Agrifood Systems Specialist (SC 7), Mbabane, Eswatini

## Agrifood Systems Specialist (SC 7), Mbabane, Eswatini - Organization:FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Office:FAO Mbabane, Swaziland Agrifood Systems Specialist (SC 7) Job Posting: 28/Sep/2026 Closure Date: 12/Oct/2026, 9:59:00 PM Organizational Unit : FRSWA - FAO Representation in Eswatini Job Type: Non-staff opportunities Type of Requisition : NPP (National Project Personnel) Primary Location: Swaziland-Mbabane - 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's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations. Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports countries in achieving the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework, which promotes the transformation of agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, contributing to better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. In Eswatini, FAO is supporting the Government through TCP/SWA/4101 to accelerate the national agrifood systems transformation agenda. The project focuses on strengthening the enabling environment for investment and policy implementation, including the review of the National Agriculture Investment Plan and related instruments, mobilization of investment capital through FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative tools, and support to the development of bankable project proposals for resource mobilization. To support the effective implementation of these activities, FAO will engage a Junior Agrifood Systems Specialist to work closely with national institutions, technical experts, project teams and key stakeholders. The incumbent will contribute to the research, data and information compilation to inform plans, strategies and projects and make regular follow-up of project activities, with particular emphasis on agrifood systems analysis, investment planning, stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization support. Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Eswatini and guidance of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), the Junior Agrifood Systems Specialist (Research) will provide technical support and work closely with project teams, government counterparts, development partners, commodity associations, producer organizations, financial institutions and private-sector stakeholders involved in agrifood systems transformation initiatives. Serve as the project's national technical coordination and delivery-support expert and designated focal point for agrifood systems and FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative in Eswatini. The incumbent will coordinate day-to-day engagement with national institutions and stakeholders; maintain oversight and follow-through across project outputs, activities, milestones and agreed actions; support agrifood systems investment programming, analytics, investment planning and investor engagement; facilitate review and updating of the National Agriculture Investment Plan in line with the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Declaration and CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026-2035; and provide research, data and coordination support for the Eswatini Agriculture Development Fund (EADF) transition under FAO technical guidance. Tasks and responsibilities - Prepare an inception note, integrated project-delivery workplan, national coordination plan, stakeholder map, data requirements matrix and field schedule. - Serve as the day-to-day national coordination focal point linking FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Project Coordinator, EADF, Government task teams, implementing partners, consultants and stakeholders. - Maintain an integrated results and delivery tracker covering project outputs, indicators, activities, deliverables, deadlines, responsibilities, dependencies, risks, decisions and follow-up actions. - Coordinate products and processes under Output 1 on strategic engagement and coordination, Output 2 on bankable concept notes and proposals, and Output 3 on investment cases, matchmaking and investment forums. - Support national technical meetings, task teams, working groups, consultations, trainings, learning missions, validation workshops and investment engagements, including preparation of agendas, briefing packs, presentations, minutes, decision logs and action matrices. - Maintain a consolidated overview of national agrifood systems priorities, initiatives, coordination platforms, investments, policies, data needs and partnerships. - Compile Kampala CAADP Declaration and Strategy implementation guidance, targets and accountability requirements into a practical reference package. - Support review of the current NAIP against the six Kampala strategic objectives and agreed targets, maintaining a compliance, gap and recommendations matrix. - Serve as the operational focal point for FAO's Hand-in-Hand Initiative in Eswatini and coordinate country inputs, data requests, analytics and investment-planning processes. - Coordinate preparation and quality control of Hand-in-Hand investment cases, country investment plans, investor briefs, presentations and supporting datasets. - Maintain the national investment pipeline and partnership tracker, document investor feedback and follow up agreed next steps. - Undertake literature, policy and document reviews and support research and analysis for concept notes, proposals, investment cases and the EADF institutional assessment. - Develop and administer approved data-collection and consultation tools and organize interviews, focus groups and field visits. - Prepare monthly progress dashboards and quarterly synthesis reports highlighting delivery status, emerging issues, decisions required and the forward workplan. - Facilitate engagement with commodity associations, producer organizations, agribusiness enterprises, financial institutions and other market actors. - At completion, submit a final project-output delivery status report, unresolved-actions register, indexed evidence archive, stakeholder and investment databases, Hand-in-Hand repository and comprehensive handover note. - Perform other programme-related duties assigned by the FAO Representation. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING - Advanced university degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Development, Development Studies, Environmental Science or a related field and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in agrifood systems, agricultural development, agribusiness, agricultural investment planning, research, project implementation or related fields; or University Degree and a minimum of four (4) years of relevant working experience. - Working knowledge of English (Level C). - National of Eswatini or resident of the country with a valid work permit. FAO Core Competencies - Building Effective Relationships - Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills - Extent and relevance of experience in supporting agricultural programmes, investment frameworks, research, data collection, analysis and technical report writing. - Extent and relevance of experience in agribusiness development, value chains, market systems, con