JOB DESCRIPTION

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  for 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 to 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 GEF and the 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 work on environmental safeguards.

The position is located under the Climate Change Team in OCB, which maintains relations with the UNFCCC and coordinates FAO’s engagement in the United Nations climate change conferences.

Reporting Lines

The Private Sector and Climate Change Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Climate Change team leader and the direct supervision of an Officer of the team, as appropriate. When activities are carried out in countries, the consultant will be required to work in close collaboration with the relevant FAO Representation and Regional or Country Office.

Technical Focus 

Support implementation, knowledge development, training and dissemination of FAO’s portfolio of support to countries and partners on climate change through the provision of technical expertise on climate change, private sector, climate finance and agrifood systems.

The Private Sector and Climate Change Specialist will support FAO, national counterparts and partners in the climate change programme of work including country-level activities; concept note development: economic, market or value chain analysis; knowledge sharing and generation; capacity building and further development of activities under the climate change programme.

The focus of the support will be primarily on the implementation of ongoing projects and programmes within OCB’s portfolio by leading its private sector engagement component.

Tasks and responsibilities

Specific tasks will be related to areas of work of the team related to:
•    Oversee financial and economic analyses and assessments that contribute to the development of ongoing projects and programmes;
•    Conduct value chain analysis of specific agricultural commodities, contributing to the development of ongoing projects and programmes;
•    Write project concept notes, project proposals and other relevant documents that contribute to the development of ongoing and future projects and programmes;
•    Develope training materials, workshops, and information materials;
•    Outreach and facilitate partnerships with private sector actors, national institutions and other organizations.
•    Review abd provide substantial inputs to relevant technical documents;
•    Participate in country missions and provide guidance to national staff on private sector engagement and climate finance
•    Any other duties related to the programme of work as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in finance, economics, environmental sciences, agrifood systems or a closely related field;
•    At least 1 yeat (category C), 5 years (category B) or 10 years (category A) of relevant work experience in private sector engagement in the context of environment-related activities or climate change actions is required.
•    Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of English

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria 

•    Extent and relevance of experience in innovative financial instruments for climate change adaptation and/or mitigation, including blended finance, de-risk instruments and carbon markets
•    Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the following technical areas: climate change and agriculture finance, project development (including GEF, GCF, etc.), climate investment plans
•    experience in providing support to governments on private sector including development of policy enabling environment;
•    Extent and relevance of experience in identification of information and data for analysis of climate change and agrifood systems contexts, including country level information, agrifood system context, environmental context and policy documents
•    Extent and relevance of experience in tracking and analysing private and public financial flows to agrifood systems
•    Extent of relevance of experience in managing partnerships with private sector companies, investment funds, private foundations, development banks, financial platforms and mechanisms
•    Sound research and analytical skills, and the ability to gather information from different sources and present effectively both orally and in writing
•    Knowledge of FAO tools, projects and activities on climate change is considered an asset
•    Knowledge of additional UN official languages, Spanish and/or French in particular, is considered an asset

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements