National Agribusiness and Grants Specialist

Consultant /PSA

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

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·       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.

Organizational Setting:

FAO supports the Government of the Republic of Moldova in addressing agricultural challenges and promoting sustainable, long-term sector development through targeted initiatives. As part of the joint FAO-UNDP programme, Resilient and Competitive Markets, funded by Switzerland, FAO implements the project Strengthening the Competitiveness and Climate Resilience of Moldovan Smallholder Farmers.

The project promotes resilience by supporting smallholder farmers in adopting climate-smart and conservation agriculture (CSA/CA) practices, increasing productivity, improving market access, and strengthening sustainable value chains. It also builds the capacity of farmers and agribusiness actors to respond effectively to market opportunities and climate-related risks.

The specialist will facilitate the design of grant and/or equipment provision schemes that enable smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient, climate-smart practices, reduce exposure to climate-related risks, and strengthen post-harvest, value addition, and market-focused capacities. The incumbent will also support the development of inclusive agribusiness models targeting FFS and Smart Farmer Club members, particularly women and youth, by enhancing competitiveness, improving entrepreneurship skills, and strengthening market access, thereby contributing to sustainable, resilient value chains and competitive agribusinesses.

Reporting Lines:

Under the overall supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative in the Republic of Moldova, under the technical supervision of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Officers of the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU), LTO, and under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator, and in close collaboration with the Project Team and relevant service providers and partners, the incumbent will perform the following tasks and responsibilities:

Tasks and responsibilities:

The incumbent will perform the following tasks and responsibilities:

·       Assist in conducting a needs-based assessments for FFS groups and Smart Farmer Clubs to determine appropriate support modalities (equipment, matching grants, or bundled support), including justification of intervention type, based on, amongst other factors, climate resilience needs, productivity, and market orientation.

·       Prepare technical justification notes, technical guidance, and decision-support tools for proposed grant and/or equipment packages, to be cleared by FAO and relevant counterparts

·       Provide technical inputs for the design and operationalization of grant and equipment provision mechanisms for FFSs and Smart Farmer Cubs, including eligibility criteria, selection processes, and accountability procedures.

·       Assess gaps in technology adoption and support the design of the tailored assistance packages for each farmer group.

·       Coordinate with national technical experts to select locally appropriate technologies, equipment, or inputs aligned with CSA/CA objectives, including technologies that reduce climate vulnerability.

·       Ensure that grant-supported investments are linked to productivity improvement, value addition, and/or market integration.

·       Develop a monitoring mechanism to assess the performance, functionality, and return on investment of equipment/grants, including, where relevant, indicators related to climate resilience

·       Document farmers use cases, lessons learned, constraints, and success stories for adaptive management and donor visibility.

·       Provide technical advice on markets linkage approaches, including farmers’ participation in fairs and exhibitions, networking, and identification of opportunities for contract farming

·       Provide assistance and support in strengthening farmers’ agribusiness skills by facilitating short trainings on financial literacy, farm economics, market trends, marketing, and cooperative approaches within Smart Farmers Clubs and FFSs.

·       Participate in and contribute to the organization of project coordination meetings, stakeholder consultations, trainings, workshops, and strategic planning sessions

·       Contribute to the Country Office’s efforts to mobilize additional financial resources aimed at strengthening support programmes for smallholder farmers.

·       Advise the Country Office on recent developments in agribusiness and supportive programmes for small farmers, and provide required analyses and reports for targeted value chains.

·       Perform any other duties required for the successful implementation of the project.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

·       Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in agricultural economics, development finance, public finance, rural development, development studies, or a related field.

·       At least 5-7 years of relevant national experience in agricultural financing, grant facility design, donor-funded programme development, or resource mobilization for the farming/rural sector.

·       Full proficiency/Working knowledge of Romanian and English; working knowledge of Russian is considered an asset.

FAO Core Competencies

·       Results Focus

·       Teamwork

·       Communication

·       Building Effective Relationships

·       Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Required language(s)

·       Romanian

·       English

Technical/Functional Skills

·       Work experience in more than one location or area of work. 

·       Work experience in the implementation of projects in agriculture in the region will be an asset

·       Extent and relevance of experience and skills in project management at field level.

·       Quality of both oral and written communication skills.

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).
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please send your CV with all relevant details to FAO-Moldova@fao.org by 20 January 2026 inclusive.

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT