FAO GEF Project Implementation Support Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a financing mechanism for five international environmental conventions; the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

FAO’s GEF portfolio has more than doubled in the past 8 years. With this growth comes increasing demand for project portfolio monitoring and implementation support as the GEF prioritizes enhanced efficiency in the project cycle phases and links resource availability to projects’ achieving key milestones within hard deadlines.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will report to the Senior Coordinator of the GEF Coordination Unit, Climate and Environment Division.

Technical Focus

The FAO Project Implementation Support Specialists provide support along the entire project life cycle with the emphasis on the project implementation phase through project closure. The incumbent will work closely with Technical Officers in the GEF Unit, the FAO Budget Holder for each project, and operations officers in regional and sub-regional offices.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Maintain and monitor project fields in the FAO projects database (FPMIS) and its successor for up to 50 projects;

• Provide quality assurance in the monitoring and evaluation milestones as required by the GEF and FAO\:

1. Project Inception Report
2. Annual reporting Project Implementation Review (PIR) and Project Progress Report (PPR)
3. Mid Term Review (MTR) & Terminal Evaluation (TE)
4. Tracking Tools or Results Framework Indicators at CEO Endorsement, MTR and TE Stage
5. Risk management assessment (semi-annually)

• Monitor project delivery, review budgets, and provide input and support to Budget Holders (BH) for budget revisions, and advise Budget Holders on how to increase project delivery;

• Prepare periodic reports covering key parameters of FAO’s project cycle efficiency and flagging at risk situations in need of action and follow up from the project task force.

• Ensure BH complete the annual PIR exercise on time and facilitate processing and timely review of PIR by Technical Funding Liaison Officers.

• Liaise with the GEF Unit M&E officer and provide portfolio level tracking of and provide inputs to the organization and scheduling of MTRs, TE, and the project closure process and on this.

• Provide inputs to and facilitate Budget Holders’ preparation of annual project work plans, and project fee work plans.

• Ensure compliance with GEF policy in terms of budgeting and use of funds;

• Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing of project achievements at different stages of the project cycle (PIR, MTR, TE and as needed) and contribute to FAO-GEF’s communication work in this respect.

• Assist Portfolio Analyst in regional portfolio analysis, ensuring all data necessary for the analysis is collected from country offices and consistent for any specific projects.

• Provide inputs for FAO’s reporting to the GEF Secretariat and GEF Council;

• Prepare and participate in missions for country support and provide capacity support to country office and project teams.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

• Advanced university degree in (for Consultants) / University degree (only for PSA) in social science, economics, natural resource management, development studies, political science, international relations, business administration and finance, management, information systems, communication or related fields.
• 5 years of relevant experience in results-based, project monitoring and analysis, project financial planning and budgeting project planning including practical experience in project formulation, appraisal, implementation.
• Working knowledge of English, with ability of writing reports, and at least a B level of French or Spanish. For PSAs working knowledge of English is sufficient.

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

• Extent and relevance of experience in project operational monitoring and implementation support
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable
• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge of UN and international resource partners’ policies, procedures, project cycle
• and results based monitoring and reporting
• Ability to promote effective partnerships and to work independently and as team player
• Ability to give clear and concise guidance to colleagues and project partners