Agroecology and Agroforestry Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE\: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• 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

Organizational Setting

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO’s work in promoting sustainable forest and land management and advancing the contribution of trees and forests to poverty reduction, food security and nutrition. The Division supports Member States in the development of effective forest and agroforestry policies, restoration strategies, forest conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. NFO also collects, analyses, and disseminates global data on forests, agroforestry systems, and ecosystem services.

In Cabo Verde, FAO is supporting national efforts to strengthen sustainable agri-food systems, halt land degradation, promote climate-resilient agriculture, and enhance biodiversity conservation. The implementation of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) contributes to these priorities by providing harmonized field data on agroecological transitions and sustainable land-use practices. TAPE implementation is supported by the European Union and ongoing Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects, allowing the integration of field-level agroecological data into national planning for land degradation neutrality, agrobiodiversity monitoring, and nature-based solutions.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will report to the FAO Cabo Verde Representative and the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme). He/She will work in close coordination with the FAO Cabo Verde Forestry and Climate Change Expert, the NSPD-TAPE core team, and national project partners.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will support the planning, design, monitoring, and evaluation of agroecological and agroforestry systems; the implementation and national contextualization of the TAPE methodology; data collection and analysis; policy support for sustainable land and water management; and capacity development in agroecology, agrobiodiversity, and trees-outside-forests monitoring.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Consultant/PSA will support FAO’s normative and field activities on agroecology and agroforestry in Cabo Verde by carrying out the following tasks\:

• Support the national adaptation, contextualization, and field implementation of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE).

• Support the dissemination of TAPE results, including presentations, policy briefs, and communication materials

• Provide technical input for field data collection on agroecology, agrobiodiversity, land and water management, and sustainable food system practices.

• Gather, analyze and review latest scientific and other relevant information, including best practices and case studies;

• Contribute to the preparation of reports, guidelines and other publications;

• Contribute to the development and, if appropriate, to the delivery of capacity building and training materials;

• Contribute to the coordination, implementation and management of current projects and other activities in accordance with FAO and donor rules, procedures and systems;

• Contribute to the development of new projects/programmes in accordance with FAO and donor rules, procedures and systems;

• Contribute to the organization of regional and/or global events; and

• Carry out any other tasks as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in forestry, agriculture, agroecology, natural resources, environmental sciences, related fields;

• Minimum 3 years of relevant scientific experience in agrobiodiversity, sustainable land management, or agricultural systems in arid/semi-arid regions;

• Level C of English and working knowledge and excellent written and oral communication in Portuguese

• National of Cape Verde or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong communication skills in local Creole is an asset.

• Experience working with biodiversity databases and platforms related to ecological monitoring, natural resource management, and agrobiodiversity

• Proven skills in data collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of environmental and agroecological data;

• Experience with FAO frameworks and digital data collection tools (e.g., TAPE, Open Foris, Collect Earth) is highly desirable;

• Strong organizational and planning abilities, with the capacity to manage tasks independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams;

• Proven ability to engage with stakeholders across institutions, including government agencies, local communities, NGOs, and research partners.

Selection Criteria

• Curriculum vitae

• Interview

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• 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/
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website\: http\://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required. Vaccination status will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

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

• 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.

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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