Senior Technical Officer (Climate, Biodiversity, Environment)

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 to 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 towards 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 Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (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 Framework for Environmental and Social Management.

The post is located in the Programme Support Hub of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Programme Support Hub of OCB is responsible for crosscutting analysis and support across the OCB coordinated agendas and teams.

Reporting Lines
The Senior Technical Officer (Climate Change, Biodiversity, Environment) reports to the Director, OCB.

Technical Focus
Scientific and technical assessment of approaches and solutions for using agrifood interventions to address climate, biodiversity and environment challenges. Scenario development, macroeconomic modeling, forecasting and analysis, technical and socioeconomic research for policy support.

Key Results
Leadership and technical expertise for the planning, development and implementation of programmes of work, projects, related products and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions
• Leads the development, implementation and evaluation of technical issues of assigned programmes/projects; directs the review of relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, liaises with relevant parties; identifies and initiates follow-up actions.
• Coordinates programmes and reviews the assessment of issues and trends for the implementation of programmes and projects as well as the preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies.
• Supervises preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analyses, substantial sections of reports as well as studies, and inputs to publications.
• Directs substantive support to consultative meetings and conferences, to include the proposition of agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
• Manages outreach activities; designs and conducts training workshops and seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Leads field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties.
• Provides advice to develop policies and strategies as well as national protocols and guidelines for projects with specific domains related to FAO’s work.

Specific Functions
The Senior Technical Officer (Climate, Biodiversity, Environment) supports OCB and its teams in undertaking scientific and technical analysis of approaches and solutions for using agrifood interventions to address climate, biodiversity and environment challenges. In particular, he/she:
• Leads the technical and scientific assessment of climate, biodiversity and environment interactions, nexus and solutions with relation to agrifood systems.
• Leads macroeconomic modelling, forecasting and foresight analysis of the multidimensional sustainability of agrifood systems vis-à-vis climate, biodiversity and environment agendas and targets at the national, regional and global levels.
• Undertakes research and/or policy support in scenario analyses and socioeconomic research; applied statistics; data science, data analysis, big data and novel data sources.
• Undertakes in-depth review of FAO and OCB technical and scientific documentation and reports.
• Supports intergovernmental research and technical processes, including the UNFCCC, CBD, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), among others.
• Leads the development of relevant databases, tools and guidelines for assessment and policy making.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in economics, statistics, climate science or related field.
• Ten years of relevant experience in policy-oriented research and analysis of agriculture-climate-biodiversity-environment interaction and related science policy development.
• 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
• Leading, Engaging and Empowering
• Communication
• Partnering and Advocating
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.
• Extent and relevance of experience with macroeconomic modelling, forecasting and foresight analysis related to climate, biodiversity, environment and agriculture.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the development of assessment tools.
• Level of understanding of science processes associated with climate, biodiversity and other environmental conventions is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources.