Natural Resources GIS-RS and Land Cover Specialist, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Country: Saudi Arabia
City: Riyadh
Office: FAO Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Closing date: Friday, 3 March 2023
CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2300408
Natural Resources GIS-RS and Land Cover Specialist
Job Posting: 10/Feb/2023
Closure Date: 03/Mar/2023, 10:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit : PMUSA
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition : Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level : N/A
Primary Location: Saudi Arabia-Riyadh
Duration : 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
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
Organizational Setting
The project "UTF/SAU/051/SAU Strengthening MoEWA’s Capacity to Implement the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme" is the first project that has been approved within the framework of FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme (2019-2025). The project provides technical and advisory assistance to the MoEWA in implementing its flagship sustainable rural agricultural development programme approved within the context of the National Transformation Programme of the Saudi Vision 2030. The project expected results will be achieved through implementation of nine project components: 1) Development of coffee Arabica production, processing and marketing; 2) Development of beekeeping and honey production; 3) Development of rose production and trade; 4) Development of sub-tropical fruits production, processing and marketing; 5) Strengthening capacity of small-scale fishermen and fish farmers; 6) Strengthening capacity of small-scale livestock herders; 7) Development of rain-fed cereals production; 8) Enhancing value addition from smallholdings and rural activities; and 9) Strengthening MoEWA’s capacity in sustainable management of rangelands, forests and natural resources to support rural livelihoods. An overall plan and budget is developed and approved, including activities and outputs that are expected to be accomplished under each component. Requirements for international technical expertise of each component have been identified. In order to ensure a coordinated, smooth, timely and successful implementation of the project, long-term competent international technical advisors will be appointed as Component Technical Advisor to each of the nine components. Each Component Technical Advsior will be supported by a team of international consultants and experts who are technical specialists in the subject matters of the various outputs and activities.
FAO-Saudi Arabia is seeking for Natural Resources GIS / RS and Land Cover Expert.
Reporting Lines
The Natural Resources GIS / RS and Land Cover Specialist will report to the Chief Technical Advisor for the Natural Resources Management component under the overall guidance to the FAO Programme Director in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Technical Focus
Capacity development and knowledge management for Strengthening capacity of small-scale MoEWA’s capacity in sustainable management of rangelands, forests and natural resources to support rural livelihoods sector in KSA.
Tasks and responsibilities
The Natural Resources GIS / RS and Land Cover Specialist will contribute to the accomplishment of outputs of the project component Strengthening MoEWA’s capacity in sustainable management of rangelands, forests and natural resources to support rural livelihoods. And will carry out the following tasks:
Undertake comprehensive situation analysis on the use and application of GIS and remote sensing in management of forest, rangelands, and other natural resources within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) including key institutions, stakeholders, data need and sources, technologies used, existing capacity, etc.
Conduct study to benchmark international best practices and lesson learnt on the use of GIS and Remote Sensing in the management of forest, rangeland, national parks, and degraded lands in countries with similar social, cultural, and environmental context as KSA.
Review relevant KSA environment sector strategies, policies and frameworks and identify opportunity for promoting the application of GIS, Remote Sensing, and related technology to achieve strategic objectives and results.
Support geospatial analysis, field data collection, and analysis for Natural resources baseline studies to understand the status of natural resources in Saudi Arabia using internationally recognized methods.
Support application of geospatial technologies and tools in diagnostic studies conducted to fill critical natural resources management and environment conservation data and knowledge gaps.
Support development of geospatial function for a web based interactive platform for sharing information, knowledge, tools, and experiences for sustainable land management (KSA SLM Platform).
Develop guidelines for application of GIS and Remote Sensing in the development and application of frameworks, technologies, and practices for sustainable management of forest, rangeland, and degraded lands.
Develop and document GIS and Remote Sensing tool, methods, and approaches for the sustainable management of forest, rangelands, national parks, and degraded landscapes in KSA following international best practices.
Develop framework for integrating GIS and Remote Sensing in studies, assessments and surveys in relevant areas including land cover and land use mapping, soils survey, land degradation, climate modelling, etc.
Support development of agriculture and rural development geo-spatial database with focus on the nine SRADP components.
Contribute to establishment of a system for routine monitoring of vegetation cover and land use change in target areas and support its implementation.
Assess GIS and Remote Sensing needs of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MoEWA) and National Centre for Vegetation Cover (NCVC) and proposed short, medium, and long-term capacity development plan to strengthen existing capacity.
Develop and deliver a need based technical training programme for MoEWA, NCVC, and selected stakeholders on GIS and Remote Sensing for sustainable management of forest, rangelands, national parks, and degraded lands.
Support geo-spatial analysis for components of the Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development Project on need basis.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
Advanced degree in GIS, Remote Sensing, Geospatial Systems, Natural Resources, Environment, Geography or a related field;
Minimum five years of experience in GIS, Remote sensing, land cover and land use survey and mapping including planning and implementing landcover and land use mapping activities and application of GIS and Remote Sensing tools and systems for natural resources management.
Working knowledge (level C) of English for Personal Service Agreement, knowing one of the FAOUN language is an asset. For COF, working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of another FAO language.
FAO Core 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;
Relevance and extent of experience in technical cooperation related activities, policy advice and analysis relating to natural resources, food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes;
Relevance and extent of experience in working with multidisciplinary teams, government development systems, and inter-governmental bodies;
Extent and relevance of experience and proven records of successfully completing GIS, Remote sensing, and Land cover and land use mapping systems is essential;
Extent and relevance of experience in successful implementation and management of technical assistance for capacity strengthening in the field of GIS, Remote sensing, and land cover and land use system;
Demonstrated capacity to coordinate country level activities and to organise and lead consultative processes involving several partner institutions and stakeholders;
Extent and relevance of experience in project management including familiarity with the development of results frameworks, logical framework, project work plans and budget;
Working knowledge of Arabic is considered a strong asset.
Well versed with the use of MS-Office programs (word, excel, power point, etc.,) and social media platforms.
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
For more information, visit the FAO employment website
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
