About the Role
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented National Operations Specialist to join its Nigeria country office. This role is central to advancing FAO's mission of achieving food security, eliminating poverty, and promoting sustainable natural resource management across the country.
The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the SURAGGWA project, contributing to strategic planning, operational coordination, and monitoring activities that strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in Nigeria. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of agricultural development, policy analysis, and international project management.
Key Responsibilities- Liaise with government authorities, UN agencies, and local/international institutions on FAO-related activities in Nigeria
- Promote FAO's mandate and programmes through communication tools, publications, and advocacy initiatives
- Coordinate the collection, consolidation, and maintenance of national data on food, crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries
- Contribute to technical, economic, and policy studies, and support development of country frameworks such as the CPF and UNSDCF
- Support the identification, formulation, and monitoring of programme and project proposals
- Brief, train, and supervise junior staff to ensure adherence to work standards
- Monitor SURAGGWA project activities, budgets, and ensure compliance with FAO and UN regulations
- Retrieve, analyse, and verify data from FAO's corporate systems and databases
- Support day-to-day operational activities across the project cycle, including formulation, implementation, monitoring, and reporting
- Process payments, reimbursements, and disbursements, and assist with Letters of Agreement (LoAs)
- Participate in country missions to provide technical assistance and impact assessments
- Liaise with government and partners to identify policy gaps in fisheries and aquaculture
- Prepare technical content for reports, advocacy materials, and outreach events
- Collaborate with technical experts to develop tools and resources for strategy implementation
- Advanced university degree in finance, economics, accounting, or a related field
- Minimum of three years' relevant experience in agricultural development and/or project implementation
- Working knowledge (Level C) of English and Hausa
- Must be a national of Nigeria
- Strong understanding of programme/project development, management, and monitoring procedures, preferably within the UN or FAO system
- Demonstrated experience in policy analysis relating to food security, agriculture, and rural development
- Proven ability to collect and analyse national data on food, crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries
- Experience working across multiple locations or field positions is an advantage
- Opportunity to contribute to impactful, internationally recognized food security initiatives
- Exposure to diverse technical, operational, and policy-related work within the UN system
- Professional growth within a globally respected international organization
- Collaborative and inclusive work environment focused on sustainable development