reference to food security, the agriculture sector, and rural development
• A strong understanding of the agriculture and higher education sectors, including funding models, research metrics, governance structures, and international ranking mechanisms
• A proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder processes, together with excellent facilitation, communication and report-writing skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Facilitation
• Organisational Development
• Policy Analysis
• Agriculture Knowledge
• Food Security Expertise
• Rural Development Policy
• Higher Education Sector Knowledge
• Agribusiness Development
• Stakeholder Management
• Report Writing
• Communications Skills
• Research Metrics Understanding
• Governance Knowledge
• International Ranking Mechanisms
• Evidence-Based Planning
• Stakeholder Engagement

Languages

English, Sesotho