Programme Officer (GCF)

Organizational Setting

The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) works to ensure that countries and stakeholders respond to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. OCB provides a cross organizational coordination role on issues related to climate change, biodiversity and the environment, and is the focal point to major multilateral environmental agreements including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The Office also assists FAO Members in their responses towards the interlinked challenges of food security, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, including through facilitating access to climate and environmental financing (such as the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF)). In addition, OCB hosts the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, the Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, as well as FAO's work on environmental safeguards.

FAO has established a GCF Team within OCB (OCB-GCF Team) to coordinate the development and management of the GCF related portfolio. The OCB-GCF Team works in close collaboration with FAO Decentralized Offices and technical staff to identify, develop and deliver high-quality climate investment and readiness projects that respond to countries' priorities as defined in their national climate and sectoral policies and that deliver the transformational change sought by the GCF.

The position of Programme Officer (GCF) is located in OCB-GCF Team of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Programme Officer (GCF) reports to the Senior Natural Resources Officer in the OCB-GCF Team.

Technical Focus

The Programme Officer (GCF) will monitor FAO-GCF portfolio results and impacts and will coordinate corporate planning, reporting tasks and the implementation support to GCF projects, ensuring compliance with FAO and GCF policies requirements throughout the Project Cycle. In performing these tasks, the Programme Officer (GCF) will liaise with FAO and GCF relevant teams and divisions, working closely with Climate Finance Officers in the OCB-GCF Team, the FAO Project Task Force members of each project and Operations Officers in Regional and Subregional Offices.

Key Results

Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate assigned programme/projects.

Key Functions

• Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects, etc.; monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation.
• Reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions.
• Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies, etc.
• Prepares various written outputs, e.g. drafts background papers, analyses, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Undertakes outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Coordinates activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).

Specific Functions

• Coordinates the monitoring and reporting on FAO - GCF portfolio; monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies challenges and liaises with relevant FAO counterparts in Decentralized Offices to initiate corrective actions; ensures follow-up action.
• Researches and analyses issues related to policies, project financing, portfolio results and information and statistics to support the planning, programming, implementation and monitoring of the FAO-GCF investments.
• Supports compliance with FAO and GCF requirements including fiduciaries and safeguards standards and leads on re-/accreditation matters.
• Produces regular portfolio information, data, statistics and reports as well as provides inputs for policy, financing and operational documents and communication materials.
• Monitors and coordinates GCF fees including analysis and projections and provides support to FAO Divisions, Offices and Centres in compliance with FAO-GCF policies and guidelines.
• Coordinates the GCF team contribution to corporate implementation, monitoring and reporting processes and systems.
• Supports the development of GCF tailored tools, processes, and/or databases related to the implementation and monitoring of GCF projects.
• Provides guidance and develops knowledge management materials on project execution, monitoring and other operational matters including requests for revisions.
• Oversees consultants for project implementation and monitoring support including safeguards, midterm reviews and project evaluations and coordinates timely and quality reporting and delivery.
• Assists the OCB-GCF Team Leader in the review of and contributions to corporate planning and reporting documents.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in business administration or public administration, social science, political science, international development, international relations or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in project or programme management and implementation, portfolio coordination and monitoring, administration or related area.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO 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 GCF portfolio management
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of programming, project cycle management, results-based budgeting, project implementation support including project administration and financing management.
• Extent of knowledge of results based planning and budgetary processes and associated tools.
• Understanding of administrative, operational, fiduciary and financial procedures related to programme and project management is considered a strong asset.
• Understanding of FAO policies and programme is considered a strong asset.
• Demonstrated knowledge of results frameworks relevant to GCF funded projects, knowledge of GCF policies, procedures and project cycle is considered a strong asset.