Natural Resources Management Officer

Organizational Setting

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment.

The Centre's four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure please visit the following link.

The post is located in the Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) and based in the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (SEC) in Ankara, Türkiye.

Reporting Lines

The Natural Resources Management Officer reports to the Chief, Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC) and works in collaboration with the Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia (SEC).

Technical Focus

Provide analytical and technical support on sustainable natural resources management and concerned institutions, including land, water, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, biological diversity and other environmental services and related livelihoods activities, in addition to addressing climate change and resilience matters for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing.

Key Results

Delivering investment and financial support solutions through the provisions of technical expertise/assistance and capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems within the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Participates in, and eventually leads, multidisciplinary teams for the identification and preparation of investment operations in the fields of food security, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions.
• Participates in, and eventually leads, multidisciplinary teams for the implementation support and the preparation of final evaluation of investment operations.
• Provides technical expertise for the preparation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies, and in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes.
• Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, and civil society organizations and government.
• Formulates and delivers capacity development strategies and activities in the areas of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, and non-state actors and private sector organizations.
• Prepares reports in accordance with governments and financing partners' requirements.
• Provides support in task organization, selection of consultants, preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs.
• Promotes international cooperation and collaboration leading to new investment opportunities and cooperative agreements, advocates best practices and effective policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international meetings.
• Establishes, promotes and maintains relationships with relevant Programme Priority Areas, FAO technical units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Members.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.
• Provides guidance and advice to junior staff.

Specific Functions

• Provides contributions to food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management, climate change management, renewable energy, and agro-processing strategies, plans and operations for their investment implications, technical and environmental feasibility and compliance with national policies and priorities.
• Participates in, and eventually leads, multidisciplinary teams for the implementation and execution of assignments aimed at supporting the greening operations of national and international financial institutions and related organizations.
• Assesses the constraints and opportunities of enhancing the management of natural resources, with focus on sustainable forest management, with emphasis on sustainability of environmental, social and economic impact, strengthening institutions and organizations, including the participation of stakeholders and users, relationships to natural resource-based livelihoods, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation as well as resilience and disaster risk reduction and management.
• Participates in, and eventually leads, the design of natural resources management related activities and components of investment operations, including systems of implementation support and monitoring and evaluation of the natural resource management and environmental impacts of agricultural and rural development projects.
• Provides technical expertise on environmental sustainability, climate change, carbon accounting and markets, international climate and natural resources management policy framework, and natural resources management improvements to existing farming, livelihoods and resource use systems, and helps defining the natural resources management technical parameters for financial and economic analysis.
• Participates in the design process for investment operations working at the nexus between agriculture and environment, to achieve both increased agriculture production and significant environmental benefits.

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in forestry, fisheries, ecology, biology, natural resources management, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, environmental economics, or a related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in planning and implementing natural resources management and sustainable agricultural development projects and programmes, including experience in the formulation and/or implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment operations in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another FAO official 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.
• Extent and relevance of experience in major technical fields related to management of natural resources, especially sustainable forest management.
• Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO's main development partners, in particular the World Bank (WB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other partner international financial institutions (IFFs).
• Extent and relevance of experience in climate funds such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Adaptation Fund (AF), as well as international and regional policy frameworks, conferences and agreements on climate and natural resources management.
• Experience in supporting private sector operation and investment planning with national and international finance institutions.
• Track record of assessing environmental impact and addressing climate change, as they relate to investments in agriculture and rural development (including livestock, fisheries and forestry) in developing countries and countries in transition, including in the development of sustainable livelihoods systems, participatory natural resources management institutions, sustainable forest management and resilience and disaster risk reduction.
• Knowledge of carbon accounting procedures, assessments and reporting.
• Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resources management and agro-processing investment operations, with focus on natural resources management and environmental aspects.
• Depth of understanding of trends, challenges, sector policies, strategies, instruments and institutions for natural resource management and sustainable agrifood systems in Near East, North Africa and/or Europe and Central Asia Service is considered a strong asset.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.