- 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 Iraq is leading the development, promotion, oversight, and implementation of strategies to address countrywide food, agriculture, and rural development, while also leveraging partnership with relevant government ministries. FAO is implementing a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) funded project in Southern Iraq to enhance the resilience of vulnerable agricultural households, particularly vulnerable to climate change risks. This project aims to enhance water productivity, food security, and the overall resilience of these households by: (i) promoting and applying more equitable climate-smart agricultural production practices among smallholder farmers, including both men and women; (ii) increasing recognition among farmers and agricultural department staff of the important role, women play in promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA); and (iii) encouraging the adoption of solar energy as a key strategy to advance climate-smart practices and reduce the workload for women in rural households, through collaborative efforts between the government and target population in the targeted areas.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative (FAOR), the direct supervision of the Deputy FAO Representative, and in coordination with the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and relevant HQ Technical Officers, the incumbent will undertake the tasks and responsibilities aligned with the technical focus of the assignment.
Technical Focus
(i) Designing and implementing Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS), (ii) Solar Energy to Irrigation infrastructure, Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer (iii) Collaboration and Partnership for Solar System Projects/Schemes.
Tasks and responsibilities
- Oversee the entire project lifecycle for solar PV pumping installations (4 large-scale and 36 small-scale systems) in Al Najaf and Al Muthana Governorates, including supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning, handover, and maintenance.
- Conduct technical evaluations of offers from potential suppliers for PV systems, ensuring compliance with standard criteria.
- Supervise contractors' resources (labor/staff, equipment, and materials), installation protocols, timeframes, methods, and modalities.
- Ensure contractors follow approved designs, material technical specifications, and work quality standards across all sites.
- Technically backstop and inform the project technical advisor of any deviations from original designs or installation layouts/standards, or any necessary site-specific improvements.
- Conduct post-installation checks of solar systems on all sites with FAO field staff, contractors, stakeholders, and beneficiaries for performance verification.
- Maintain detailed records of the installation process and progress, including reports on activities, challenges, and solutions.
- Prepare and maintain detailed records of all technical assessments, inspections, installations, and post-installation inspections.
- Submit regular progress reports throughout the assignment, detailing the status of design, site assessments, stakeholder engagement, installation activities, quality assurance, and safeguard compliance to the project technical advisor and to the relevant government department(s).
- Provide a detailed final report upon completion, encompassing all aspects of the project, including an overview of the system installation process, approaches used, final designs, implementation outcomes, challenges faced, and recommendations for future projects.
- Document lessons learned and best practices for future FAO solar energy projects.
- Engage with relevant stakeholders at ministries (Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Electricity) and governorate-level directorates for compliance, technical coordination, capacity building, training, post-installation service support, and advisory services.
- Engage with local communities to address concerns, promote acceptance, and ensure alignment with project objectives and systems' social and environmental standards.
- Supervise contractor-led training for beneficiaries and the Department of Water Resources (DoWR) as per the approved operational and maintenance manual.
- Facilitate a smooth handover of large-scale systems to the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and Directorates of Water Resources (DoWR), Water Users Associations, and small-scale systems to farmer beneficiaries.
- Ensure contractor compliance with project social and environmental standards, as agreed, and with relevant national legal frameworks.
- Prepare a gender-sensitive roadmap for solar electrification and inclusive participation of men and women, for influencing policy and advocating for solar electrification.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
- University degree in Engineering (especially Renewable Energy, Electrical, or Mechanical), or a closely related technical field
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in engineering, energy management
- Working knowledge of English
FAO Core Competencies
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project formulation, analysis, planning and implementation
- Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset
- Extent and relevance of experience in supporting, advising and guiding the implementation of complex multi-stakeholder projects
- Extent of experience in formulation, implementation and monitoring of projects
- Ability to develop plans for the implementation and coordination of project operations in developing countries, in partnership with UN agencies and other concerned stakeholders and/or partners
- Familiarity with UN administrative, operational and financial procedures is an asset.
Selection Criteria
- Knowledge of Arabic Language is preferred
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency
- FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
- Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For more information, visit the FAO employment website
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
- 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
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