Sustainable Systems Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country  level.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO has been working in Lebanon since 1977. FAO Lebanon project portfolio has been growing in response to the different crises. Projects mainly target farmers, fishers, and their organisations with the aim of building their resilience and capacity to access potential markets, while undertaking sustainable management of resources.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Lebanon is supporting national efforts to enhance sustainable agricultural development, improve food security, and strengthen the resilience of rural livelihoods. The Sustainable Systems Specialist will contribute to the design and implementation of projects aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural production systems and natural resource management in Lebanon.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of Programme Leader CPF Outputs 2&3 and in close coordination with other Units and colleagues in the FAO Representation in Lebanon, and counterpart national authorities.

Technical Focus

The Sustainable Systems Specialist will provide technical expertise, management and implementation support across FAO Lebanon’s Climate Change and Sustainable Systems thematic area, with a primary focus on water resource management, irrigation and rural infrastructure, renewable energy integration, wastewater treatment, circular economy and natural resource management. The Specialist will design, assess and monitor the performance and sustainability of physical infrastructure systems, water distribution networks, irrigation canals, solar energy installations, constructed wetlands, rural assets, and other infrastructure and works, ensuring that they are operationally sound, technically coherent and aligned with sustainability and circular economy principles.

The Specialist works in close collaboration with the Climate Change Specialist within this workstream. The Sustainable Systems Specialist leads on infrastructure engineering design, technical specifications and systems performance monitoring; the Climate Change Specialist leads on climate risk assessment, climate-resilient design criteria and nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. Both Specialists contribute jointly to irrigation master plans and climate proposal development under the direction of the Programme Leader.

Tasks and responsibilities:

1. Water resource management and irrigation systems

• Provide technical guidance on the design, rehabilitation and performance optimization of irrigation systems, including canal networks, water distribution infrastructure and water management, applying water balance modelling and water accounting methodologies to optimize allocation under conditions of climate variability and water scarcity.
• Develop and implement irrigation water balance monitoring systems, including real-time monitoring tools and remote sensing applications, to track water productivity, identify losses and generate data for adaptive management and investment planning decisions.
• Support the preparation of irrigation master plans and long-term investment frameworks for water infrastructure, incorporating crop pattern scenarios, CAPEX/OPEX analysis and climate projections, in consultation with the Climate Change Specialist and relevant national counterparts.
• Prepare technical specifications, Bills of Quantities (BoQs) and procurement documentation for irrigation and water infrastructure works, and provide technical review and evaluation support for tendering processes in compliance with FAO procedures.

2. Renewable energy integration

• Lead the design and implementation of renewable energy solutions integrated into agricultural and rural infrastructure, with a primary focus on solar irrigation systems, ensuring technical soundness, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.
• Assess the feasibility and performance of renewable energy applications in target rural areas, prepare technical designs and specifications, and supervise installation and commissioning in coordination with the operations unit.
• Promote energy efficiency measures and renewable energy adoption among farmers, cooperatives and local institutions through technical advisory support and capacity development activities.

3. Wastewater management and nature-based solutions

• Provide technical expertise in the design and implementation of nature-based wastewater treatment systems, including constructed wetlands and other solutions, for treated water reuse in agriculture, environmental protection and community water security.
• Promote treated wastewater reuse as a water management strategy in water-scarce areas, supporting the development of technical guidelines, awareness materials and capacity development programmes for farmers and local stakeholders.

4. Rural infrastructure rehabilitation and systems monitoring

• Provide technical supervision and oversight of agricultural and rural infrastructure rehabilitation initiatives, including agricultural facilities, irrigation canals, rural roads, water storage facilities and community assets, ensuring that sustainability, resilience and nature-based solution principles are embedded in design and implementation.
• Conduct regular field assessments to verify infrastructure performance, identify technical constraints and propose corrective or improvement measures, documenting findings in structured technical reports.

5. Natural resource management and circular economy

• Provide technical inputs to natural resource management initiatives within FAO Lebanon’s programme portfolio, including agricultural water resources management and protection from degradation and pollution.
• Contribute to the integration of circular economy principles into agricultural and rural infrastructure programming, including organic waste valorisation, treated wastewater reuse, and resource recovery from agricultural by-products, as relevant to FAO Lebanon’s evolving portfolio.
• Support knowledge generation and the development of technical guidelines on sustainable resource use, promoting approaches that reduce environmental footprint while maintaining or improving agricultural productivity.

