Organizational Setting 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is currently implementing a 3-year project under the Multi-Donor Action “Circular Economy in the Food Sector” (GCP/SRL/085/EC – CIRCULAR) which is jointly implemented with Expertise France (EF) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and funded by the European Union (EU). The FAO project under CIRCULAR seeks to address critical issues such as food loss and waste reduction, circularity applied to agri-food systems, and the transition away from single-use plastics from producers up to wholesalers. By leveraging multi-stakeholder partnerships and socio-technological interventions the project seeks to not only mitigate agri-food system climate impacts but also contribute to economic and social well-being.

Reporting Lines

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), the technical supervision of the FAO Lead Technical Officer (LTO) in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and close collaboration with the International Project Management Specialist, National FLW Specialist and Circular Economy Project Coordinator the incumbent will contribute to timely implementation of the project performing specific tasks.

Technical Focus

The Technical and Socio-Economic Innovations Specialist will play a key role in identifying, promoting, and implementing technical and socio-economic solutions for the prevention of food loss (from production up to wholesale) and food waste (from retail up to households). The incumbent will coordinate closely with the Business Development Specialist, Field Support Specialists, and IT Specialist to ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach to project implementation.

Tasks and responsibilities

Review and Optimization of Current Practices

•    Identify inefficiencies and propose Technical Innovations and Socio-Economic Innovations appropriate strategies for the prevention of food loss (form production up to wholesale) and food waste (from retail up to households) and for adopting circular economy principles.
•    Provide context-specific business development support, addressing local challenges including, but not limited to  market access, infrastructure limitations, and resource constraints.
•    Work with Field Support Specialists to identify technical and socio-economic needs in Colombo, Galle, and Nuwara Eliya.
•    Ongoing Reporting: provide information to the Business Development Specialist to support the weekly reports. Focus on insights related to emerging technologies and socio-innovation trends, ensuring alignment with economic, market, and investment opportunities.

Circular Economy Business Model Development

•    Collaborate with the Business Development Specialist to align technical solutions with business models and funding needs.
•    Guide value chain actors as well as HoReCa and retailers to review, select, and adopt Technical and Socio-Economic Innovations for their business models to reach objectives of prevention of food loss (form production up to wholesale) and food waste (from retail up to households), bio-waste recovery, compost production, biogas generation, feed from former foodstuffs, and food redistribution systems for direct human consumption.
•    Support the identification and adoption of locally viable alternatives to single-use plastics (SUPs), emphasizing biodegradable, reusable, or recyclable materials within the supply chains.
•    Technical Brief on Circular Economy in the Agri-Food Sector: coordinate with the Business Development Specialist to identify technology-driven solutions available in Sri Lanka and the Asia-Pacific Region. Provide a summary of innovative business models that incorporate technologies for Food Loss and Waste (FLW) reduction.
•    Ensure each business and investment plan includes at least one technology-based solution, with support for evaluating its adoption, management requirements, and investment needs for a minimum of five years post-adoption.
•    Integrate and ensure adoption support, as needed, for at least one technology-driven intervention in each CIRCULAR pilot.
•    Collaborate with the assigned team to assess the scalability and economic viability of the identified technological and socially innovative solutions for each pilot.

Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement

•    Work with Field Support Specialists to design and deliver region-specific training programs for SMEs, value chain actors, start-ups.
•    Support the IT Specialist in developing digital tools that promote awareness and capacity building among stakeholders.
•    Contribute to the organization of awareness-raising events to engage policymakers, private sector actors, and community members in adopting circular economy practices.
•    Collaborate with the Business Development staff to ensure that technology adoption, management, and socio-economic innovation training is included in all capacity development activities of the project.
•    Connect network participants with ongoing pilots and potential investors.

CIRCULAR Database of Stakeholders

•    Structure the database to enable real-time categorization of stakeholders based on their engagement in technological and social innovations.
•    Regularly identify and update entries on technology providers and social innovators relevant to FLW reduction and Circular Economy initiatives.
•    Develop and maintain the CIRCULAR technology providers database and network, integrating it into capacity development sessions.

Monitoring and Evaluation

•    Coordinate with Field Support Specialists to conduct field visits and ensure alignment with project goals.
•    Collect and analyse data to document progress, identify challenges, and recommend course corrections where necessary.
•    Coordinate with the project team on M&E reporting needs.

Reporting and Documentation

•    Prepare a brief on technical and socio-economic innovations and collaborate with the Business Development Specialist to produce case studies and success stories demonstrating the scalability of circular economy models.
•    Provide inputs for the IT Specialist to ensure data and findings are integrated into project dashboards and digital tools.

 Coordination and Collaboration

•    Participate in joint planning sessions and regular coordination meetings to align activities and avoid duplication of effort.

Other Responsibilities

•    Undertake any other technology and social innovation-related tasks or assignments to support the overall objectives of the CIRCULAR project.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum requirements

•    University degree in Environmental Science, Agricultural Engineering, Natural Resources Management or a related field relevant to technical and socio-economic innovations with at least 4 years of experience in technical innovation, circular economy, or socio-economic development in Sri Lanka OR
•    Advanced University degree with at least 2 years of experience in technical innovation, circular economy, or socio-economic development in Sri Lanka.
•    Working knowledge in English and Sinhala/Tamil is required.
•    National of Sri Lanka.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work
•    Extent and relevance of experience in providing technical solutions for the technical and socio-economic innovations and appropriate strategies for adopting CIRCULAR economic principles.
•    Providing business model solutions and technology driven strategies for businesses to adopt prevention of food loss and waste and adoption of viable alternatives to SUP’s.
•    Design and deliver region specific training programmes.

Selection Criteria 

•    Experience working in multi-stakeholder projects and coordinating with diverse teams.
•    Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in technical and socio-economic systems.
•    Willingness to travel within Colombo, Galle, and Nuwara Eliya for field visits and stakeholder engagement.
•    Experience in working with government, especially with Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Industries, Agriculture.
•    Experience in coordinating and liaising with industry, academia, national authorities, UN agencies, donors, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
•    Familiarity with the UN System and /or development sector will be considered an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION