Forestry Policies 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

The cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Ukraine has been designed to reinforce national capacities and to contribute to the broader development of agriculture, sustainable management of forests and fisheries, and animal and plant disease control. FAO is also contributing to building resilience and supporting early recovery in conflict-affected regions by supporting the economic recovery of farmers and rural communities. FAO’s presence in Ukraine has been scaled up across it three offices located in Kyiv, Lviv; Kharkiv and Dnipro under the overall responsibility of the Head of the FAO Office/Designated Responsible Officer in Ukraine.

The recent and large-scale escalation in hostilities in Ukraine is exacerbating the already dire food security situation of the most vulnerable rural households and small farmers. In response to the evolving situation, FAO Ukraine is scaling up its emergency humanitarian and resilience programming in conflict-affected areas of Ukraine, including previous areas of focus such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson; Lviv and Zakarpattia in the West; and newly affected and newly accessible areas. In order to address the rapidly deteriorating situation, FAO us guided by its Rapid Response Plan (RRP) that is aligned with the Humanitarian

Response Plan (HRP) and the UN’s Transitional Framework for Ukraine land focuses on responding to immediate needs by providing life and livelihood-saving assistance to the most vulnerable smallholder farming households impacted by the conflict as well as to providing urgent support to the country’s agrifood sector which contributes to both national and international food security. Supporting the capacity of the Government of Ukraine to sustain critical food system services is also a key pillar of the Plan.

This assignment will be home-based, with work being executed during FAO Ukraine office hours.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of FAO Ukraine’s Head of Programme and the direct supervision of the Senior International Forestry Expert and Project Manager of project GCP/UKR/021/EC.

Technical Focus

The Forestry Policy Specialist will play a pivotal role in providing technical and policy support for the sustainable development and governance of the forestry sector in Ukraine, including policy alignment with the EU framework, institutional strengthening, and support to national partners under the FAO Forestry Support Strategy 2023–2027.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide technical support to the Project Coordinator and FAO forestry experts in matters related to forestry policy and governance in Ukraine, including alignment with relevant EU requirements and best practices.

• Contribute to policy dialogue, analytical work, and research activities related to forestry and natural resource management policies in Ukraine.

• Participate in field missions, study tours, and stakeholder consultations when needed.

• Support the preparation of project reports, concept notes, and related documentation as required.

• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s level degree in Forestry, Forestry Policies, Forest Economy, or a related field, or a Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of relevant work experience in the forestry sector.

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in forestry.

• Working knowledge (Level C or native) of English

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to work effectively under pressure, adapt to evolving and complex humanitarian contexts, and operate within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and motivational skills, with a proven ability to work as part of a team.

• Capacity to meet tight deadlines and work independently with minimal supervision.

• Good knowledge of humanitarian principles.

Selection Criteria

• Good knowledge of MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

• Demonstrated experience in the development, implementation, or analysis of Ukrainian forestry policies.

• Knowledge of the Ukrainian forestry sector, including institutional structures, regulatory frameworks, and current reform processes, is an asset.

• Knowledge of international forestry policies, strategies, and best practices.

• Familiarity with international forestry institutions, mechanisms, and policy frameworks.

• Additional international experience in forestry policy or governance, particularly within EU countries, will be considered a strong asset.

• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Working knowledge (Level C) or native Ukrainian would be considered an asset.

• An advanced-level degree will be considered an advantage

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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