Forestry Officer

Organizational Setting

The Subregional Office for Mesoamerica (SLM) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed-upon strategies and projects for transforming agrifood systems and rural development. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions.

The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC).

The position is located in the Subregional Office for Mesoamerica (SLM) in Panama City, Panama.

Reporting Lines

The Forestry Officer reports programmatically (work planning, priorities, results) to the Regional Leader for sustainable and climate resilient agriculture and on a daily basis (daily guidance, coordinating leave, work schedule) to the Sub-Regional Coordinator for Mesoamerica (SLM). The Officer maintains regular contact with the Forestry Division (NFO) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, for technical guidance on forestry matters including sustainable forest management, community and social forestry, forest resources assessment and monitoring, forest and landscape restoration and interlinkages between forestry and the food and agricultural sectors.

The Forestry Officer has regional responsibilities in his/her areas of expertise. The Officer coordinates regularly with other Forestry Officers in the region and headquarters to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of regional priorities in response to country demands.

Technical Focus

Forestry's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13 and 15, as well as 1, 2, and 12. Sustainable forest policies, programmes, institutions and investments related to food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture and rural development and environmental well-being and resilience. Sustainable community forest management and conservation, forest economics, products, ecosystem services and marketing, forest ecosystem and landscape restoration, forest health (fires, biodiversity, and pest and diseases), monitoring and assessment, and role of forests in climate change. Policy dialogue, technical support and networking with regional, subregional and national forestry authorities, as well as with private sector, civil society organizations and scientific and academic partners.

Key Results

Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of regional programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with regional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Plans and leads components of multidisciplinary teams; leads and/or participates in internal committees, project teams and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases, etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services.
• Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/specialist/advice and expertise.
• Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing 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 international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Specific Functions

• Contributes to the regional and subregional vision, strategic planning, and programme development and implementation, based on country demands, ensuring and reporting on innovations and results.
• Through regional programmes, UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF) and Country Programming Frameworks, works with national public, private and academic institutions to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of national forest policies, programmes, institutions and investments that contribute at a large scale to the SDGs' production, social, environmental and climate targets.
• Contributes to and publishes state of the art analyses and knowledge products, managing knowledge to ensure that regional policy and programme recommendations are forward looking, aligned with the priorities of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the regional Forestry Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (COFLAC), and other current global forest related commitments and agreements, and are regularly updated with lessons and good practice from the field.
• Mobilizes and maintains strategic alliances, cooperation, partnerships (including with the private sector), communities of practice and resources to catalyse policy and institutional change, digital innovation, and supports country access to the FAO portfolio of Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Climate Adaptation Fund and other environmental and forest related programmes.
• Contributes to and serves as secretariat to regional and subregional policy bodies and technical networks, such as the Forestry Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (COFLAC), the Technical Committee on Forests of the Central American Commission for the Environment and Development (CCAD), the Latin American Technical Cooperation Network on National Parks, Other Protected Areas, Wild Flora and Fauna (REDPARQUES), among others.
• Represents FAO in diverse fora and the media.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in forest economics, forest resources management, social or community forestry, natural resources management or a related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience at country level in forest economics, sustainable forest management or ecosystem restoration, forest-based greenhouse gas (GHG) capture and emissions reduction or related field. Must include substantive experience in the formulation and implementation of forest-related policies.
• 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, is desirable.
• Prior experience in Latin America and the Caribbean is an asset.
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing, supporting and/or evaluating national forest policies, programmes, institutions and investments.
• A range of experience with diverse forest types and ecosystems, sustainable forest management and restoration systems, forest health and biodiversity, monitoring and assessment, agroforestry, technological innovations, and/or forest and tree management outside the forestry sector is an asset.
• Demonstrated capacity to analyse, through multidisciplinary teams, complex landscape and forestry ecosystem interactions from social, economic and environmental perspectives and to identify strategic entry points for promoting intersectoral approaches to achieve sustainable forestry management and reduce forest deforestation and degradation.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully mobilizing resources and investments, formulating programmes and/or working with major multilateral and bilateral funding sources and environmental resource partners.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of Spanish is highly desirable.