Forestry Officer (Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions)

Organizational Setting

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO's work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. It liaises with Members, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world's forest resources and on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.

The position is located in the Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions team within NFO at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Forestry Officer (Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions) reports to the, Programme Officer, under the overall guidance of the Senior Forestry Officer/Team Leader of the Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions Team, the Deputy Director, NFO, and the Director, NFO, and works in close coordination with NFO teams and personnel dealing with forests and climate change, supply chains, forest management and restoration, agroforestry, and forest monitoring.

Technical Focus

The Forestry Officer (Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions) will support the Forestry Division's work related to halting deforestation, degradation and emissions, providing technical and policy expertise to planning, developing and implementing the team's activities and projects, particularly in the Africa region.

Key Results

Research, technical analysis and project related services to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.

Key Functions

• Researches and analyses technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional, and technology related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.

• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports as well as input for technical documents and web pages.

• Provides technical support/analysis to various assessments, studies and initiatives and provides technical backstopping to field projects.

• Collaborates in the development of improved/updated tools, systems, processes and databases.

• Participates in multidisciplinary teams and/or leads working groups/teams collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.

• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials, on-line tools.

• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.

• Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Guides and/or supports the design, implementation and reporting of the team's supported projects in the Africa region, with focus on francophone countries and multi-donor funds (i.e. Green Climate Fund, Central African Forest Initiative, United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries and/or affiliated initiatives).

• Provides technical backstopping to field project teams through the full project cycle, ensuring technical quality, including as Lead Technical Officer, alignment with FAO's knowledge base, adherence to good practices of previous projects and compliance with technical norms and environmental, social and sustainability standards.

• Supports the coordination of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) and Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions related activities in the Africa region ensuring linkages and synergies between country projects, including boosting south-south exchanges and seeking opportunities for regional collaboration, common action and learning on forest and climate.

• Contributes to the planning, development, monitoring and reporting of the team's global knowledge activities with a focus on forest governance and management, including development of low-emission and resilient livelihoods and businesses linked to forest value chains and services, forestry, and forest/land tenure in close coordination with thematic areas leaders and regional coordinators, so as to ensure an integrated team approach (includes capacity strengthening materials and initiatives, south-south exchanges, as communication efforts through timely updates and information sharing).

• Contributes to REDD+/Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions team resource mobilization efforts, including results-based climate finance.

• Supports strengthening relationships and communication with specific resource partners, including by participating in donors' coordination forums and other strategic fora (e.g. the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI)), and supports relations with governments and partners in specific countries/ Africa regional level.

• Performs other related duties linked to forest and climate, as required.

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in forestry, natural resources management, environmental sciences or other related field.

• Five years of relevant experience in the field of forests and climate change / REDD+ including international experience, preferably in developing countries and with international organizations.

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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, particularly in field positions.

• Extent and relevance of experience in supporting the implementation of complex projects, with portfolio coordination role

• Extent and relevance of experience in building, mentoring and coordinating project teams, with multiple technical experts.

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience related to halting and reversing deforestation, forest and nature-based solutions to climate, REDD+ implementation in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, sustainable forest and natural resources management and related fields.

• Ability to organize and conduct workshops and training sessions, as well as to facilitate multistakeholder processes.

• Extent of international work experience, preferably in developing countries in Africa, in complex field contexts, and/or with international organizations.

• Extent of experience in working with government and non-governmental stakeholders, with other UN and international organizations, and supporting partnerships and networks at international, national and local levels.

• Extent and relevance of experience related to project development and resource mobilization.

• Proven writing experience developing technical documents, publications and/or reports.

• Strong analytical and organizational skills. Ability to work under pressure and in multicultural settings.

• Willingness and ability to undertake travel within Africa and work under demanding field conditions.

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of French and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of Spanish is an asset.