FAO is a specialized technical UN agency, bringing unique technical knowledge, information and capacity to bear on one of the world's great challenges: feeding 9 billion people while maintaining and restoring the environment. The FAO-GEF portfolio - currently comprised of over 400 projects worth over USD 1.9 billion in GEF investments - is growing steadily as countries demand more of what FAO has to offer. As a GEF Agency, FAO works with Member Nations and partners to access GEF financing for strategic projects that help countries achieve sustainable food systems transformation to improve agriculture production, access value chains, reduce hunger and improve nutrition all while sustainably utilizing and conserving biodiversity, improving land and water management, reducing pollution, and mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The GEF Programme is aligned more than ever with FAO's core competencies and strategic priorities in the areas, including sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land and water management. FAO's GEF portfolio extends across all five of GEF's focal areas (Biodiversity, Climate Change, Land Degradation, International Waters, and Chemicals and Waste) as well as the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF) and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). The Asia Pacific region is a critically important part of FAO's GEF programme, comprising 28% of the total FAO-GEF portfolio.

The OCB-GEF Unit provides thematic advice and guidance to FAO in the key priority programming areas of the GEF and works closely with colleagues from across FAO to help Member Nations in developing projects for GEF financing and their implementation. This position will serve as a key member of the FAO-GEF team in the Asia-Pacific region while providing high quality thematic guidance and specific technical knowledge to OCB-GEF team, FAO-GEF teams in other regions, countries, and partners to support project development and implementation.

The post is part of the OCB-GEF Unit and will be outposted to the FAO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (FAO RAP) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Technical Officer (GEF Technical Officer Asia-Pacific and Thematic Advisor) reports to the Senior Coordinator, OCB-GEF Unit, under the guidance of FAO RAP Senior Resilience Officer/Module Leader of Land, Water, Climate and Resilience, and works in close coordination with GEF Regional Lead for Asia Pacific and the OCB-GEF team.

A) Strategic thematic advice and guidance on GEF programming priorities and approaches as they relate to FAO's comparative advantages and strategic framework;

B) Identification, design, implementation support and monitoring of FAO-GEF projects and programmes. It includes strategic and policy work, with a focus on the nexus of agriculture, biological diversity mainstreaming, climate change and resilience, land, water, fisheries, forestry, natural capital and ecosystem services.

Provision of technical expertise for the development, approval and delivery of environmental investment projects for FAO Member Nations in accordance with FAO Strategic Framework, GEF Programming Directions and country priorities.

• •      Provides technical expertise and project design guidance to project proponents in the identification, development and implementation of natural resource/environmental project proposals that address country priorities and further FAO and GEF (or other environmental funds) strategic objectives, programme priorities and operational policies and procedures.
• •         Contributes to the strategic programming of FAO's GEF work and assists in coordinating GEF teamwork for the respective region.
• •         Participates in, and potentially leads, multidisciplinary teams to assist governments and Decentralized Offices in the identification and formulation of natural resource and environmental management projects for financing by the GEF Trust Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) or other environmental funds.
• •         Ensures quality control at all stages of the GEF project cycle in line with GEF eligibility criteria and alignment with GEF Programming Directions.
• •         Coordinates the preparation and approval of project proposals and as required takes a lead role in drafting proposals.
• •         Assists in the management of the FAO-GEF portfolio, monitors and supervises implementation of assigned projects and makes recommendations for improvement.
• •         Keeps abreast of new developments and requirements in the GEF-managed and other environmental funds.
• •         Contributes to the preparation of the annual Project Implementation Reviews (PIR) and to FAO's reporting to the GEF Secretariat and GEF Council.
• •         Participates in the design and delivery of capacity development activities to FAO technical staff in headquarters and Decentralized Offices on the strategies, priorities and procedures, trends and issues related to GEF, adaptation and other environmental funds.
• •         Perform other related duties as required.
• •         Advises the OCB-GEF Unit and FAO-GEF community to support the development of a robust portfolio of projects and programmes targeting one of the global priorities in the emerging GEF-9 programme and subsequent GEF programmes.
• •         Advises the OCB-GEF Unit and FAO-GEF community in developing an effective resource mobilization approach for a robust portfolio of projects and programmes under this thematic priority.
• •         Works with the Senior Coordinator and OCB-GEF team to strengthen quality assurance and technical coherence of FAO-GEF proposals as related to best practices in this thematic priority.
• •         Serves as the primary point of contact in FAO for this thematic priority and liaises regularly with the respective GEF Secretariat team and other key partners to inform a programmatic approach for FAO's global, regional and national initiatives.
• •         Provides regular updates and briefings to the FAO-GEF community, tracks developments on FAO's engagement with countries and the GEF on this thematic priority and advises on best practices and available tools and approaches for project design and implementation.
• •         Engages with the FAO lead experts and divisional focal points to ensure synergies with respective FAO strategic priorities, including but not limited to the FAO Climate Change Strategy and the FAO Biodiversity Strategy
• •         Engages and establishes working relationships with partners, including governments, the private sector, and civil society across FAO in order to build innovative and impactful programmes and projects.

FAO-GEF Technical Officer:

• •         Serves as a regional FAO-GEF Technical Officer (GTO) for select projects in Asia-Pacific, in balance with the global Thematic Advisor responsibilities and as such, serves as a member of the FAO Project Task Force (PTF) for each of the projects under her/his responsibility.
• •         Leads the formulation and implementation of complex GEF programmes and projects within the regional portfolio, ensuring operational viability and due compliance with FAO policy standards and best practices, as well as convergence with GEF policies and priorities.
• •         Collaborates with OCB-GEF Unit colleagues to ensure projects within a regional portfolio are prepared effectively and efficiently within the specified project preparation phase from concept approval to project document submission and are managed efficiently to achieve key milestones throughout the entire project cycle in a timely manner, including start up, first disbursement and closure.
• •         Provides critical technical inputs to robust regional portfolio management and the maintenance of programme/project and portfolio information and FAO project information systems.
• •         Provides high quality products, inputs and support to meet the standards of the Project Implementation Reviews, Midterm Reviews and Terminal Evaluations.
• •         Identifies and materializes opportunities for synergies with other vertical funds projects and to strengthen a programmatic approach at country level in the fields of climate change, biodiversity and environment.

Minimum Requirements : 

• •         Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in natural resources management, biological sciences, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, social sciences, international policy or related field.
• •         Seven years of relevant experience designing and implementing innovative programming at the nexus between agrifood systems and the environment, including providing policy advice and analysis, applying innovative tools and approaches in environmental, and monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes.
• •         Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Technical/Functional Skills : 

• •         Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• •         Demonstrated analytical and conceptual skills with proven ability to write project documents and papers in English and ability to analyse and integrate information and insights from multiple sectors.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience and success in mobilizing resources and building a portfolio of GEF projects and/or programmes.
• •         Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to apply decision support and knowledge management tools and methods for integrated sustainable food systems transformation related projects and programmes.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience in communicating with a wide range of stakeholders and in providing clear technical and policy advice to project proponents at national, subregional and regional levels about GEF priorities, project development, and results-based management and monitoring.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience in preparation of innovative environmental investments in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other sectors (particularly GEF projects and programmes) and supervision of multidisciplinary projects.
• •         Demonstrated experience in and knowledge of developing multi-focal area and/or multi-trust fund projects and programs for GEF funding or other funding.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience supporting countries in accessing vertical financing in the Asia Pacific region.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the GEF focal thematic areas (biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, chemicals and waste) and/or Integrated Programme, relevant to FAO's priorities and comparative advantages.
• •         Extent and relevance of experience with and knowledge of the procedures of GEF or other environmental funds.

Source: https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2501931