Natural Resources Officer (Climate Change Mitigation)

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

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 Global Environment Facility/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 and leads the Programme Priority Areas on Climate Change (PPA BE1) and Bioeconomy for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (PPA BE2).

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

Reporting Lines
The Natural Resources Officer (Climate Change Mitigation) reports to the Senior Natural Resources Officer (Climate Change Team Lead), and works in close coordination with the Senior Coordinator, GEF.

Technical Focus
Climate change mitigation in agrifood systems, with focus on mitigation impact assessment and greenhouse gas emissions (GEF) accounting to support the design, implementation and quality assurance of mitigation projects and programmes, the mobilization of international climate finance and other resources and FAO's engagement under UNFCCC processes.

Key Results
Research, technical analysis and project related services to support the delivery of programmes, 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 programmes, 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 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

•     Supports robust portfolio wide results-based reporting on climate mitigation related to FAO's GEF portfolio.
•     Leads GHG appraisal of FAO projects, including GEF projects, at formulation, implementation and completion stage, as well as for project proposals and resource mobilization documents.
•     Provides technical support to project design and implementation support teams for the review, development and implementation of GEF-funded projects and related activities in order to maximize carbon benefits from FAO GEF investments.
•     Collaborates in the development and continuous improvement of FAO analytical tools and platforms that support countries' mitigation planning, climate investment prioritization and tracking of progress under the Paris Agreement.
•     Contributes to the implementation and reporting on OCB's climate change mitigation activities relating to the FAO's Climate Change Strategy and the Programme of Work, working in close collaboration with relevant technical units in HQs and country/regional offices.
•     Assists in advancing FAO's engagement in international climate change processes related to mitigation, including UNFCCC COPs and intersessional meetings, and related technical initiatives.
•     Supports knowledge exchanges, networking, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration on the topic with international partners and multi-stakeholders, including the private sector, to identify new opportunities for collaboration.
•     Contributes to capacity building of FAO staff at HQ and DOs, including GEF Technical Officers (GTOs) and external stakeholders on climate mitigation analytical tools and platforms, through the organisation and delivery of training and learning events.
•     Monitors quality control and assurance of carbon accounting exercises including those conducted by FAO-GEF project proponents and implementation teams.
•     Monitors policy, legal and technical developments at national, regional and international levels that are relevant to FAO's work on climate change.
•     Performs other tasks as required.

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in natural resources, environmental sciences, climate change, agriculture or a related field.
•     Five years of relevant experience in climate change mitigation, GHG accounting, and/or mitigation-related project design and implementation.
•     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 and knowledge of climate mitigation under the Paris Agreement, the UNFCCC processes, in particular on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), mitigation planning and implementation, and UNFCCC reporting and implementation processes.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in design and implementation of climate change mitigation projects financed through international climate finance mechanisms including the GEF and/or GCF.
•     Extent and relevance of experience in the use or development of GHG accounting and mitigation assessment tools and methodologies, such as FAO's NEXT.
•     Demonstrated experience in developing and/or managing digital tools or platforms supporting climate change mitigation planning, NDC mitigation targets' implementation, and/or transparency and reporting of GHG inventories under the Paris Agreement.
•     Demonstrated skills and experiences in working in multidisciplinary teams and networks related to practices.