Technical Officer

The FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples, aligns FAO´s work with the 2007 UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) is at the core of both the FAO Policy and UNDRIP. In order to comply with UNDRIP, main donors and UN agencies have incorporated FPIC in their corporate policies, project cycles, and safeguards as a prerequisite when working with Indigenous Peoples. FAO is no exception and since 2015, FPIC is a prerequisite in all FAO projects and programmes involving Indigenous Peoples. FPIC is one of the seven pillars of FAO’s work programme with Indigenous Peoples implemented by PSUI and is also included in FAO’s Environmental and Social Safeguards, project cycle, and Programme and Project Review Committee (PPRC). In FAO programmes and projects involving Indigenous Peoples, compliance with FPIC standards and process is a prerequisite during the design, formulation, implementation and monitoring in FAO projects. In 2016, PSUI and partner organizations jointly developed a practitioners manual and training course on how to incorporate FPIC into the work of each respective organization.

Over the years the number of projects requiring FPIC processes in FAO have increased exponentially due to the importance of climate related funding. Within this context, the FPIC Technical Officer will provide technical advice at corporate level on FPIC to support the implementation of the FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples and FAO’s compliance with UNDRIP. 

The position is located in the Indigenous People Unit (PSUI) within PSU and based at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

The Technical Officer (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) reports to the Senior Advocacy Officer, Head of the PSU Indigenous Peoples Unit, PSUI.

Support the implementation of the pillar of work on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the FAO Indigenous Peoples’ programme of work. He/she will provide technical support to the implementation of Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), European Union (EU), World Bank (WB) and other donor’s funded projects in addition to the systematic appraisal of global level projects submitted to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC). In particular, he/she will provide technical support to ensure that the identification, design, implementation and monitoring of projects and programmes from different donors complies with the FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP and FPIC. She/he will also support the implementation of FPIC process in FAO´s projects and programmes and will coordinate capacity development in FPIC for FAO officers, PPRC regional focal points, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Government officers. 

Provision of technical services and assistance in the implementation of the FAO policy on Indigenous Peoples in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework and FAO project cycle for compliance with UN Standards on Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

Key Functions:

• Researches and analyses technical-related issues on the development, the implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects; assists to the review of relevant documents and reports;
• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and documents as well as technical input for reports and web pages;
• Provides technical support/analysis to various assessments, studies and projects and provides technical backstopping to field projects;
• Collaborates in the development of improved/updated tools, systems, processes and databases;
• Oversees the updating of databases and web pages;
• Participates on multidisciplinary teams, and/or leads working groups/teams collaborates with other divisions and agencies 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 Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials and online tools;
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences and guides partners in stakeholder consultations;
• Performs other duties as required.

Specific Functions:

• Supports the coordination and implementation of the pillar of work on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC);
• Reviews compliance of FAO´s ongoing and pipeline projects and programmes with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• Reviews and monitors projects and programmes going through the FAO’s corporate Programme and Project Review Committee to ensure compliance with the requisites of Free Prior and Informed Consent and the FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples;
• Provides technical advice and backstopping to other FAO technical units about Free Prior and Informed Consent and FAO´s Policy on Indigenous Peoples;
• Liaises with FAO’s  Environmental and Social Safeguards unit providing inputs and technical advice on Indigenous Peoples and FPIC;
• Organizes and delivers capacity development on FPIC for FAO staff at headquarters, regional and country officers, NGOs staff and Government officers;
• Produces a variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports on FPIC and FAO Policy on Indigenous Peoples as well as input for technical documents and web pages;
• Participates in Evaluation and Monitoring exercises both internal within FAO and external when organized by UN and donors;
• Identifies and develops fundraising proposals in collaboration with partner organizations on Indigenous Peoples and in support of the FAO Strategic Framework and country programming frameworks;
• Identifies opportunities of new activities in the frame of the pillar of work on Free, Prior and Informed Consent, supports the development of work programmes and coordinates their implementation under the lead of the Senior Advocacy Officer/Head of Unit;
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams, and/or leads working groups/teams; collaborates with other Divisions/Offices and agencies on work groups and committees and promotes best practices;
• Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices on Indigenous Peoples at international meetings and conferences and influences partners in stakeholder consultations;
• Provides technical support/analysis and advice to various assessments, studies and initiatives of projects and programmes involving FPIC policies/procedures and Indigenous Peoples including those funded by Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), European Union, World Bank and other donors;
• Makes recommendations for relevant projects and programmes involving Indigenous Peoples submitted to Regional Programme and Project Review Committee (PPRC);
• Provides technical guidance to regional focal points and decentralized FAO officers on FPIC and PPRC’s criterion on Indigenous Peoples ;
• Provides technical advice on FAO´s Safeguard on Indigenous Peoples within FAO’s Environmental and Social Management Guidelines (ESMG) to ensure FPIC is respected in all relevant projects and programmes and ensures the right ESMG classification of FAO projects with respect to Indigenous Peoples;
• Coordinates the annual Donor Task force on FPIC co-chaired by European Union and PSUI and involving International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), World Bank, Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, European Union, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ);
• Supports the management of grievances from Indigenous Peoples with respect to FAO projects and programmes;
• Reviews and updates of FAO’s corporate materials on FPIC;
• Organizes and delivers capacity development programmes on FPIC for FAO staff at headquarters and Decentralized Offices, as well as for FAO stakeholders, Ministerial staff from Members and resource partners organizations;Liaises with other FAO Divisions and Decentralized Offices to provide assistance on FPIC;
• Acts as member of the Project Task Forces (PTF) for key projects involving Indigenous Peoples;
• Participates in internal and external evaluations requesting support with Indigenous Peoples and FPIC;
• Ensures the inputs and technical information on FPIC for FAO´s annual report to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII);
• Supports and provides advice to the Head of the Indigenous Peoples Unit on cross cutting issues related to FPIC and Indigenous Peoples;
• Contributes to the PSUI annual work plan and report of activities, which are to be aligned with the FAO Strategic Framework programmes;
• Represents FAO, as necessary, at international workshops and seminars on FPIC and Indigenous Peoples;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following:

Minimum Requirements:

• Advanced university degree in international relations, social sciences, economics, agricultural sciences or any other discipline relevant to the work of the Organization;
• Five years of relevant experience in project and programme management;
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Technical/Functional Skills:

• Extent and relevance of knowledge and experience in working with Indigenous Peoples at Global, Regional and country levels, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• Extent and relevance of experience in the analysis and formulation of projects that include Indigenous Peoples;
• Extent and relevance of practical and theoretical knowledge of FAO’s project cycle and FAO’s Environmental and Social Management Guidelines;
• Extent and relevance of experience in the application of the FPIC process during FAO project design and implementation;
• Extent and relevance of experience in preparing and delivering capacity development courses, curricula and manuals with special focus on Indigenous Peoples and/or FPIC;
• Familiarity with international frameworks related to FPIC and the rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• Relevance of experience in providing technical assistance to project proponents at national, sub-regional and regional levels with regard to project development, results-based management, monitoring and evaluation planning, and monitoring for project impact;
• Relevance of experience in preparation of projects and programmatic approaches and in results-based monitoring and supervision of multidisciplinary projects; Good analytical and conceptual skills with ability to write project documents and papers and ability to analyse and integrate diverse information from various sources;
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing and developing training tools and information materials;
• Knowledge of FAO’s Project cycle, Environmental and Social Framework and Field Project Monitoring and Information System (FPMIS) will be considered as assets;
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions;
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of French and/or Spanish is considered a strong asset.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2401133