Giahs Programme Specialist

Job Posting: 16/Apr/2025

Closure Date: 14/May/2025, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: OCB - Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: Consultant

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Up to 11 months

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 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
- FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations._

**Organizational Setting**

The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) works to ensure that countries and stakeholders respond to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. OCB provides a cross organizational coordination role on issues related to climate change, biodiversity and the environment and is the focal point to major multilateral environmental agreements including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Office also assists FAO Members in their responses towards the interlinked challenges of food security, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation including through facilitating access to climate and environmental financing (such as the Global Environment Fun -GEF and the Green Climate Fund-GCF). In addition, OCB hosts the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, the Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture as well as FAO’s work on environmental safeguards.

The GIAHS Secretariat is the operational unit of FAO’s GIAHS Programme and its role consists in providing guidance to FAO member countries for the development and submission of GIAHS proposals, as well as for the implementation of follow
- up activities. Furthermore, it has the function of liaising with governments and national/international organizations for the establishment of new partnerships, which may be necessary for the future development and geographic expansion of the Programme.

The position is located in the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Secretariat, in FAO Headquarters in Rome.

**Reporting Lines**

The incumbent will report to the GIAHS Senior Coordinator.

**Technical Focus**

Support the implementation of the work plan of the GIAHS Secretariat; including the activities of the Scientific Advisory Committee, the expansion of the Programme in new areas, and its technical strengthening on monitoring and agronomic and environmental matters.

**Tasks and responsibilities**
- Lead the activities related to the organization of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group (SAG), in particular: communicate with member countries/local institutions on the submission of proposals, review of proposals, establishment of the agenda in coordination with the experts, moderation of the sessions in support to the SAG Chair, preparation of the outcomes, and subsequent communication with countries;
- Organize and coordinate International Meetings on GIAHS related matters and special events, such as the biennium GIAHS Certificate Award Ceremony
- Maintain the relationship with donor countries and agencies, such as Italy, Spain, Japan and China, as well as explore new resource partners, such as the GEF, IFAD, and new Member Countries;
- Under the guidance of OCB-Director, follow up on the GIAHS informative label, including meetings with FAO relevant units, preparation of documents, and exchanges with the interested GIAHS member countries;
- Communicate with partner UN Agencies (UNU, UNWTO, UNESCO and ICCROM, among others) on the implementation of Letters of Agreement (LOAs), Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and their associated work plans when relevant;
- Continue the collaboration with the FAO Liaison Office to the EU (FAO-LOB) for the promotion of GIAHS within EU institutions, such as the Committee of the Regions, the Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG-Agri)
- Provide advocacy support to key stakeholders, particularly Government Officials and FAO Country Offices, on the development and implementation of GIAHS-related submissions and actions;
- Supervise and provide guida