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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 FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (SEC) supports countries in promoting sustainable, resilient and productive forest landscapes across the subregion. Its forestry work covers a broad range of thematic areas, including sustainable forest management and forest monitoring, forest and landscape restoration, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, climate action and resilience, as well as capacity development and forest policy.
The Forestry Specialist will provide technical expertise to FAO SEC’s forestry portfolio, contributing to the development, implementation and technical quality of forestry initiatives across these thematic areas, with particular emphasis on sustainable forest management.
Reporting Lines
The Forestry Specialist reports to the Forestry Officer at the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (SEC), under the overall supervision of the Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia, and works in close coordination with relevant FAO technical officers and teams.
Technical Focus
Sustainable and multifunctional forest management, with particular emphasis on forest management planning, forest resource assessment and monitoring, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, forest and landscape restoration, climate resilience, and the application of evidence-based approaches, methodologies and tools for sustainable forest management.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Provide substantive technical expertise and advisory support on sustainable forest management (SFM), multifunctional forest management and related forestry matters, contributing to the formulation, implementation and technical oversight of FAO SEC’s forestry activities at national and subregional levels;
• Undertake technical assessments of forest management systems, planning frameworks and management practices, including institutional, ecological and operational dimensions, and identify technical gaps, constraints, opportunities and priority areas for strengthening sustainable forest management;
• Provide technical expertise for the development, review and application of forest management planning approaches, methodologies and tools, including multifunctional and ecosystem-based approaches that address the ecological, social and economic functions of forests;
• Analyse and synthesize forest-related data, technical assessments, national experiences, management practices and lessons learned, and translate findings into technically sound recommendations, methodologies and operational guidance for forestry institutions and practitioners;
• Provide technical inputs for the integration of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate change adaptation and mitigation, forest and landscape restoration, and other relevant environmental considerations into forest management policies, planning processes and management practices;
• Contribute to forest resource assessment, monitoring and information management, including the appropriate application of forest inventory data, geospatial information, digital tools and other relevant information sources to support evidence-based forest management and planning;
• Develop, review and provide quality assurance of technical guidelines, methodologies, technical specifications, analytical reports, assessments, training materials and other forestry-related technical and knowledge products;
• Provide technical guidance to the design, implementation, monitoring and review of national and subregional forestry initiatives, including field-based and pilot interventions, and assess their technical consistency with sustainable forest management principles, applicable methodologies and relevant FAO guidance;
• Identify, assess and promote technically sound and context-appropriate forestry practices, methodologies and innovations, and facilitate the adaptation and application of relevant international and regional approaches to national forest management contexts;
• Plan, coordinate and technically facilitate national and regional workshops, expert consultations, technical meetings, training activities and other forestry-related events, including the development of technical agendas and background materials, presentation of technical findings, facilitation of technical discussions and follow-up on agreed recommendations;
• Contribute to capacity development and technical knowledge exchange among forestry administrations, forest management institutions, practitioners and other relevant stakeholders, including through the preparation and delivery of technical presentations, training materials and knowledge products;
• Liaise and collaborate with FAO technical units, national forestry authorities, research and academic institutions, forestry practitioners, experts and other relevant stakeholders to promote technical coordination, exchange of expertise and dissemination of good practices;
• Contribute to the identification, documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, good practices and emerging approaches in sustainable forest management across the subregion;
• Perform other related duties as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in forestry, forest management, natural resource management or a closely related field. Consultants with a bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
• At least five years of relevant professional experience in forestry, with demonstrated technical experience in sustainable forest management, forest management planning and related forestry disciplines.
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Strong technical knowledge of sustainable and multifunctional forest management, including forest management planning principles, approaches and practices;
• Demonstrated ability to assess forest management systems and practices, identify technical and institutional gaps and formulate technically sound and context-appropriate recommendations;
• Sound knowledge of forest resource assessment, forest inventory and monitoring approaches, and their application in forest management planning and decision-making;
• Sound technical knowledge of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, forest and landscape restoration, ecosystem-based approaches, and climate change adaptation and mitigation, and their integration into sustainable forest management and planning;
• Experience in the development, review and application of forestry methodologies, technical guidelines, management planning approaches and other technical tools;
• Ability to analyse and synthesize complex technical information and translate findings into practical guidance, recommendations and high-quality technical products;
• Knowledge and practical experience in the application of geospatial information, GIS and digital approaches relevant to forest assessment, monitoring and management planning;
• Experience in providing technical inputs to field-based forestry activities and in reviewing the technical quality and consistency of forestry interventions;
• Experience in planning and technically facilitating workshops, expert consultations, training activities and other capacity-development processes;
• Ability to work effectively with national forestry authorities, technical institutions, experts and other stakeholders in multidisciplinary and multi-country settings;
• Strong technical drafting, communication and presentation skills in English;
• Relevant professional experience in Central Asia and/or in international or regional forestry programmes is considered an asset.
• Knowledge (Level B) of one of the other FAO official languages is an asset.
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 any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
- Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
- 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 more information, visit the FAO employment website
- 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
• 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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