Technical Officer (Climate Change & Biodiversity For Food And Agriculture)

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 Conferences (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 GEF and the 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 and leads the Programme Priority Areas on Climate Change (PPA BE1) and Bioeconomy for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (PPA BE2).

The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Commission) keeps under review matters related to the Organization's policies, programmes and activities regarding biodiversity for food and agriculture and its interlinkages with climate change, health, nutrition and other matters. The Commission's Secretariat, which is located in OCB, supports the work of the Commission and follows up on its decisions. It also monitors and reports to the Commission on developments in relevant international bodies and processes. The Commission's Strategic Plan contains the Commission's vision, mission and goals and embraces its rolling Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) covering the biodiversity/genetic resources for food and agriculture and all sectoral and cross-sectoral matters the Commission deals with.

The position is located in the Secretariat of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Technical Officer (Climate Change - Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture) reports to the Secretary of the Commission and works in close cooperation with relevant staff within the Commission Secretariat.

Technical Focus

Comprehensive technical and policy support to the planning, development and implementation of programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with FAO's Strategic Objectives and the Commission's MYPOW.

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; 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 and promotes best practices.

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

• Provides support for the implementation of the MYPOW and to the interdivisional MYPOW Task Force.

• Designs, plans and implements activities in support of the Commission's MYPOW and as requested by the Commission, particularly in, but not limited to, the areas of climate change, gender mainstreaming and communication, including the development of policies, guidelines, best practices, and training and outreach materials.

• Monitors policy, legal and technical developments of other international fora in the spheres of biodiversity and genetic resources for food and agriculture and analyzes their relevance to the implementation of the MYPOW.

• Prepares and organizes technical and policy meetings on biodiversity/genetic resources for food and agriculture.

• Prepares and supports the preparation of technical and policy documents related to biodiversity/genetic resources for food and agriculture and cross-cutting issues, including climate change and gender mainstreaming, and facilitates coordination among FAO units.

• Prepares outreach and communication materials, including briefs for communicating the Commission's activities to other relevant instruments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and relevant stakeholders, as well as raising awareness.

• Assists in facilitating cooperation and dialogue in the fields related to the Commission's mandate and liaises with other UN specialized agencies, Multilateral Environmental Agreement secretariats; non-governmental organizations, international organizations, national research institutes and other relevant entities with a view to strengthen cooperation and increase synergies in areas of mutual interest.

• Supports resource mobilization and management for the Commission's portfolio.

• Performs other duties as requested.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in social sciences, science and technology, or a related field.

• Five years of relevant experiencerelevant experience in biodiversity-related work, particularly in the nexus between climate change and genetic resources for food and agriculture.

• 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 the preparation of technical and policy documents, guidelines and manuals in the field of biodiversity/genetic resources for food and agriculture; climate change; gender mainstreaming; quality of analytical writing and oral communication skills; level of scientific data processing and analysis.

• Extent of knowledge and understanding of technical and policy matters related to biodiversity/genetic resources for food and agriculture, including developments in other relevant international fora.

• Demonstrated ability to prepare, organize and monitor consultative multi-stakeholder processes and/or inter-governmental and/or technical meetings.

• Ability to work with a wide range of experts and stakeholders at different levels from a variety of sectors and disciplines on policies, programmes and projects.

• Demonstrated track record of successfully mobilizing resources and managing projects, budgets and human resources.

• Strategic understanding of complex policy processes and demonstrated capacity to promote intersectoral approaches to achieve biodiversity-friendly agrifood systems transformation and governance.

• Excellent writing skills in English.

• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of a second FAO language, preferably Spanish or French, would be an asset.