Land Tenure Officer (Governance)

Organizational Setting
The Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with Divisions/Offices/Centres at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO’s strategic response to regional priorities. RNE also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RNE develops and maintains relations with regionwide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs).
The post is located in the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE) in Cairo, Egypt.

Reporting Lines
The Land Tenure Officer (Governance) reports to Senior Programme Officer (Forestry).

Technical Focus
Integrated land and tenure management, including data, information and assessment, planning, governance, financing, knowledge management, policy and practice

Key Results
Research, technical analysis and project related services to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.

Key Functions
• Researches and analyses technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support the delivery of programme projects, products and services.
• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports, as well as input for technical documents and web pages.
• Provides technical support/analysis to various assessments, studies and initiatives and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in the development of improved/updated tools, systems, processes and databases.
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams and/or leads working groups/teams; collaborates with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promotes best practices.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development activities within Member Nations such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events, including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools.
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations.
• Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions
• Provides internal and external (thought) support on national strategies aimed at integrating land tenure and natural resource governance.
• Supports the development of policy and guidance on key land use potentials and natural resource issues, such as integrated land resources management, competition over resources and issues related to sustainable land use, land resources assessment, appraisal and territorial planning and decision support for sustainable agricultural and rural development and environmental management.
• Contributes to the formulation of multisectoral approaches and tools to enhance the land tenure and governance systems for food production.
• Supports countries in RNE in preparing and implementing national and sub-national land tenure policy and programmes to advance the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT), including multi-stakeholder processes for land policy reforms and land administration modernization.
• Contributes to the exchange, learning, evaluation and innovation of land rights and natural resources governance, reviews quality of documentation and building of evidence to inform (national) policy debates; shares these with program stakeholders internally and externally.
• Supports the RNE office in contributing to advance land/VGGT positioning with other sectoral processes, such as climate, food systems, peace, gender, youth.
• Supports the mobilization of extra-budgetary resources for the implementation of RNE ‘s strategic vision and work plans.
• Performs other related duties as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in natural resources management, environment, hydrology or related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in land and management resources and environmental related activities, including governance, land tenure and resources/ecosystem assessment and management.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

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.
• Demonstrated competency in establishing and maintaining partnerships and raising funds and multi-stakeholder processes for land policy reforms and land administration modernization.
• Extent and relevance of experience in supporting land resources assessment, planning and management at global, national and local levels, particularly with integrated land (scape) management approaches and reviewing and advising on land resources census, assessment, restoration, ecosystem services, governance, financing and related areas.
• Extent and relevance of experience in supporting the formulation and implementation of land governance and tenure management projects.
• Depth of familiarity with relevant Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) application techniques and experience with multi-stakeholder processes.
• Extent and relevance of experience in multisectoral, multidisciplinary work and in supporting collaboration and diverse partnerships.
• Demonstrated capacity to write comprehensive technical reports in English.