Green Cities Initiative Consultant, Rome, Italy
Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Country: Italy
City: Rome
Office: FAO Rome
Closing date: Wednesday, 1 March 2023
CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2300395
Green Cities Initiative Consultant
Job Posting: 08/Feb/2023
Closure Date: 01/Mar/2023, 10:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit : OCB
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition : Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level : N/A
Primary Location: Italy-Rome
Duration : Up to 11 months (with possibility of extension)
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 Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), assists member countries in their responses towards the challenge of climate change, including the mitigation of climate change, as well as the development of adaptive capacities of agriculture, fisheries and forestry to the effects of climate change. It provides a coordination role on climate change and related climate smart agriculture issues. The Office also serves as the focal point for a multidisciplinary and global approach to bioenergy as well as undertaking work and providing support and guidance on tenure issues, especially the Green Cities Initiative.
In September 2020, FAO launched its Green Cities Initiative (GCI) aimed at improving the livelihoods and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations in at least 100 cities around the world in the next three years, looking to have 1000 cities join by 2030. The GCI aims ensuring access to a healthy environment and healthy diets from sustainable agri-food systems, increasing availability of green spaces through urban and peri-urban forestry, it will also contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable resource management.
Reporting Lines
The Green Cities Initiative Consultant is under the overall supervision of the Natural Resource Officer (Climate Change), Innovations for Sustainability Workstream Leader, as well as under the direct technical supervision from other Officers in the GCI team, as appropriate
Technical Focus
The Green Cities Initiative Consultant will support the GCI team in the implementation and promotion of GCI and other sustainable urban development projects in selected countries/cities, in close collaboration with technical units from FAO HQ, i.e. NSP, NFO, EFS, etc., regional and national offices, as well as partners who are working on sustainable and resilient urban food systems. The consultant will also provide analytical and technical support for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies, strategies, finance and communication in agriculture, forestry, food system, and natural resource management in the urban and peri-urban context.
Tasks and responsibilities
The Consultant will support the Green Cities Initiative and related programmes and projects and according to her/his specific background and skills will:
Participate in the development and monitoring of assigned programmes, projects and studies related to urban and peri-urban agriculture, forestry and urban food systems and provide technical or administrative support, identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions, liaises with relevant parties, identifies and tracks follow-up actions;
Review and monitor the preparation of relevant project documents, substantial sections of reports, studies, and inputs to publications;
Contribute into corporate exercises for planning, monitoring and reporting on results achieved through projects design, implementation support, sector studies, strategies, policy dialogue and capacity development activities;
Contribute in the production of analytical tools, background papers, analysis, or concept notes;
Coordinate activities related to budget and funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports;
Provide support in the production of communication, advocacy materials and outreach activities;
Assist in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, corporate policies and procedures, development partners‘ requirements and draft proposals;
Undertake field missions as and when required;
Perform any other related duties as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
University degree in agricultural sciences, agricultural economics, natural resources management, agribusiness management, climate change communication, urban and territorial planning or a closely related field.
Minimum of 1 year of relevant experience in working in the agriculture sector, especially in urban and peri-urban agriculture, urban and peri-urban forestry, urban food systems, urban natural resources management, including analytical studies, and/or in the formulation and implementation urban food system strategies or investment projects in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
Working knowledge (level C) of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge (level B) of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian. For PSA only one official language level C is required.
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;
Extent and relevance of experience in finance skills and policy formulation in agriculture;
Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines;
Ability to write clear and concise technical documents;
Ability to perform well in cross-disciplinary teams;
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Selection Criteria
Proven experience data/ information collection and research and analysis;
Extent and relevance of experience in technical fields related to agriculture, forestry, food systems in the urban context;
Experience in designing policy recommendations and drafting policy briefs;
Capacity to write documents and reports in a clear and concise manner;
Strong writing skills in English language.
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
Incomplete applications will not be considered
Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
Link to the organization’s job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1675885104139
