Climate Change Specialist

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  for major multilateral environmental agreements including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Office also assists FAO Members in their responses to 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 GEF and the 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 position is located under the Climate Change Team in OCB, which maintains relations with the UNFCCC and coordinates FAO’s engagement in the United Nations climate change conferences.  

Reporting Lines

The Climate Change Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Climate Change team leader and the direct supervision of an Officer of the team, as appropriate. When activities are carried out in countries, the incumbent will be required to work in close collaboration with the relevant FAO Representation and Regional or Country Office.

Technical Focus 

Support implementation, knowledge development, training and dissemination of FAO’s portfolio of support to countries and partners on climate change through the provision of technical expertise on climate change and agrifood systems. 

Tasks and responsibilities

The Climate Change Specialist will support FAO, national counterparts and partners in the climate change programme of work including country-level activities; concept note development: economic, market or value chain analysis; knowledge sharing and generation; capacity building and further development of activities under the climate change programme. The focus of the support will be primarily on the implementation of ongoing projects and programmes within OCB’s portfolio. Specific tasks will be related to areas of work of the team related to: 
•    Support countries on all climate-related topics which include Enhanced Transparency Framework, Mitigation, Adaptation, Loss and Damage, and covering different aspects such as Policy, Access to Finance, develop and apply Tools and datasets, and Technologies;
•    Perform climate change adaptation/mitigation/transparency analyses of nationally determined contributions (NDCs); long term strategies (LTS) National Adaptation Plans (NAP) and projects such as GEF and GCF; 
•    Perform financial and market analysis and assessments that contribute to the development of ongoing projects and programmes; 
•    Conduct value chain analysis of specific agricultural commodities, contribute to the development of ongoing projects and programmes; 
•    Writie project concept notes, project proposals and other relevant documents that contribute to the development of ongoing and future projects and programmes; 
•    Prepare training materials and workshops, contribute to dissemination of information materials; 
•    Review  relevant programme documents; 
•    Participate in country missions;
•    Provide technical support for the organization of meetings and workshops; 
•    Any other duties related to the programme of work as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in climate change, economics, agrifood systems or a closely related field;
•    At least 2 years (category C), 5 years (category B) or 10 years (category A) of relevant work experience in climate change and food systems in one or more following areas:
o    Climate policy and analysis
o    Climate Risk assessment
o    Private sector engagement
o    Project development
o    Climate finance
o    Economics of climate change
o    Voluntary Carbon Market mechanisms
o    Gender and social inclusion
•    Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria 

•    Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the following technical areas: climate change and agriculture policy analysis, climate finance, project development (including GEF, GCF, etc.), climate investment plans.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in identification of information and data for analysis of climate change and agrifood systems contexts, including country level information, agrifood system context, environmental context and policy documents;
•    Extent of relevance of experience in managing partnerships with government, non-government organizations and/or private sector companies, funds, platforms and mechanisms is desirable
•    Research and analytical skills, and the ability to gather information from different sources and present effectively both orally and in writing.
•    Knowledge of FAO tools and activities on climate change is considered an asset. 
•    Knowledge of additional UN official languages, Spanish and French in particular, is considered an asset.