National Specialist in IAS Monitoring, Reporting and Communication

Job Description - National Specialist in IAS Monitoring, Reporting and Communication (2602036)

Job Description

2602036

National Specialist in IAS Monitoring, Reporting and Communication

Job Posting

Job Posting : 30/Sep/2026

Closure Date

Closure Date : 14/Oct/2026, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : FASRL - FAO Representation in Sri Lanka

Job Type

Job Type : Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition : PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Primary Location

Primary Location : Home-Based

Duration : 186 days

Post Number : N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity 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

Organizational Setting

FAO has secured funding from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) to implement the project UNJP/SRL/009/UNJ “Prevention and Control of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) for Enhanced Biosecurity in Sri Lanka.” The project aims to drive transformational change by addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss associated with IAS. Its primary objective is to establish a comprehensive and institutionalized national biosecurity framework that prevents future invasions, mitigates existing impacts, and enhances ecosystem resilience. This will be achieved through updates to policy, legal, operational, and institutional mechanisms for effective IAS management, thereby accelerating Sri Lanka’s implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) with scalable, sustainable solutions.

To support this work, FAO Sri Lanka is recruiting a National Specialist in IAS Monitoring, Reporting and Communication to provide technical expertise in establishing a sustainable national monitoring and reporting system for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) while leading communication and public awareness initiatives that promote biosecurity.

Reporting Lines

The National Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme). The National Specialist will work in close coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU), FAO Sri Lanka Communications Analyst, Biodiversity Expert, National Expert on Protocol Development, National Legal Specialist, National Policy Specialist, Knowledge Management Specialist, and relevant project stakeholders. The National Specialist will receive technical guidance and oversight from the Environment and Climate Change Specialist and the Lead Technical Officer throughout the assignment.

Technical Focus

• Sustainable IAS monitoring and reporting system development
• Management and updating of IAS-related data and information and strengthening of IAS information management system.
• Digital dashboard and repository development for IAS management
• Technical oversight and quality assurance of digital tool development
• Support for knowledge sharing and information management related to IAS monitoring and reporting
• Strengthening communication and knowledge-sharing approaches to support national IAS awareness
• Creation of communication materials and digital awareness content
• Strengthening communication channels and public information on IAS
• Facilitation of knowledge exchange and information-sharing on IAS
• Support for public awareness initiatives and communication activities related to IAS

Tasks and responsibilities

• Support the Project Manager in developing the functional and technical requirements and specifications for the procurement of a service provider to develop the IAS Digital Dashboard and Centralized Repository.
• Provide technical support for the preparation of Terms of Reference, evaluation criteria, and selection of