Organizational Setting
The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAOโs work in promoting the sustainable management of forests and provides leadership on the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition. It supports Member States, civil society, and the private sector on a range of issues from the development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management, while also strengthening the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyzes, and disseminates information on global forest resources and on the production, trade, and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.
The position is based within the Halting Deforestation, Degradation and Emissions (HaltDDE) Team of the Forestry Division, which supports FAO Member Countries in their REDD and broad halting deforestation processes in line with their climate change and forestry/land use commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). FAOโs support spans from the preparatory phase through to the implementation of activities to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
The purpose of this call is to identify qualified candidates with diverse technical specializations related to REDD and broad aspects of halting deforestation, degradation and emissions, including project formulation and implementation skills.
Reporting Lines
The REDD / halting deforestation technical specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Team Leader โ HaltDDEf, the direct supervision of the Programme Officer HaltDDEf Africa focal point, in coordination with FAO regional and country teams, and in close collaboration with other units within the Forestry Division (NFO) and beyond.ย
Technical Focusย
Provision of technical support to the formulation and implementation of projects and programmes related to REDD , and halting deforestation, degradation and emissions efforts. The incumbent will support countries โ with special focus on Francophone African countries โ throughout their REDD / halting deforestation processes, from preparedness to implementation, reporting on results and access to results-based finance, including work on enabling environment, stakeholder engagement, investment planning, sustainable forest management, decoupling commodities from deforestation, and local climate action. The specialist will also contribute to global efforts aimed at generating and sharing knowledge and experiences related to REDD implementation and broader halting deforestation efforts, contributing to climate and forestry goals.ย
Tasks and responsibilities
In collaboration with FAO country offices and various technical experts, with special mention to the Forest monitoring and data platforms team (FMDP), contribute to and or lead in technical and managerial support for the implementation of projects and programmes related to REDD , Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) forest-based mitigation actions and overall halting deforestation, degradation and emissions efforts. This includes:
โข ย ย Coordinate the implementation of the annual work plan โ and the reporting of results - of the FAO responsibilities under the UN-REDD Programme, mobilizing the necessary technical expertise at national, regional, and FAO headquarters levels, for selected countries in the Africa portfolio.
โข ย ย Provide strategic and technical support to countries to advance the implementation of REDD and NDC-related activities, particularly under the UN-REDD Programme and/or through specific GCF and CAFI country projects. This includes support on climate finance and related frameworks (e.g. investment plans), agriculture-forestry linkages, carbon and emission reduction rights, benefit-sharing mechanisms, jurisdictional and/or nested approaches, MRV (Measurement, Reporting and Verification), registries, and environmental and social safeguards.
โข ย ย Strengthen national capacities to transition REDD towards results-based payments through targeted training sessions, technical assistance, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and South-South cooperation.
โข ย ย Support the design and implementation of REDD projects and initiatives aligned with national REDD strategies and investment plans, as well as related NDCs - particularly in Francophone African countries.
โข ย ย Promote active participation and engagement of smallholder forest and agricultural producers, as well as private sector, to contribute to the implementation of NDCs and REDD .
โข ย ย Liaise with government counterparts and strengthen partnerships and consortia, in close coordination with FAOโs multidisciplinary teams
โข ย ย Foster collaboration with other FAO Forestry Division teams and FAO units working on REDD and climate change, particularly within the Climate and Forest, and the FMDP teams.
โข ย ย Support the drafting and publication of technical documents, policy guidance, and training materials on REDD implementation and related technical topics.
โข ย ย Perform other tasks related to REDD /halting deforestation, degradation and emissions, as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
โข ย ย University degree in forestry, natural resource management, environmental economics, environmental law or related areas.ย
โข ย ย At least five years of relevant experience in halting deforestation, degradation and emissions, with special reference to REDD , climate change, forest and land management.
โข ย ย Full proficiency/Working knowledge (Level C) of French, English, or Spanish and average (level B) of another of these three languages.ย
FAO Core Competencies
โข ย ย Results Focus
โข ย ย Teamwork
โข ย ย Communication
โข ย ย Building Effective Relationships
โข ย ย Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skillsย
ย
โข ย ย Work experience in at least two different REDD / halting deforestation areas of work
โข ย ย Extent and relevance of experience in supporting developing countries, experience in different duty stations in Africa would be an added value
โข ย ย Extent and relevance of experience in project/programme design and implementation
โข ย ย Knowledge of REDD implementation and related technical topics โ updated knowledge on latest negotiations and decisions on Paris Agreement, article 5, article 6 and related climate finance opportunities would be an added value.
Selection Criteriaย
โข ย ย Relevant experience in supporting developing countries in the implementation of REDD and its enabling environment and/or sustainable forest and land-use managementย
โข ย ย Experience in Africa โ with particular reference to Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote dโIvoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya ย or Uganda โ would be an assetย
โข ย ย Relevant experience in formulating project proposals for various funding sources, demonstrating strong analytical skills
โข ย ย Relevant experience working with government representatives, the private sector, and/or local communities, and in facilitating multi-stakeholder processes
โข ย ย Ability to travel, be assigned to countries in Central and West Africa, and work in challenging field conditions
โข ย ย Ability to organize and lead workshops and training sessions.