Peatlands and Climate Change Specialist

Job Posting: 16/Dec/2024

Closure Date: 06/Jan/2025, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: NFO

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Italy-Rome

Duration: Assignments 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 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 member countries, 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.

The Forestry Division coordinates FAO's work on peatlands. Since 2011, FAO supports countries through global work as well as a developing portfolio of projects in advancing sustainable peatland and mangrove management for climate and biodiversity goals.

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

**Reporting Lines**

The Consultant reports to the Forestry Officer (Peatlands and high-carbon ecosystems), under the overall guidance of the Senior Forestry Officer/Team Leader of the Forests and Climate Team. S/he will work closely with members of the team and the Division, Decentralized Offices and other relevant FAO units.

**Technical Focus**

Technical support, capacity development and policy guidance related to high-carbon ecosystems, especially peatlands.

**Tasks and responsibilities**
- Provides technical and project management support to FAO's growing portfolio of projects related to peatland conservation, sustainable management, restoration and monitoring in developing countries and regions including the Congo Basin, East Africa, Indonesia, and others.
- Contributes technical advice and liaises with global partner organizations and partnership networks such as the Global Peatlands Initiative.
- Assists peatland countries by providing science-based information for measuring and reporting to international agreements and goals.
- Supports programme development related to peatland conservation, management, and restoration, including formulation of project documents.
- Supports stakeholder engagement, dissemination, and outreach related to products and the technical work areas.
- Contributes to the Forestry Division's work on peatland and restoration monitoring and climate action (adaptation and mitigation).
- Organizes meetings, workshops, conferences and other events, summarizing and reporting results
- Coordinates diverse stakeholder groups ensuring timely and effective delivery of project activities and outputs related to peatlands.
- Contributes to internal and external project communications including the development of related knowledge products.
- Contributes to regular internal and external project reports.
- Performs other duties as needed.

**CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING**

**Minimum Requirements**
- Advanced university degree in rural livelihoods, climate policy, natural resources management, wetlands, forests, land use, soils or a related field.
- Relevant experience (at least 1 year for a category C, 5 years for a category B or 10 years for category A) in forest or other land use management or monitoring, including of peatlands, mangroves, or other high-carbon ecosystems.
- Relevant experience in project management and implementation.
- Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

**FAO Core Competencies**
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationship