Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration: 6 months with possibilities of extension
Deadline: 07 August 2025, 11:59:00 PM
Job Description
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
- FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
- FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework, promoting efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, nutrition, environment, and life, leaving no one behind.
FAO Country Offices, guided by the Strategic Framework, provide policy advice, technical assistance, and core services to countries in FAO’s mandated areas. These offices implement country-specific priorities outlined in their Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), ensuring efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.
The main mandate of FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programs and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.
Within this framework, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation has allocated some funding to support the implementation of the technical assistance (TA) project in synergy with the ISVCD project which is being implemented by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE). The Italian and Ethiopian joint initiative aims at developing selected strategic agricultural value chains in Oromia, Sidama and South Ethiopia regions. The direct beneficiaries of the project include different value chain actors (producers’ organizations, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SMEs), input and service providers, traders, and processors). The project adopts a market-oriented and demand-driven approach, supporting smallholders, cooperatives, and agri-SMEs through integrated interventions in input systems, production, post-harvest management, market access, and financial inclusion.
To support effective implementation, the Agribusiness Expert will be engaged to provide technical and analytical support to various stakeholders.
Reporting Lines
The National Agribusiness Expert will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Ethiopia, and direct supervision of the International Agribusiness Specialist in collaboration with the FAO Ethiopia Agribusiness Team.
Technical Focus
Economic analysis of agricultural value chains and market systems; agribusiness development and commercialization; investment plans preparation, inclusive rural livelihood strategies; economic assessments and cost-benefit analysis; support to GIS-based monitoring and modelling; and documentation of lessons learned to inform policy and strengthen food system resilience.
Tasks and responsibilities
In particular, the incumbent will be responsible for fulfilling the following specific tasks:
- Evaluate economic costs and benefits of agricultural technologies, contract farming, investments, and development projects.
• Develop strategies to mitigate economic risks associated with agricultural production systems.
• Support the appraisal of business plans, feasibility studies and loan financing proposals etc for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and producer organizations (POs).
• Support agribusiness unit and government partners in developing investment plans, typology maps to identify potential areas for investments in different regions.
• Support agribusiness unit in modelling exercises to track project progress and adopt corrective measures.
• Support daily implementation of the bilateral project “Inclusive and sustainable value chain development in Oromia, Sidama and South Ethiopia regions”.
• Provide technical assistance to regional and woreda implementation teams.
• Support the integration of inclusive and climate-resilient practices within the value chain development process.
• Strengthen the implementation of value chain interventions through sound economic analysis and evidence-based decision-making.
• Evaluate economic viability of different agricultural practices, crop choices, and farm management strategies as a part of economic analysis and farming systems.
• Deliver trainings and coaching to project personnel, cooperatives, and MSMEs on business planning, financial literacy, agribusiness and value chain development.
• Support Agribusiness Unit in capacity building for government partners in economic and financial analysis of proposals and projects.
• Prepare regular progress reports, case studies and success stories of different projects.
• Perform other relevant duties as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Candidate should be national of Ethiopia.
• Advanced university degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in agribusiness, agricultural value chain development, agro informatics, inclusive finance, or rural development in Ethiopia.
• Working knowledge of English and good knowledge of the local language (s) used at the duty station is required.
• National of Ethiopia or resident on 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
- Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Extent and relevance of experience in agribusiness and value chain assessment, promotion of SMEs, access to finance, working with cooperatives and unions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in development of business plans, investment cases, and economic and financial analysis (EFA).
• Familiarity with working on Geospatial metadata & GIS analysis and modelling exercises to track project progress and adopt corrective measures.
• Proven experience in business plan analysis, investment plans, enterprise development, and rural finance.
• Strong knowledge of Ethiopia’s agricultural and market systems.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently within the target regions and open to work with other relevant units.
• Experience in use of Geospatial metadata, GIS analysis and EUDR compliance requirements
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
- Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
- For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
HOW TO APPLY
- To apply, visit the recruitment website at: Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp.
