Community-based Fisheries Management Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) advances the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. This effort promotes better production, improved nutrition, a healthier environment, and enhanced livelihoods, ensuring no one is left behind.

The Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing, and implementing strategies and projects that drive the transformation of food, agriculture, and rural development. It also fosters and maintains relationships with subregional institutions.

The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP).

Resilient Islands, Resilient Communities’ project (GCP/KIR/009/GFF) is a five-year project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Kiribati Government. FAO is the Implementing Agency (IA) and is providing the technical support to the Kiribati Government in implementing the project. The Ministry of Environment, Land and Agriculture Development (MELAD), the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development (MFMRD), and the Island Councils are the main executing partners and national counterparts for the project. The project will be working closely with other partners within the public and private sectors as well as with members of the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). The project aims to improve biodiversity conservation and landscape level management to enhance socio-ecological resilience to climate variability and change.

Under the overall administrative leadership of FAO Sub-regional Representative for the Pacific Islands in Samoa and under the direct technical guidance and supervision of the Project Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) as well as with close collaboration and consultation with relevant Government Ministries, the Community-based Fisheries Management Officer will work in direct collaboration with the Coastal Fisheries Division (CFD) within the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources (MFOR) to strengthen capacity on R2R (Ridge to Reef) and whole island approach to the coastal fisheries sector through promoting incorporation of CBFM considerations fisheries policies, plans and programmes/projects and implementing related capacity development activities in the project areas.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Subregional Coordinator for the Pacific and the direct supervision of the Technical Adviser, who is the project team leader, the Community-based Fisheries Management Specialist will perform the following tasks and responsibilities\:

Technical Focus

Provide support in technical implementation and coordination of community-based fisheries management and related GCP/KIR/009/GFF project activities in Kiribati, ensuring stakeholder engagement, financial oversight, data analysis, and policy support.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Facilitate and support all aspects of the GCP/KIR/009/GFF project implementation in Kiribati;
• Act as Focal Point and first point of contact for the project for stakeholders and interested parties from the field when it comes to fisheries activities;
• Support MFOR accounts to ensure smooth facilitation of Letter of Agreement (LoAs) funding disbursement and warrant release by MFED and NEPO for project activities including reconciliation of finances;
• Maintain strong working relationships with all stakeholders (particularly Ministries, outer islands local authorities, elders, fishing cooperatives, etc.) in project areas and ensure their active involvement with project interventions;
• Establish dialogue with stakeholders and outer islands in general, to develop an understanding of local requirements, constraints and issues to be consider through project activities;
• Ensure regular communications with MFOR to integrate FAO and project activities harmoniously within the development plans and objectives of the MFOR;
• Conduct participatory field work, research and consultations in outer islands;
• Facilitate, with other members of the Project Team, meetings and trainings in communities and other locations;
• Contribute in producing reports for activities, including\: technical reports, trip reports and project progress reports as per LoAs with CFD;
• Take the lead towards the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community-based fisheries management plans.
• Support CFD to identify fisheries priority activities for the project islands and contribute synergies with other projects;
• Participate in the collection, compilation, analysis, and reporting of data and information for activities specified in the project work plan.
• Contribute, as appropriate, to the development of policy and legal frameworks to support community-based fisheries management plans;
• Contribute to developing LoAs, training materials, such as guidelines, presentations and other resources management, awareness and educational information.
• Contribute where applicable to project and MFOR publications such as Fisheries Newsletters and annual reports;
• Perform other related duties as required.

FAO Standards and guidelines\:

• Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
• All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including\:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31\: https\://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines\: https\://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines\: https\://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE https\://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http\://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names of Countries https\://www.fao.org/nocs/en   
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).
• Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Marine resources management; Coastal fisheries management; Community-based management; Sustainable development; Social Science or a related field
• Five years of relevant experience in agriculture project management roles preferably in multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder initiatives in the natural resources and community-based management fields, especially within Kiribati
• Working knowledge of English and Kiribati
• National of Kiribati

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Efficiency, competence and integrity as well as negotiating skills, tact and diplomacy are essential.
• Able to work with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural project partners at regional and international level.
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable.
• Extent of knowledge of FAO standard operational rules and procedures and project/programme administrative management procedures.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with experience liaising between diverse project stakeholders.
• Extent of knowledge of FAO’s corporate systems and database, or knowledge of other accounting or financial modules or applications relevant to accounting procedures or project budget management would be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated analytical and judgment skills and ability to apply rules and regulations in the subject field.

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated experience in community-based fisheries management, managing communication strategies, developing branding materials, and coordinating multimedia content for regional or international projects.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION