Senior National Project Coordinator (Irrigation)

The Senior National Project Coordinator (SNPC) provides overall technical leadership and project coordination for all projects under the irrigation portfolio of the FAO Country Office in Malawi. The role involves leading project planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and partnership development to support irrigation and agricultural development interventions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the development of specific workplan and detailed budget as per the signed project agreement.
• Lead and coordinate implementation of project activities and approved work plans.
• Provide technical guidance on irrigation development, climate resilience, natural resources management, and agricultural development interventions.
• Coordinate operational planning, budgeting, procurement, and implementation processes to ensure timely delivery of project outputs.
• Strengthen collaboration and partnerships among FAO, Government institutions, Partner UN Agencies, development partners, and other project stakeholders.
• Lead project monitoring, evaluation, reporting, learning, and knowledge management activities.
• Ensure compliance with project agreements, safeguard requirements, donor commitments, and FAO operational procedures.
• Lead the design and implementation of communication, visibility, and knowledge-sharing activities to promote project achievements and lessons learned.
• Lead the implementation and effective functioning of project management and coordination structures, including technical committees, coordination platforms, stakeholder engagement processes, and the participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
• Coordinate the preparation, review and updating of annual, quarterly, and monthly work plans, budget plans, travel plans, procurement plans and implementation schedules.
• Lead the implementation of project activities including the preparation and management of Letters of Agreement (LoAs), service contracts, partnership arrangements and related administrative processes.
• Lead the preparation and implementation of procurement plans and follow up procurement activities for goods, services, and works in accordance with approved procedures and in consultation with the Budget Holder.
• Provide technical guidance on irrigation development, climate smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration, watershed management and sustainable natural resource management interventions.
• Ensure that project activities promote integrated approaches that improve agricultural productivity, climate resilience, environmental sustainability and natural resource management outcomes.
• Strengthen collaboration and partnerships with government institutions, UN Agencies, development partners, private sector actors, community organizations and other stakeholders.
• Ensure effective project monitoring, evaluation, learning, supervision, audits, reviews, surveys, assessments, field missions and follow up of recommendations.
• Lead the preparation and timely submission of technical reports, donor reports, progress updates, supervision mission reports, communication materials and knowledge products including the documentation and sharing of lessons learned and good practices.
• Lead the preparation of project concept notes, proposals, and project documents to support resource mobilization efforts within the thematic area.
• Represent the project in relevant technical and coordination meetings and provide technical inputs on project related matters.
• Participate in technical workshops, meetings, and forums, facilitating knowledge sharing, promoting best practices, and strengthening the visibility, influence, and uptake of FAO’s work and technical contributions.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in a field of Irrigation Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, with Natural Resources Management as a minor.
• At least seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in agricultural development, irrigation engineering, watershed management.
• Working knowledge (level C) of the English language.
• National of Malawi.

Skills

• Irrigation Engineering
• Agricultural Engineering
• Natural Resource Management
• Agricultural Development
• Watershed Management
• Project Coordination
• Project Planning
• Project Implementation
• Project Monitoring
• Project Evaluation
• Partnership Development
• Technical Leadership
• English Language
• Advanced Degree

Languages

English