Project Coordinator

Organizational Setting

FAO’s work in Brazil is guided by its Strategic Framework and the Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2024–2027, which align FAO’s cooperation with the Brazilian Government to the 2030 Agenda, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023–2027, Brazil’s Multi-Year Plan (PPA) 2024–2027, and FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–2031. Within this framework, FAO Brazil has adopted a technical coordination model in which projects are organized according to their thematic alignment, including the Better Life Technical Area. 
In this context, the Brazil-UN Fund for Sustainable Development of the Amazon approved the joint project UNJP/BRA/100/UNJ, “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Family Farmers through Inclusive Bioeconomy in Rondônia,” in February 2026. The initiative was developed in collaboration with the State Government of Rondônia and is led by UNIDO, with technical assistance from FAO and UN Women.
The project aims to strengthen inclusive and sustainable bioeconomy approaches in the coffee and cocoa value chains, with a focus on women entrepreneurs and family farmers in the municipalities of Alta Floresta, Cacoal, and Novo Horizonte d’Oeste for coffee and Jaru, Ariquemes, and Ouro Preto do Oeste for cocoa. It supports the transition from commodity-based and natural resource-intensive production toward higher value-added goods through improved cultivation, post-harvest and processing practices, while promoting sustainable territorial development, women’s leadership and financial autonomy, and strengthening capacities for improved natural resources management in the coffee and cocoa value chains.
The Project Coordinator will support FAO’s contribution to the project by coordinating the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of activities under FAO’s responsibility, ensuring alignment with the Project Document, workplans and budget. At the same time, the incumbent will provide technical and operational support to the Better Life Technical Area.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the Assistant to Representative – Programme and under the technical guidance of the Better Life Technical Area Coordinator of FAO in Brazil.

Technical Focus

The Project Coordinator will oversee the implementation of the “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Family Farmers through Inclusive Bioeconomy in Rondônia” activities under FAO’s responsibility, ensuring that the agreed Project Document’s (ProDoc), workplans and budget are duly executed. For that, the incumbent will be responsible for coordinating actions at the institutional level with partner entities and public and private key actors, as well as providing technical leadership for the performance of the tasks foreseen in the project's work plan, ensuring the participation of different actors and the implementation of a gender approach, and for other daily coordination duties. Advocacy, capacity-building, and technical assistance activities within FAO’s purview are related to the cocoa value chain. Moreover, the professional will support the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and closure of projects within the Better Life area of the FAO Brazil Office in line with donor’s rules and procedures.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Coordinate the timely and quality implementation of project components and the execution of activities providing technical support and ensuring appropriate linkages among components, contracts and concerned actors.
• Develop and review Terms of Reference (TORs) of the affiliate workforce and of Service Providers (SPs) and ensure compliance with current standards and regulations.
• Coordinate the preparation and adjustment of annual workplans, budget revisions, procurement, and recruiting plans, under the supervision of the Budget Holder.
• Support the implementation of activities by project personnel in order to make sure timelines and workplans, as well as environmental, socioeconomic and gender safeguards, are followed and complied with.
• Liaise with project stakeholders, such as the State Government of Rondônia, local, state and national institutions, target beneficiaries, UN entities, civil society organizations, and others, to agree on implementation arrangements (technical, operational, administrative and logistics) and participation in activities.
• Organize and lead project meetings, workshops, and other technical activities in alignment with the Project Document and workplans.
• Prepare, carry out and/or facilitate project field missions, supervision visits and/or technical support training sessions for the target communities and for government agencies and institutions, and others, as per the ProDoc.
• Ensure Rondonia-related interventions are well coordinated with UNIDO and UN Women activities and with other FAO and non-FAO projects in the region.
• Monitor project implementation and delivery and contribute to the preparation of progress reports, briefs, annual reports, terminal reports and other documents required by FAO, donors and project governance bodies.
• Support the preparation of the project terminal report and validate it with the necessary stakeholders before submission to the MPTF Office.
• Provide technical and operational support to the Better Life Technical Area for the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and closure of its project portfolio.
• Organize and maintain project and portfolio information and electronic documents in FAO systems, such as FPMIS and COIN, keeping records complete and updated as requested by the Technical Area Coordinator.
• Act, if requested, as Contract Manager for processes conducted under FAO Manual Sections 502 and/or 507.
• Prepare and/or facilitate travel requests and field missions in accordance with FAO rules and procedures, aiming at the timely execution of project activities.
• Travel to project sites, as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING:

Minimum Requirements  

• Advanced university degree in Agrarian Sciences, Forest Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Geography, Social Sciences or other similar areas.
• Minimum of five (5) years of responsible professional experience in the management of field projects in Brazil related to: agroforestry systems, bioeconomy, territorial development, family farming and or other similar areas.
• Working knowledge (level C) of Spanish and/or English and working knowledge (level C) of Portuguese.
• National of Brazil or resident of the country with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience with the promotion of bioeconomy value chains and/or with the cocoa value chain and the implementation of good cocoa production practices in Brazil.
• Previous work with rural women economic empowerment.
• Knowledge of FAO’s project cycle, operational procedures and corporate systems.
• Geographical knowledge of the State of Rondônia and previous field experience within the state.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION