National Investment 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 Country Offices, which are headed by an FAO representative and working to implement the corporate Strategic Framework at country level, offer policy advice and technical assistance to countries to develop policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural sector in a sustainable manner to ensure zero hunger in the country. 
The FAO Representation in Bangladesh (FAOBD) is providing technical assistance to the Government of Bangladesh to facilitate the implementation of the Agriculture Sector Transformation Programme (ATP), under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). This initiative is funded by the Gates Foundation (GF) and is anticipated to be executed over a period of 38 months. The project aims to encourage investment in the crop sector and enhance the innovative technologies in line with agricultural transformation towards sustainable agro-economic growth in Bangladesh. The specific objectives, are to:
•     Conducting policy, institutional, and investment gap analyses to inform an effective action plan for agriculture sector transformation.
•     Identifying and establishing effective pathways for prioritizing and coordinating resources and partnerships.
•     Enhancing collaboration with the private sector.
•     Improving the scale and efficacy of investments in agrifood system research and innovation.
•     Strengthening institutional capacity and system.
•     Facilitating the piloting and scaling of catalytic technologies.

The National Investment Specialist will be responsible for leading the development of the Regional Priority Investment Plans under Component 2 of the project. This includes coordinating data analysis, facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations, reviewing existing plans, programs other related doc; and producing technically sound, bankable, and context-specific investment plans that align with national priorities.

Reporting Lines

The National Investment Specialist is a SC9 position (National Technical Expert). Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Bangladesh, technical supervision of the Deputy FAO Representative, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) and direct supervision of the Senior Technical Advisor (STA), the incumbent will work closely with the National Project Coordinator, FAOBD’s Technical Assistance team, relevant government institutions, and other stakeholders

Technical Focus 
The technical focus of the position is to lead the development of Regional Priority Investment Plans (RPIPs) for six agro-ecological zones, aligning with national strategies such as ATP, NAP 2018, and the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. This includes identifying inclusive, climate-resilient, and nutrition-sensitive investment opportunities through analytical tools like FAO’s TAPE and formulating bankable investment roadmaps with clear implementation frameworks. The role also involves facilitating stakeholder engagement, supporting resource mobilization, and integrating cross-cutting priorities such as gender, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction into the investment planning process.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Lead the development of six Regional Priority Investment Plans (RPIPs) based on agro-ecological, socio-economic, and environmental profiles;
•     Conduct a comprehensive review of existing plans, projects, and investment gaps in each agro-ecological zone;
•     Facilitate regional consultation workshops to validate diagnostic findings and investment priorities;
•     Guide data collection and analysis using tools such as FAO’s TAPE and other relevant methodologies;
•     Assess climate-smart agriculture (CSA) options, nutrition-sensitive approaches, and market-oriented investments in each zone;
•     Identify public, private, and international financing opportunities and develop a resource mobilization strategy aligned with national priorities;
•     Coordinate with relevant ministries and relevant agencies (e.g., BARC, DAE, BARI, BRRI, BADC) to ensure institutional alignment and ownership of the investment plans;
•     Develop implementation roadmaps with sequencing, costing, and monitoring frameworks for each RPIP;
•     Provide technical input for organizing investor roundtables or bilateral meetings with potential resource partners;
•     Ensure the gender equality, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk management are fully integrated into all investment planning;
•     Contribute to capacity-building activities and policy recommendations arising from the investment planning process;
•     Prepare progress reports, technical notes, presentations, and documentation as required by FAO, Gates Foundation, and GoB.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree in Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, Investment Planning, Agribusiness, Statistics or a related field;
•     At least 9 years of progressively responsible experience in agricultural investment planning, public and private sector financing, or agri-food systems development, preferably in the context of Bangladesh or similar agro-ecological settings;
•     Working knowledge of English (level C);
•     National of Bangladesh;

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•     Strong technical expertise in agricultural investment planning, including regional and subnational investment frameworks, project design, and resource mobilization;
•     Proven ability to apply quantitative and qualitative analytical tools for investment gap analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and agro-ecological diagnostics (e.g., FAO’s TAPE);
•     Demonstrated skills in developing bankable and climate-resilient investment plans, with clear implementation and monitoring frameworks;
•     Experience in formulating sectoral or regional investment plans, preferably linked to national agricultural transformation strategies or donor-funded programmes;
•     Expertise in data analysis, and proficiency in using statistical software, especially R, Stata, SPSS, SAS or similar (preferably open-source) software.
•     Expertise in investment gap assessments, and project costing, with demonstrated ability to apply tools such as cost-benefit analysis or agro-ecological diagnostics;
•     Familiarity with Bangladesh’s agricultural policy landscape, including ATP, NAP 2018, Delta Plan 2100, and the institutional environment for investment planning;
•     Strong ability to synthesize technical information into actionable policy and investment recommendations;
•     Excellent skills in stakeholder consultation, facilitation, and coordination, including with government, private sector, and development partners;
•     Competency in preparing high-quality technical reports, investment briefs, and presentations;
•     Good working knowledge of standard software tools (Excel, PowerPoint, statistical software, GIS tools would be an asset).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION