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FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants 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
- FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.
Organizational Setting
The Bahamas is a low-lying small island archipelago which is highly susceptible to climate change impacts such as rising sea levels, increased frequency and intensity of hurricanes and coral reef degradation. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas Government has made substantial efforts in accessing resources from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to mitigate the impacts of climate change. As part of these efforts, the Green Climate Fund has approved the implementation of the Readiness Project "Preparation of a Strategic Framework to Reduce Deforestation and Forest Degradation and enhance adaptive capacity in the Bahamas,”. The primary objective of this project is to fortify existing policy frameworks, enhance sectoral knowledge and expertise, and create a favourable environment for GCF programs. The readiness activities will furnish essential baseline data, inform future decision-making on climate change priorities, and support the development of concept notes and proposals for the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, including activities related to REDD . It is based on the theory that IF the Bahamas, develop a REDD strategy, set up a National Forest and Land use monitoring system, implement a long-term capacity building for mainstreaming data collection, analysis and produces up-to-day data from the LULUCF, then deforestation and forest degradation will be reduced because national institutions would have an effective coordination mechanism, sustainable forest management would be promoted, and climate investment plans would be funded.
The project is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with the Department of Environment Protection and Planning (DEPP) as executing partner, and the Foresty Unit as the main counterpart.
FAO’s Forestry Unit is engaged in supporting governments around the world to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, supporting its member countries in implementing their mitigation strategies, investment plans and forest-related Nationally Determined Contributions. FAO is also providing much support to countries in accessing carbon finance, including through support for reporting and verification of REDD reference levels and results. Through the project, the REDD Strategy and the action plan will be elaborated, addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. National priorities are to be identified based on inputs from various stakeholder groups such as farmers, Indigenous Peoples, local governments and private institutions, non-governmental organizations and inclusive of considerations of gender and vulnerable groups.
For more information about the project, please review: Preparation of Strategic Framework to Reduce Deforestation and Forest Degradation and enhance adaptive capacity in the Bahamas | Green Climate Fund
Reporting Lines
The Climate Change Research Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Operations Manager FAO and under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Jamaica, as well as the Assistant FAO Representative of Programme (AFAOR Programme) in Jamaica. Technical guidance will be provided by the Climate finance REDD Specialist at FAO. The specialist will collaborate closely with relevant FAO technical units and staff, as well as national counterpart institutions and project partners, to ensure effective activities relating to the Climate and Forest Strategy formulation are in accordance with FAO rules and procedures.
Technical Focus
The primary objective of this specialist is to support the FAO Project Management Unit to provide input for the formulation of the Climate and Forest Strategy. This includes but is not limited to conducting research both primary and secondary to help elaborate the Climate and Forest Strategy. Findings will be incorporated into the draft plan and validated by stakeholders in the Land-use, Land-use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Analyze the zero draft of the Strategy to identify areas for improvement and information gaps that need to be addressed.
• Gather and analyze secondary data on national land-use classification schemes, carbon stock data, and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation through desk research.
• To support the MRV Specialist and Facilitator engaging key stakeholders (50% female participation) in The Bahamas LULUCF Sector through bilateral meetings, interviews, focus groups, participatory workshops.
• Collect and analyze the primary data required to help elaborate the Strategy.
• Systematize findings to prepare a report to be incorporated into the relevant sections of the draft strategy.
• Provide support in the development of the draft Strategy document to reflect national priorities and ensure alignment with existing climate change adaptation strategies and national policy frameworks.
• To support the Climate Finance REDD Specialist to develop a presentation highlighting the key elements of the Strategy for internal coordination within the FAO team and for dissemination.
• To Support the design of a national workshop or consultation
• Provide support for logistics, organization, facilitation, and documentation of the national workshop(s).
• To provide support and finalize the Strategy Document.
• Perform any other related duties as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in Forestry, Environmental Science, Economics, or Natural Resource Management.
• 2 years of relevant experience in forest, climate policy, natural resource management, or related fields in the Bahamas, with strong analytical and writing skills.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.
• National of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Familiarity with the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector in The Bahamas, including key stakeholders, policies, and institutional arrangements, is highly desirable
• Experience in developing national or sectoral strategies or planning documents, conducting stakeholder engagement processes, and facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops is highly desirable.
• Good documentation, record keeping and report-writing skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English.
• Familiarity with international climate frameworks (e.g., REDD , NDCs) would be considered an asset.
• Proven ability to plan and facilitate interviews, focus groups, and participatory workshops with diverse stakeholders (including women)
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate with multiple stakeholders (communities, government, NGOs) and build effective partnerships
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
- Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
- 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.
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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