National Restoration Finance Coordinator at FAO Tanzania

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 Country Offices access to appropriate financial services remains a major constraint for forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs), smallholders and rural micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as existing financial products are often not tailored to their risk profiles, investment cycles and collateral limitations.

Under Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) funding, the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) is piloting an innovative financial mechanism in Tanzania in partnership with national financial institutions to improve direct access to finance for small producers and local communities through structured risk-mitigation, blended finance and institutional partnerships. The pilot will run until the end of 2027 and complements the Supporting AFR100 Programme (Achieving AFR100 with Forest and Farm Producers), which supports Tanzania in achieving its restoration commitments through direct financial and technical support to local communities, FFPOs and enterprises.

FAO therefore requires a national expert to lead coordination and operational implementation of this pilot mechanism and to support engagement with national financial institutions under related blended finance initiatives, ensuring effective delivery, monitoring, reporting and knowledge documentation, while also providing complementary support to the blended finance activities of the AFR100 programme in Tanzania.

Reporting Lines

The National Restoration Finance Coordinator will operate under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Tanzania, and that of the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme). The incumbent will perform duties under the overall technical supervision of the FFF National Facilitator, and under the direct guidance of the HQ NFO Forest Finance Officer and the FFF HQ Finance Specialist.

Technical Focus

Coordinate and provide technical support for the implementation of the FFF pilot innovative financial mechanism in Tanzania under FVC funding. The focus is on operational delivery and oversight of the financial instrument(s) and associated risk-mitigation measures; coordination with financial institutions, SACCOs and forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs); monitoring of disbursement, portfolio performance and repayment; tracking results and inclusion indicators (including women and youth); and producing timely progress updates and reporting contributions for FVC and the AFR100 programme.

The role also supports documentation of lessons learned and development of knowledge products, and, when requested, contributes to blended finance engagement with national financial institutions through preparation of investment briefs, concept notes and pipeline analyses and support to related working group and matchmaking processes.

Tasks And Responsibilities

Project Coordination – Tanzania Pilot (Primary Function)

Operational Implementation

• Coordinate day-to-day implementation of the pilot financial mechanism.
• Ensure alignment with approved workplan, budget and FVC requirements.
• Facilitate coordination between FAO, financial institutions, SACCOs and FFPOs.
• Organize and document technical and coordination meetings.

Financial Mechanism Oversight

• Support operationalization of the financial instrument(s), including eligibility criteria, financial terms and risk mitigation measures.
• Monitor disbursement processes and compliance with agreed procedures.
• Track portfolio performance, repayment rates and leverage of additional resources.
• Identify implementation risks and propose mitigation measures
• Identify and support leveraging of additional finance from instruments and programs implemented by other development partners.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Track key indicators including:
• Amount of additional finance mobilized
• Number of FFPOs and MSMEs accessing financial services
• Inclusion of women and youth
• Portfolio quality and repayment performance
• Prepare periodic technical progress updates
• Contribute to FVC reporting requirements
• Contribute to reporting requirements of AFR100 programme.

Documentation and Knowledge

• Document lessons learned and implementation challenges.
• Contribute to preparation of technical briefs, case studies and knowledge notes.
• Support organization of dissemination and stakeholder events.

National Blended Finance Support (Complementary Function)

When Requested, The Coordinator Will

• Support assessment and engagement of national financial institutions relevant to restoration and rural enterprises.
• Contribute to preparation of investment briefs, concept notes and pipeline analyses.
• Support organization of blended finance working group meetings and matchmaking events.
• Track finance mobilization indicators related to restoration and enterprise development.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in economics, finance, development finance, environmental economics, business administration or a related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in green/development/rural or SME finance, with demonstrated relevance to forestry, agroforestry and producer organizations.
• Working knowledge of English and fluency in Swahili.
• National of the United Republic of Tanzania.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Demonstrated experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives, including planning, implementation, day-to-day delivery, monitoring and reporting.
• Solid understanding of blended finance instruments and approaches (e.g., grants, concessional loans, guarantees and technical assistance) and strong ability to apply financial analysis, budgeting and performance monitoring in project implementation.
• Practical experience supporting the operationalization and oversight of financial instrument(s), including defining/aligning eligibility criteria, financial terms and risk-mitigation measures, and ensuring compliance with agreed procedures.
• Proven ability to monitor and assess portfolio performance, including disbursement processes, repayment trends and portfolio quality; to identify implementation risks; and to propose timely mitigation measures and corrective actions.
• Experience engaging and coordinating with financial institutions and relevant actors (DFIs, public banks, impact investors, MFIs, SACCOs), as well as forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs) and smallholder associations.
• Experience contributing to investment-related documentation for development or environmental initiatives, including investment briefs, concept notes and pipeline analyses, and supporting related working group meetings, stakeholder consultations and matchmaking processes.
• Strong analytical, synthesis and writing skills, with the ability to translate financial concepts into practical, implementable recommendations, and to produce periodic technical progress updates and reporting inputs (including contributions to FVC and AFR100 reporting requirements).
• Ability to document lessons learned and implementation challenges, and to contribute to knowledge products (technical briefs, case studies, knowledge notes) and the organization of dissemination and stakeholder events.

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.

Job Posting

20/Mar/2026

Closure Date

03/Apr/2026, 11:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit

FRURT - FAO Representation in Tanzania

Job Type

Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition

NPP (National Project Personnel)

Grade Level

N/A

Primary Location

Tanzania, United Republic of-Dar Es Salaam

Duration

12 months (renewable)

Post Number

N/A

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.