Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

Agriculture is both a contributor to environmental challenges and a cornerstone of food security. FAO's mission is to promote the sustainable use of natural resources for food security, human well-being, and global development. The intersection of environmental concerns with socio-economic policies, strategies, and practices has gained increasing global attention. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights biodiversity as a critical factor in economic activities, particularly in achieving food security and nutrition for all.
Sustainable development in agriculture is essential for generating multiple livelihood benefits, strengthening ecosystem services, and increasing resilience to economic, social, and environmental shocks, including climate change. However, sustainability still needs to be fully mainstreamed across all sectors. Agriculture, while vital for economic growth and food production, often contributes to environmental degradation due to unsustainable practices.
The role of the agricultural sectors in sustainable resource management has grown significantly, as reflected in global frameworks such as FAO’s Climate Change Strategy, the Paris Agreement, and the UNCCD’s land degradation neutrality framework. Countries in the Europe and Central Asia region are increasingly facing challenges related to climate vulnerability, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, which require strengthened institutional frameworks, enhanced data collection systems, the promotion of sustainable technologies, and increased access to climate finance. FAO’s regional office for Europe and Central Asia provides assistance to governments in addressing these challenges by supporting climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, promoting nature-based solutions (NbS), and enhancing the enabling environment for sustainable agriculture.

Reporting Lines

The Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the ADG/Regional Representative for the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, and under the direct supervision and technical guidance of LTOs for the related projects and in close collaboration with technical officers at the regional, sub-regional and country offices.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will focus on areas related to sustainable agricultural and climate-smart practices in the AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use), including the development of plans and strategies, provide multi stakeholder engagement and dialogue as well as develop training and capacity building content.

Tasks and responsibilities

The sustainability specialist will undertake the following tasks\:

• Develop methodologies and provide technical guidance for the application of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), SLM, and other approaches in agriculture, forestry, and land-use sectors to enhance climate resilience and mitigate environmental impacts.
• Support the mobilization and integration of climate finance mechanisms (e.g., GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund) into national policies and investment strategies.
• Assist in strengthening institutional capacities for climate action by providing technical support to governments in policy formulation, data collection enhancement, and the establishment of climate information systems.
• Facilitate the development and dissemination of sustainable agricultural technologies and climate-smart practices in the AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use) sector.
• Provide guidance on mainstreaming climate change considerations into national and regional agricultural development plans and strategies.
• Support private sector engagement in climate adaptation and mitigation through innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and sustainable business models.
• Develop training materials and capacity-building programs for policymakers, technical experts, farmers, and private sector actors on sustainable agriculture, climate risk management, and NbS implementation.
• Contribute to national and regional dialogues on policies related to the 3 RIo Conventions (UNFCCC. UNCCD and CBD) facilitating stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange on best practices in climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Conduct assessments of climate vulnerability and risk in agricultural systems, providing recommendations for policy and programmatic interventions.
• Support the organization of workshops, knowledge-sharing events, and multi-stakeholder dialogues.
• Perform other tasks if required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree(s) in economics, agriculture, natural resources, sustainable development, climate policy, rural development, or related fields
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in sustainable agriculture and related areas preferably in the targeted countries
• Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

• Ability to work on international teams and with remote supervision.
• Knowledge of sustainable policies and guidelines in different setups

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance\: https\://fao.service-now.com/csp

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