Cocoa Value Chain Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device • 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 In February 2026, the Brazil-UN Fund for Sustainable Development of the Amazon approved the project UNJP/BRA/100/UNJ “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Family Farmers through Inclusive Bioeconomy in Rondônia”. The intervention was conceived in collaboration with the State Government of Rondônia, is being led by the United Nations Industrial Development Office (UNIDO) with technical assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UN Women. The intervention aims to strengthen the coffee and cocoa value chains in Rondônia by prioritizing women entrepreneurs and family farmers in the municipalities of Alta Floresta, Cacoal, and Novo Horizonte d’Oeste for coffee and Jaru, Ariquemes, and Ouro Preto do Oeste for cocoa. The project will support local communities in transitioning from an economy based on commodities and natural resource-intensive products to goods with added value. The goal is to provide these populations with more advanced techniques of cultivation, post-harvesting and industrialization of coffee and cocoa. The project is focused on the following objectives: • Establish a robust governance mechanism to foster sustainable territorial development based on bioeconomy principles within the coffee and cocoa value chains. • Promote and strengthen women’s leadership, financial autonomy, and participation in decision‑making processes across the coffee and cocoa value chains and within local governance structures. • Enhance the capacities of family farmers to manage natural resources associated with the cocoa value chain within a bioeconomy framework. Reporting Lines The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the Assistant to Representative – Programme Brazil and under the technical guidance of the Better Life Technical Area Coordinator of FAO in Brazil and of the UNJP/BRA/100/UNJ Project Coordinator (MPTF Project Coordinator). Technical Focus The Cocoa Value Chain Specialist will oversee the implementation of the “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Family Farmers through Inclusive Bioeconomy in Rondônia” activities under FAO’s responsibility, ensuring that the agreed Project Document’s (ProDoc), workplans and budget are duly executed. For that, the incumbent will be responsible for coordinating actions at the institutional level with partner entities and public and private key actors, as well as providing technical leadership for the performance of the tasks foreseen in the project's work plan, ensuring the participation of different actors and the implementation of a gender approach, and for other daily coordination duties. The incumbent will be responsible for providing technical guidance on cocoa production systems and value chain development, ensuring that all FAO-supported activities under the cocoa value chain are technically sound, consistent with sustainable bioeconomy principles and aligned with FAO standards, safeguards, and project objectives. For that, the incumbent will support the MPTF Project Coordinator in implementation by providing technical inputs based on his knowledge of project sites and local context, and expertise to tailor project activities to beneficiaries: cocoa and chocolate producers. Tasks and Responsibilities • Lead the implementation of technical activities on the ground related to the cocoa value chain. • Support the development and tracking of the project work plan by monitoring field activities, identifying implementation risks and opportunities, and proposing necessary adjustments to ensure the full execution of activities. • Provide technical guidance on agroforestry and regenerative cocoa production systems, promote sustainable soil management, plant health and productivity improvement, and climate-resilient production practices. • Contribute to the development of technical demonstration and learning protocols and guidelines related to the cocoa value chain. • Support and contribute to cocoa value-chain assessments (technical, socio-environmental and gender-sensitive). • Identify constraints and opportunities in productivity, quality, and post-harvest processes (fermentation, drying, processing). • Lead the establishment and operationalization of cocoa-related technological reference units (URTs), seeking to make them function as hubs for innovation, knowledge sharing and training. • Design and deliver training activities for women producers, family farmers, and extension agents and technicians. • Oversee the preparation of technical content for the training of project beneficiaries at URTs. • Ensure training approaches are practical and field-based, inclusive and gender-responsive, and adapted to local contexts. • Contribute to the implementation of safeguards throughout the project lifecycle, including but not limited to FAO’s, the government’s and international’s guidelines. • In alignment with the MPTF Project Coordinator and FAO, liaise with project stakeholders, such as the State Government of Rondônia, local, state and national institutions, target beneficiaries, UN entities, civil society organizations, and others. • Prepare technical inputs for project reports when required by the project coordinator. • Conduct and/or participate in field missions project sites in order to gather information, to monitor the activities, identify and mobilize beneficiaries, support communication and share information with stakeholders and advance partnerships to facilitate implementation. • Prepare reports documenting good practices, lessons learned, and field results. • Organize and participate in project meetings, workshops and other technical activities in alignment with the Project Document, its workplan and the guidance of the project coordinator and the Better Life Technical Area Coordinator of FAOBR. • Support the procurement of supplies and other items necessary for the implementation of the planned activities, including defining the technical specifications of the materials to be acquired, as well as assessing what has been received and how such materials are utilized. • Support other project-related activities aligned with the scope of work. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING: Minimum Requirements • University degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in Agrarian Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, Forest Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Biology or other similar areas. • Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in: cocoa production systems, sustainable agriculture or agroforestry systems, rural development and technical assistance. • Working knowledge of Spanish and/or English. and working knowledge (level C) of Portuguese (level C). • Brazilian Nationality FAO Core Competencies • Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills • Geographical knowledge of the State of Rondônia and previous field experience within the state. • Experience in sustainable cocoa production, including agroforestry systems and climate-resilient practices. • Experience in test and disease management in cocoa, including training on integrated approaches. • Experience in providing technical assistance and capacity building to women and smallholder farmers. • Experience in post-harvest handling (fermentation, drying, storage) to improve cocoa quality. • Experience in cocoa processing and value addition. • Knowledge of the cocoa value chain in Brazil, including market and organizational aspects. • A formal cocoa-related training certification. • Previous work with rural women economic empowerment 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 • 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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings. • 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 FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT