Organizational Setting

The National Project Assistant positions are located in each of the respective project countries and supervised from the Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) in Apia, Samoa. The SAP Office is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed-upon strategies and projects for transforming food, agriculture and rural development. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions. The Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) is a subsidiary of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP).

FAO-SAP is implementing the project “Strengthening Small-Scale Fisheries in the Pacific Islands (Phase II)” over three years which aims to improve food security and climate-resilient coastal livelihoods in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa, with women and girls exercising increased voice, agency and equitable access to benefits in fisheries governance, services and markets.

Building on the achievements and lessons from Phase I, the project responds to persistent challenges faced by small scale fisheries (SSF) communities—climate vulnerability, limited livelihood diversification, weak data systems, gender inequalities, and gaps in local management capacity. The project supports governments and coastal communities to achieve healthier fisheries resources, strengthened market access, improved governance, and greater socio-economic benefits, particularly for women, youth, and vulnerable groups who depend heavily on the sector.

The intervention is structured around four interlinked outcomes:
•     Improved meaningful participation and influence of women alongside men in community-based fisheries management decision-making in coastal communities in Samoa and Solomon Islands.
•     Increased income and value derived from fisheries products for women participating in coastal fisheries value chains in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa.
•     Increased participation in and benefit from climate change response initiatives for women and girls in coastal communities in Vanuatu and Fiji.
•     Enhanced equitable access to and benefit from gender-responsive and shock-adaptive social protection for women and informal workers in fish value chains in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa.
The project contributes directly to national development priorities, FAO’s Blue Transformation vision, and the broader UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for the Pacific, supporting a more resilient and food-secure Blue Pacific Continent and to Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy Action Area 1, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Technical focus

The objective of the assignment is to provide administrative and technical support to all in country activities of the project to ensure effective implementation.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall guidance of the FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Pacific and the direct supervision of the Project Manager (Samoa) the National Projects Assistants will perform the following tasks.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     With guidance from the Project Task Force (PTF), the Project Manager and the LTO, implement a work plan for the project activities in the project country in close collaboration with national counterparts, stakeholders and partners.
•     Contribute to the drafting and review of the terms of reference for consultants and contractors, Letters of Agreements, and service contracts 
•     Collate and provide technical specifications for procurement of equipment, inputs and materials. 
•     Organize, facilitate and/or attend national meetings, forums and workshops.
•     Organize and facilitate national travel arrangements for counterparts and beneficiaries
•     Collect baseline and endline data in accordance with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan 
•     Monitor progress of project activities and outputs in the project country and alert the project team to potential problems which could delay implementation. 
•     Provide technical assistance to the implementation and training activities at the country level, as required.
•     Provide inputs for communication pieces related to the project. 
•     Maintain regular coordination and communication with project partners' personnel in charge of project activities, country focal points and project partners
•     Prepare high quality narrative progress reports, utilizing inputs from project partners and stakeholders.
•     Provide regular oral and written updates to the Project Manager, the project team and the Government focal point on project progress, upon request.
•     Provide technical guidance and support to the international and national experts in carrying out their terms of reference related to the project. 
•     Conduct regular field missions within the project country, to monitor and ensure smooth implementation of project activities
•     Provide assistance to the implementation and training activities at the country level.
•     Any other duties required to support a successful implementation of the project. 
•     Any other duties as relevant and requested by supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     University degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in fisheries, social science, gender or equivalent is required.
•     At least three years' experience in the fisheries or rural / community development sectors
•     Working knowledge (level C) in English
•     National of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu or Samoa

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Efficiency, competence and integrity as well as negotiating skills, tact and diplomacy are essential.
•     Able to work with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural project partners at regional and international level
•     Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with experience liaising between diverse project stakeholders
•     Demonstrated effective writing and critical analysis skills

Selection Criteria

•     Experience in supporting or managing projects in a field related to food security, including fisheries, nutrition and/or livelihoods.
•     Competency and experience in establishing and maintaining partnerships with government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs and donors. 
•     Practical experience in monitoring and evaluation of a performance measurement framework
•     Experience of applying gender equality concepts

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION