Climate Change and Environment Specialist

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Terms of Reference for Consultant

Title: Climate Change and Environment Specialist

Division/Department: FAO Investment Centre Division (TCI)

Location: Rome, Italy with possible travels to different countries

Grade: N/A

Expected Start Date of Assignment: February 2014

Duration: 11 months

General Description of task(s) and objectives to be achieved

Background: FAO TCI, drawing on the knowledge from FAO’s technical departments, works in supporting national governments, in cooperation with International Financing Institutions (IFIs), the Global Environment Facility and other development partners, in the identification, preparation, implementation and supervision of agricultural (including agriculture, forestry and fisheries) and sustainable natural resource management investment programmes/projects and sector reviews.

Objectives: The specialist will assist TCI staff and managers in promoting incorporation of climate change considerations into agricultural and natural resource management investment strategies, policies, plans and programmes/projects and implementing related capacity development activities in member countries and institutions.

Tasks: Under the overall supervision of the Service Chief for Asia and the Pacific, guidance of the Senior Advisor, Capacity Development and the TCI Environment and Climate Change (TCI ECC) Group and in close consultation with other Service Chiefs and the FAO GEF Coordinator, the specialist will assist in the strategic development, promotion and management of the Division’s work related to Climate Change. In particular, he/she will:

Build upon the TCI guidance document and training material on incorporating climate change considerations into agricultural investment programmes and pilot implementation experience, to upscale their use and lead revisions, translations and upgrades based upon emerging insights and practical implementation experience, including through partnerships with key learning organisations;
Conduct technical review of TCI inputs into agricultural and nature resources management investment programmes/projects with explicit activities related to climate change or to facilitate incorporation of climate change considerations into these programmes/projects and relevant TCI investment guidelines and capacity development materials;
Support preparation of climate change mitigation and adaptation projects and progammes for funding by GEF, the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF);
Assist in the coordination and operation of TCI ECC Group, including: organizing, facilitating and documenting group meetings; managing and updating the group workspace on FAO intranet; and participating and contributing to group activities related to climate change mainstreaming and related capacity building.

Required Qualifications

Advanced degree in environment and nature resources management;
At least 7 years of professional experience;
Proven experience with climate change as an issue and with incorporating climate change considerations into agricultural and nature resource management investment programmes and projects;
Some experience with the GEF, particularly the Climate Change Focal Area and LDCF/SCCF strategies and eligibility requirements, measurement of carbon benefits desirable;
Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian.

How to apply:

Interested applicants are required to create an online Personal Profile form (PPF) in iRecruitment. To create the PPF, please follow the instructions available at:

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Employment/docs/Applying_to_Consultancy_Vacancies_at_FAO.pdfThe PPF should be sent via email to: tcib-service@fao.org. Please write as subject: “ECC-Consultant”.

Deadline for applications: 22 January 2014

Applications received after the closing date will not be given consideration. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.