Agricultural Advisors

Modernisation of the Advisory services for Operators in the Agriculture Field in North Macedonia

DURATION: Mid-January 2022 – Mid-July 2023

OBJECTIVE
The specific objectives of this request for services is to provide assistance to MAFWE to progress in the reforms in the advisory services sector including strategic and legal frameworks.

The priority issues to be addressed within this request for services are exclusively the following ones:

• Priority 1. Improving the legal, institutional and strategic framework of the advisory services sector according to best practices in EU MS.
• Priority 2. Improving the advisory Services provided to the agricultural holders

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

For this assignment, one individual expert must be proposed for each position.The expertise required for the implementation of the specific contract is detailed below.

Advisory Expert I

General description of the position: Responsible for the preparation of the outputs.

Expert category: Cat. II (>6 years of experience)

Qualifications and skills required:

• At least Master’s Degree in agricultural studies/ agricultural engineering / agrarian economics / or associated fields, or general professional experience of three (3) years above the minimum general professional experience requested below

General professional experience:

• At least 6 years of general professional experience in the area of advisory services related to agriculture.

Specific professional experience:

• Experience related to drafting and/or implementation of EU policies and legislation in the advisory sector in at least two (2) projects.
• Experience related to reforms in Direct payments and cross compliance in EU member states and/or candidate countries in at least one (1) projects.
• Experience working in EU member states as managerial or either staff member or consultant to an official or mandated body in the area of advisory services will be considered as an asset.

Language skills: English

Number of working days: 125 days

Additional information: The experts will work closely with the EUD as contracting authority, NEA and MoAFWE as beneficiaries. At the operational level, MoAFWE will appoint a project coordinator to coordinate planning and performance of project activities between the contractor and the institutions involved in the project. In addition, a working group will be established with membersappointed by MAFWE, NEA, EUD etc. before the commencement date. All activities will be carried out following consultations with NEA and MoAFWE whose designated staff will be actively involved in the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of activities specified in these terms of reference. The experts shall deliver their services only in the Beneficiary Country, except for the preparation of the requested Reports or in case of exceptional cases and only after approval of the contracting authority. Allexperts must have excellent knowledge of English, as a full working language, and solid computer literacy. All experts must be independent and free from conflicts of interest in the responsibilities they take on.

Advisory Expert II

General description of the position: Responsible for the preparation of the outputs.

Expert category: Cat. II (>6 years of experience)

Qualifications and skills required:

• At least Master’s Degree in agricultural studies/ agricultural engineering / agrarian economics / or associated fields, or general professional experience of three (3) years above the minimum general professional experience requested below

General professional experience:

• At least 6 years of general professional experience in the area of advisory services related to agriculture.

Specific professional experience:

• Experience in the area of capacity building/ training in government/public institutions related to advisory services in EU member states and/or candidate countries in at least two (2) projects.
• Experience related to reforms in Rural development measures in EU Member states or and/or candidate countries implementing IPARD programmes in at least one (1) projects.
• Experience working in EU member states as managerial or either staff member or consultant to an official or mandated bodyin the area of advisory services will be considered as an asset

Language skills: English

Number of working days: 125 days

Additional information: The experts will work closely with the EUD as contracting authority, NEA and MoAFWE as beneficiaries.At the operational level, MoAFWE will appoint a project coordinator to coordinate planning and performance of project activities between the contractor and the institutions involved in the project. In addition, a working group will be established with members appointed by MAFWE, NEA, EUD etc. before the commencement date. All activities will be carried out following consultations with NEA and MoAFWE whose designated staff will be actively involved in the planning, design, implementation, and monitoringof activities specified in these terms of reference. The experts shall deliver their services only in the Beneficiary Country, except for the preparation of the requested Reports or in case of exceptional cases and only after approval of the contracting authority. All experts must have excellent knowledge of English, as a full working language, and solid computer literacy. All experts must be independent and free from conflicts of interest inthe responsibilities they take on.

Team Leader:
One of the key experts above will act as a Team Leader, having the overall responsibility for the daily management of the contract activities including coordination of the work of the other key expert, proper reporting to the contracting authority, efficient use of the contract budget, administrative and logistic support to the contract activities and good communication with the Beneficiaries and the contracting authority.

Specific professional experience
In addition to the criteria specific for each profile as stipulated above, the proposed Team Leader must address the following specific professional criterion:

• Knowledge on EU project management methodology gained through the participation as a team leader/deputy team leader in at least 2 (two) EU-funded projects.

Additional number of working days: 15 days

APPLICATION PROCESS
  
Candidates are encouraged to apply by as soon as possible.
For your application to be considered, please upload your documents as followed: Candidate Last Name, First Name, 68117, Title of the Position.
Or send an email to our FWC Team, via : FWCSIEA_Lot01@transtec.be
We thank all applicants, however only those shortlisted will be contacted.