Senior Land Tenure Officer (Land Consolidation Advisor)

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

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.

Organizational Setting

The FAO Representation in Georgia (FEGEO) is a multi-accreditation office of the Organization with a non-residential FAO Representative. FEGEO is leading FAO's response to the national priorities related to food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning, and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the country. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the country closely interlinked with and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in Georgia (UNSDCF) and the FAO Country Programme Framework (CPF). FEGEO formulates and implements the programme drawing on technical expertise from the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) and headquarters as well as closely working with resource and development partners and stakeholders in the public and private sector, academia, and civil society. FEGEO has a broad portfolio of projects implemented with a team of national and international staff based in several offices throughout the country. FAO's main areas of work, based on the CPF, are focused on development of agriculture and food systems, rural development, food safety and consumer protection, environmental protection and climate change.

The position is located in the FAO Representation in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Land Tenure Officer (Land Consolidation Advisor) will work under the direct supervision of the FAO Representative in Georgia and in close technical collaboration of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO). The Senior Land Tenure Officer will also collaborate with other FAO consultants, professionals and administrative staff in FAO Georgia, REU and headquarters.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will be recruited under the UTF/GEO/034/GEO-F project titled, Formulation and design of Land Consolidation in Georgia.

The overarching goal of the project is to support the introduction of a fully operational land consolidation instrument in Georgia integrated with irrigation rehabilitation in the World Bank Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land (GRAIL) Project. The project is expected to contribute to future increased agricultural production and investments, more efficient land use and use of water for agricultural purposes, more dynamic land markets, improved access to credit, and improved access to land and strengthened land rights, including for women who own land alone or jointly with men.

Land consolidation in Georgia is expected to result in more efficient farm structures through reduction of land fragmentation and the voluntary facilitation of farm enlargement and in this way contribute to local agricultural development. Land consolidation is planned to be introduced in a multi-purpose approach, integrating the objective of agricultural development with additional public objectives related to nature, environment and climate change adaptation and mitigation depending on the situation in the project areas.

The project will result in a National Land Consolidation Strategy document, legal framework for land consolidation, implementation of land consolidation pilot projects and the development of technical and administrative capacity for implementation of land consolidation projects and management of a future national land consolidation programme.

Key Results

Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of Programmes of work, projects, products, services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework and in alignment with the Organization's Gender Policy.

Key Functions

• Plans, manages, or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams, leads, coordinates, and/or participates in Divisional and/or Regional committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.

• Analyzes global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.

• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks.

• Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.

• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to decentralized offices in the development and implementation of their programmes;

• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality / effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning, on-line tools.

• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders.

• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions

The Senior Land Tenure Officer (Land Consolidation Advisor) will plan, lead and coordinate the implementation of FAO's land tenure and consolidation activities, currently established through the UTF/GEO/034/GEO-F project. Specifically, the incumbent will\:

• Provide technical guidance to ensure proper implementation of the project work plan and budget.

• Manage the various project components (outputs) and related teams, ensuring the cohesion and coordination between different components (outputs) of the project.

• Identify and address obstacles and challenges identified during Project implementation.

• Guide and monitor FAO project staff, maintaining close cooperation with government counterparts, to ensure timely delivery of outputs to an acceptable standard.

• Lead in periodic monitoring and backstopping field missions to land consolidation pilot project sites, including provision of guidance to project staff.

• Provide based on European good practice recommendations to the government related to land consolidation policy and legislation.

• Lead the implementation of land consolidation pilot projects.

• Lead the development and delivery of various written outputs, including background papers, analyses, training materials, technical reports from the contributing teams and review them before submission for clearance.

• Promote the identification and record of good practices and lessons learned from the project for sharing and learning within FAO as well as externally, as appropriate.

• Contribute to consultative and other meetings and participate as speaker in workshops, conferences and other events related to the introduction of land consolidation and land banking, as appropriate.

• Work closely with the Government's competent authorities to discuss needs, and tailor advice and project activities to respond.

• Provide advice regarding the development and implementation of policies to national and local authorities based on project experience.

• Lead technical discussions and provide policy advice and expertise, in collaboration with and under the technical guidance of the LTO and other relevant FAO technical officers.

• Design, conduct and coordinate research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to allow for the collection of data for progress indicators and the assessment of the implementation of the programme in technical aspects as defined in the project logical framework.

• Liaise with the LTO and other FAO technical officers in headquarters and REU to obtain technical inputs and technical clearances on technical reports and presentations.

• Support and build capacity of the project teams of FAO and the government to ensure timely technical support and capacity development provided to relevant stakeholders and project partners during the implementation of the project workplan.

• Promote linkages, dialogue and technical cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in Georgia, including government institutions, donors, private sector companies and civil society organizations, and participate in technical platforms and coordination fora, meetings and conferences for the benefit of the participating communities.

• Identify, establish and manage partnerships for the implementation of land consolidation projects and a future national land consolidation programme.

• Ensure information sharing with other projects or programmes in the country or internationally.

• Perform any other related duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in land administration, geomatics, land management, economics, law or related fields.

• Ten years of relevant experience in land administration, land management, land consolidation and land banking, policy advice/assistance, programme or project management and analysis related to land consolidation.

• 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

• Leading, Engaging and Empowering

• Communication

• Partnering and Advocating

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

• Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.

• Relevance of academic qualifications.

• Knowledge and experience related to the introduction of land consolidation instruments in countries in Eastern

• Europe, including land consolidation policy, legislation and practical implementation.

• Experience with implementation of land consolidation and land banking projects and programmes in European

• countries with a well-proven land consolidation tradition.

• Experience with developing capacity for land consolidation and land banking.

• Excellent report writing and analytical skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and high-quality reports for

• diverse audiences.

• Experience working in the UN or other international organizations is desirable.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working in the Europe and Central Asia region, with experience in more

• than one location, including field-based roles.

• Senior-level experience in project management and working in multidisciplinary, multicultural teams.

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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;
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile;
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http\://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• 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.

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