6. Project management and coordination

• Lead/Contribute to the preparation and regular updating of project workplans, activity schedules and procurement plans for activities within the thematic area, in coordination with the Programme Leader, and the operations unit, ensuring that plans are realistic, up to date and aligned with project timelines and budgets.
• Prepare Terms of Reference and Scope of Works, evaluation criteria, project reports and other programme documentation in compliance with FAO standards and donor requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of technical specifications of inputs, supplies, and equipment, envisaged in Programmes’ documents and assist in the procurement process.
• Prepare and update project logical frameworks, results frameworks and performance monitoring matrices, in alignment with results-based management principles.
• Monitor implementation progress of activities within the thematic workstream against approved workplans and budgets, identify bottlenecks and risks, and report findings and proposed corrective actions to the Programme Leader in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with implementing partners, service providers, contractors and field teams to ensure the timely and quality delivery of project activities within the thematic area, maintaining clear records of coordination meetings, decisions and follow-up actions.
• Lead the preparation of donor progress reports, assist in the preparation of project financial reports, FAO corporate reporting submissions and internal monitoring documents for the thematic workstream, providing accurate and timely technical and implementation data.
• Participate in project review meetings, FAO Lebanon internal coordination meetings and relevant external coordination forums as directed by the Programme Leader, representing the thematic area and contributing technical and implementation updates.
• Contribute to the development of project proposals and concept notes from a water, infrastructure, energy and sustainable systems perspective, and contribute to donor engagement and resource mobilization activities as directed by the Programme Leader.
• Perform any other related duties as required by the Programme Leader.

7. Stakeholder coordination and capacity development

• Liaise with national ministries, including the Ministry of Energy and Water, the Ministry of Environment, and relevant water establishments, local authorities, municipalities, cooperatives and communities, providing technical inputs to support alignment of infrastructure interventions with national policies, water strategies and climate plans.
• Support institutional strengthening and capacity development programmes for national counterparts, water establishments and local stakeholders on sustainable water management, treated wastewater reuse, renewable energy and adaptive infrastructure management.
• Contribute to knowledge management by documenting lessons learned, technology performance data, good practices and innovations from infrastructure and sustainable systems interventions for organizational learning and resource mobilization purposes.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements   

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related technical field. A Master’s degree is an asset.
• 6 years of relevant experience in water resource management, irrigation systems, rural infrastructure or renewable energy in the agriculture or rural development sector; and proven experience in: (i) design, rehabilitation or performance monitoring of irrigation and water management infrastructure; (ii) preparation of technical specifications, Bills of Quantities and procurement documentation for infrastructure works; (iii) design or implementation of renewable energy solutions, including solar irrigation systems; (iv) design or supervision of nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands or equivalent wastewater treatment systems. Experience with climate finance mechanisms (GEF, GCF) or natural resource management is an asset. Prior experience with FAO, UN agencies or international organisations is an asset. Strong knowledge of Lebanon’s water sector, infrastructure context and relevant national institutions is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of English (level C) 
• National of Lebanon

FAO Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Demonstrated organization skills and ability to meet tight deadlines;        
• Ability to prioritize tasks;          
• Communication skills;          
• Ability to work in a harmonious and effective way in a multicultural team;          
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective working relationships with supervisors and colleagues.   

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong technical knowledge of water resource management, including irrigation system design, water balance modelling, water accounting methodologies and real-time monitoring systems applicable to agricultural water management under conditions of scarcity and climate variability.
• Demonstrated experience in the design and technical supervision of rural and agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation canals, water storage facilities, solar pumping systems and constructed wetland wastewater treatment systems.
• Proven ability to prepare technical specifications, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), procurement documentation and tender evaluation reports for infrastructure works, in compliance with UN or equivalent international organisation procurement standards.
• Knowledge of renewable energy technologies applicable to agricultural systems, particularly solar irrigation and pumping systems, including feasibility assessment, technical design and performance monitoring.
• Understanding of nature-based solutions for water management and wastewater treatment, including constructed wetlands, and treated water reuse frameworks applicable in water-scarce agricultural contexts.
• Familiarity with circular economy principles and natural resource management approaches as applied to agricultural and rural systems; ability to integrate these into infrastructure project design and monitoring.
• Knowledge of climate vertical financing mechanisms, including GEF, GCF and UNCCD frameworks, and ability to contribute technical infrastructure and sustainability inputs to climate finance proposal development.
• Good analytical, reporting and technical writing skills in English; ability to produce technical assessments, field monitoring reports, infrastructure designs and knowledge products to a high professional standard.

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
• 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 additional employment opportunities 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

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