Photo: FAO Regional Office for Africa

Job Posting: 01/Jun/2021

Closure Date: 30/Jun/2021, 12:59:00 AM

Organizational Unit: RAF

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: Consultant

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Various Locations

Duration: Up to 11 months

Post Number: N/A

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Africa, (RAF), leads FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organisation in the region and, in collaboration with technical divisions and units at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities. In its programme delivery, RAF contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) as well as to supporting achievement of the broader SDG agenda, which is crucial for attaining FAO’s overall vision. 

Africa’s forests and natural resources including wildlife have a unique role in contributing to the attainment of the aspirations of the “Agenda 2063, the Africa We Want”, which envisages a prosperous continent with the means to drive its own development through the sustainable, long-term stewardship of its resources. However, Africa’s forestry sector is faced with many challenges that limit its capacity to provide meaningful and sustainable ecosystem services including contributing to socio-economic development. These include weak forest and land-use policies, unsustainable forest management practices, competition for land from the agriculture, mining, illicit exploitation and trade of forest and wildlife products, livestock, energy sector and settlements.

In this context, the FAO Regional Office of Africa through its Regional Thematic Priority on climate action and sustainable natural resource management is committed to support member states to reverse deforestation and forest degradation, prevent and combat land degradation and desertification, mitigate and adapt to climate change, conserve and restore biodiversity, improve food and nutrition security, and build a green economy.  

Furthermore, as part of its Secretariat role to the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC), RAF is supporting the implementation of the AFWC Action Programme, the establishment and implementation of the activities of its five related working groups, as well as organizing the sessions of  AFWC and African Forestry and Wildlife Weeks. An important step into achieving these results will be through the preparation of AFWC Secretariat documents, convening of participatory multistakeholder deliberations and coordinating knowledge management, capacity development, conducting studies and exchange of best practices and information.

Reporting Lines

The consultant will work under the direct supervision the Senior Forestry Officer, Team Leader for Climate Action and Sustainable Natural Resources Management, in close coordination with the Programme Officer, Forestry and the oversight of the Regional Programme Leader.

Technical Focus

Technical expertise is required in one or more of the following areas: Forest and natural resources policy and management in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Forestry, wildlife, natural resources governance, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, community forestry, forest and landscape restoration, forest and wildlife value chains, agroecology, ecosystem services.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development, technical backstopping and implementation of Forestry, wildlife and natural resources related projects.
• Contribute to the preparation and organization of the upcoming session(s) of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission and of the African Forest and Wildlife Weeks, including through supporting secretariat tasks,  information collection and analysis, preparation, proofreading and editing of Secretariat documents
• Assist in the implementation of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission action programme and in the organization of AFWC working groups meetings and reporting to member countries
• Contribute to the mapping and stocktaking of forestry and natural resources management projects and initiatives as well as partners at country or regional level, identifying successes, good practices, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations to feed lessons learning and projects development in Africa
• Assist in the development and implementation of forestry, wildlife, and natural resources regional programme, projects and related annual workplans
• Support the formulation of projects to be submitted to donors and preparation  of technical reports
• Compile relevant information and studies, develop case studies on best practices, knowledge sharing on forest sustainable management and restoration, wildlife sustainable management, and natural resources management.
• Contribute to the preparation and dissemination of information through the knowledge sharing platform
• Contribute to the technical preparation and review of the regional forestry outlook studies and the nature & faune journal.
• Conduct stakeholders meeting, webinars, workshops, and trainings at country and regional levels for the benefit of targeted stakeholders and local communities.
• Perform other duties as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree, PhD or equivalent in forestry, wildlife, natural resources management, environmental or agricultural science) with strong focus on Forestry, wildlife and natural resource policy and management.
• 5 years of relevant experience in forestry, wildlife, natural resources policy and management, including forest finance and economics, or forestry and wildlife education, ecosystem services, food security and nutrition, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, forest and landscape restoration, and sustainable value chain analysis or development of wood and non-wood forest products.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Preferably French or Spanish) for Consultants.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Working knowledge of French, Spanish and/or Portuguese is considered an asset.
• Extent of experience in formulation and /or implementation of forestry and natural resources related projects (GEF, EU and/ or other financial partners (including bilateral cooperation and International Financing Instruments, in particular in Africa region.

For more information and details on how to apply, click on the link below: