Technical Officer (GEF Climate Change Adaptation Thematic Advisor)

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• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
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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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through 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.

FAO is a specialized technical UN Agency, bringing unique technical knowledge, information and capacity to bear on one of the world's great challenges: feeding 9 billion people while conserving the environment. FAO has been an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) since 2006. The FAO-GEF portfolio - currently comprised of over 200 projects worth over USD 1 billion in GEF investments - is growing steadily as countries demand more of what FAO has to offer. As a GEF Agency, FAO works with Member Nations and partners to access GEF financing for strategic projects that help countries to adapt to climate change and strengthen their climate resilience while improving agriculture production, accessing value chains, reducing hunger and improving nutrition.

The GEF-8 Programme is aligned more than ever with FAO's core competencies and strategic priorities in the areas, including sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land and water management. FAO's GEF portfolio extends across all five of GEF's focal areas (Biodiversity, Climate Change, Land Degradation, International Waters, and Chemicals and Waste) as well as the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF), also administered by the GEF.
Since 2015, FAO has mobilized nearly USD 240 million in resources for Member Countries under the LCDF and the SCCF, two funds dedicated to climate change adaptation. In the GEF-7 funding cycle, FAO has mobilized early 30 percent of all resources in LDCF for eligible Member Countries, and the opportunities for FAO to provide climate change adaptation solutions for least developed countries will likely grow under GEF-8.

The OCB-GEF Unit provides thematic advice and guidance to FAO in the key priority programming areas of the GEF and works closely with colleagues from across FAO to help Member Nations in developing projects for GEF financing. This position will serve as the FAO-GEF Thematic Advisor on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and will provide high quality thematic guidance and specific technical knowledge to the OCB-GEF team, the FAO-GEF team, countries and partners to support project development and implementation. The position will also serve as a Funding Liaison Officer for a portfolio of projects.

The post is located in the GEF Unit in the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Technical Officer (GEF Climate Change Adaptation Thematic Advisor) reports to the Senior Coordinator, GEF Unit, and works in close coordination with the respective OCB-GEF Regional Lead.

Technical Focus
A) Strategic thematic advice and guidance on GEF CCA programming priorities and approaches as they relate to FAO's comparative advantages and strategic framework;
B) Identification, design, implementation support and monitoring of FAO-GEF projects and programmes. It includes strategic and policy work, with a focus on the nexus of agriculture, climate change and resilience, biological diversity mainstreaming, land, water, fisheries, forestry, natural capital and ecosystem services.

Key Results
Provision of technical expertise for the development, approval and delivery of environmental investment projects for FAO Member Countries in accordance with FAO Strategic Framework, GEF Programming Directions and country priorities.

Key Functions

• Provides technical expertise and project design guidance to project proponents in the identification, development and implementation of natural resource/environmental project proposals that address country priorities and further FAO and GEF (or other environmental funds) strategic objectives, programme priorities and operational policies and procedures.
• Contributes to the strategic programming of FAO's GEF work, and assists in coordinating GEF team work for respective region.
• Participates in, and potentially leads, multidisciplinary teams to assist governments and Decentralized Offices in the identification and formulation of natural resource and environmental management projects for financing by the GEF Trust Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) or other environmental funds.
• Ensures quality control at all stages of the GEF project cycle in line with GEF eligibility criteria and alignment with GEF Programming Directions.
• Coordinates the preparation and approval of project proposals and as required takes a lead role in drafting proposals.
• Assists in the management of the FAO-GEF portfolio, monitors and supervises implementation of assigned projects and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Keeps abreast of new developments and requirements in the GEF-managed and other environmental funds.
• Contributes to the preparation of the annual Project Implementation Reviews (PIR) and to FAO's reporting to the GEF Secretariat and GEF Council.
• Participates in the design and delivery of capacity development activities to FAO technical staff in headquarters and Decentralized Offices on the strategies, priorities and procedures, trends and issues related to GEF, adaptation and other environmental funds.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Specific Functions
CCA Thematic Advisor

• Advises the OCB-GEF Unit and FAO-GEF community to support the development of a resource mobilization approach for a robust portfolio of projects and programmes under the GEF's LDCF, SCCF, Challenge Programme and the GEF Trust Fund for multi-trust fund projects.
• Works with Senior Coordinator and team to strengthen quality assurance and technical coherence for FAO-GEF proposals as related to best practices in LDCF projects.
• Serves as the primary point of contact in FAO for CCA work and liaise regularly with the GEF LDCF/SCCF team and other key partners to inform a programmatic approach for FAO's global and regional and national initiatives in the GEF's climate change adaptation work.
• Provides regular updates and briefings to the FAO-GEF community on GEF CCA programming priorities, tracks developments on FAO's engagement with the UNFCCC and advises on best practices and use of tools and approaches for LDCF/SCCF project design and implementation.
• Engages with the FAO lead experts and divisional focal points on CCA and resilience to ensure synergies with respective FAO strategic priorities, including the FAO Climate Change Strategy, Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, OCB support for National Adaptation Plans and NDCs and FAO's Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund planning.
• Engages and establishes working relationships with partners, including government, the private sector and civil society and across FAO in order to build programmes and projects.

FAO-GEF Funding Liaison Officer

• Serves as a regional technical FAO-GEF Funding Liaison Officer for select projects in Africa, in balance with global Thematic Advisor responsibilities.
• Leads the formulation and implementation of complex GEF programmes and projects within a regional portfolio, ensuring operational viability and due compliance with the Organization's policy standards and best practices, as well as convergence with GEF policies and priorities.
• Collaborates with GEF Unit colleagues to ensure projects within a regional portfolio are prepared effectively and efficiently within the 12-month project preparation phase from concept approval to project document submission and are managed efficiently to achieve key milestones throughout the project cycle in a timely manner, including start up, first disbursement and closure.
• Provides critical technical inputs to robust regional portfolio management and the maintenance of programme/project and portfolio information and FAO project information systems.
• Provides high quality products, inputs and support to meet the standards of the Project Implementation Reviews, Mid-term Reviews and Terminal Evaluations.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in natural resources management or related biological sciences, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, social sciences, international policy or related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in designing and implementing innovative climate change adaptation programming at the nexus between agriculture and the environment, including providing policy advice and analysis, applying innovative tools and approaches in environmental, and monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes.
• Working knowledge of English (proficient - level C) and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of one of the other FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions. is desirable;
• Demonstrated analytical and conceptual skills with proven ability to write project documents and papers in English and ability to analyse and integrate information and insights from multiple sectors.
• Extent and relevance of experience and success in mobilizing resources and building a portfolio of CCA projects and/or programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to apply decision support and knowledge management tools and methods for climate change adaptation, including the priorities of the UNFCCC.
• Extent and relevance of experience in communicating with a wide range of stakeholders and in providing clear technical and policy advice to project proponents at national, subregional and regional levels about GEF priorities, results-based management and monitoring.
• Extent and relevance of experience in preparation of innovative resilience-based climate change adaptation investments in the agriculture, forestry, and other land use sectors (particularly GEF projects and programmes) and supervision of multidisciplinary projects.
• Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the GEF focal thematic areas (biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, chemicals and waste) that in turn is relevant to FAO's priorities and comparative advantages.
• Extent and relevance of experience with and knowledge of the procedures of GEF and other environmental funds.