Forestry Officer

Job Title: Forestry Officer

Job Summary: We are seeking a highly skilled Forestry Officer to join our team at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The successful candidate will provide technical support to the activities of the FAO-led Task Force on Best Practices and to NFO's work on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collect and analyze relevant technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional, and technology-related information, data, and/or statistics to support the delivery of programme projects, products, and services.
• Undertake analysis, provide technical input for plans and reports, and edit/revises technical/scientific documents.
• Participate in the development of improved work methods, tools, and systems.
• Update databases and web pages.
• Participate in multidisciplinary project/work teams.
• Collaborate in the development of training tools and materials and the organization of workshops/seminars, etc.
• Participate in the organization, conduct, and follow-up of meetings, consultations, and conferences, the development/production of required materials, and the provision of information and assistance to partners.

Requirements:

• Advanced university degree in forestry, natural resource management, or a related field.
• Three years of relevant experience in capacity development and knowledge dissemination for ecosystem restoration, forestry, or natural resource management.
• Working knowledge of English (proficient - level C) and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of one of the other official FAO 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.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the field of capacity development and knowledge dissemination, especially for ecosystem restoration.
• Knowledge of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and its key framing documents.
• Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports and documents in English.
• Extent and relevance of experience in facilitating and sustaining partnerships and networks.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the preparation, editing, and revision of technical/scientific documents.
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing and participating in international meetings, events, and webinars.
• Extent and relevance of experience and skills in programme management.

FAO Core Competencies:

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

FAO Competencies:

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

Working Arrangements:

• FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
• Extension of fixed-term appointments is based on certification of performance and availability of funds.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

Conditions of Service:

• A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered.
• For information on UN salaries, allowances, and benefits, click on the following link: https://www.un.org/works/fao/conditions-of-service

Other Benefits:

• Dependency allowances
• Rental subsidy
• Education grant for children
• Home leave travel
• 30 working days of annual leave per year
• Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund
• International health insurance; optional life insurance
• Disability protection

FAO is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of their race, sex, age, disability, religion, ethnic and social origin, or any other personal characteristic.

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 persons 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 staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 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.

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO's work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition.

It liaises with Members, civil society, and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The Division also collects, analyses, and disseminates information on the world's forest resources and on the production, trade, and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.

Addressing ecosystem degradation is critical for accomplishing the global objectives of the Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Rio Conventions, and other global and regional initiatives.

To support and scale up efforts to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide and raise awareness of the importance of effective ecosystem restoration, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), through resolution A/RES/73/ on 1 March , declared - as the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (UN Decade).

UNGA invited FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to spearhead the implementation of the Decade.

Under this role, FAO established the Task Force on Best Practices as a collaborative effort of currently more than organizations to undertake and enhance capacity development and knowledge dissemination activities in support of the UN Decade's mission.

The post is located in the Forest Restoration Team of the Forestry Division (NFO) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

The Forestry Officer (UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration) reports to the Senior Forestry Officer/Co-leader of the FAO-led Task Force on Best Practices/Coordinator of the Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism, Forest Restoration Team, NFO.

Technical and programmatic support to the activities of the FAO-led Task Force on Best Practices and to NFO's work on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Collection and analysis of information, data, and statistics and project/meeting services to support programme projects, products, and services.

Key Functions:

• Collects and analyses relevant technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional, and technology-related information, data, and/or statistics to support the delivery of programme projects, products, and services.
• Undertakes analysis, provides technical input for plans and reports, and edits/revises technical/scientific documents.
• Participates in the development of improved work methods, tools, and systems.
• Updates databases and web pages.
• Participates in multidisciplinary project/work teams.
• Collaborates in the development of training tools and materials and the organization of workshops/seminars, etc.
• Participates in the organization, conduct, and follow-up of meetings, consultations, and conferences, the development/production of required materials, and the provision of information and assistance to partners.

Specific Functions:

• Develops supporting tools and strategies to foster wide adoption of the UN Decade Standards of Practice to Guide Ecosystem Restoration.
• Supports implementation of the multiple capacity development initiatives part of the UN Decade Capacity, Knowledge, and Learning Action Plan.
• Facilitates and promotes the wide documentation of good practices through the UN Decade Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM) Registry, as well as collaboration with new potential platforms to join the FERM search engine of good practices.
• Organizes general and thematic meetings with members of the Task Force on Best Practices (TFBP) to facilitate synergies, collaboration, contact, and communication with new/current TFBP members.
• Supports resource mobilization efforts to implement activities of the TFBP.
• Advertises and fosters the use and adoption of Task Force products in events, conferences, and workshops.
• Identifies and fosters opportunities for collaboration with UN Decade Partners, Advisory Board, World Restoration Flagships, and other Task Forces.
• Supports the preparation of the UN Decade World Restoration Flagships calls and their related assessment process.
• Supports the preparation of NFO-led events and publications related to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.