Senior Forestry Officer (Forest Foods, Nutrition And Wildlife)

The Senior Forestry Officer leads FAO's work on forest foods, nutrition, and wildlife, focusing on sustainable wildlife management and the contribution of forests to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and resilient food systems. The role involves technical leadership, policy advice, normative guidance, and support to Members and international policy processes.

Responsibilities

• Plans, manages or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams; leads, coordinates and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.
• Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks.
• Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis of activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or ongoing programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.
• Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes.
• Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Member Nations such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning and on-line tools.
• Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders.
• Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.
• Provides global technical leadership for FAO’s normative work on the contribution of forests, forest foods and sustainably managed wild species to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and ecosystem resilience, including through sustainable wildlife management approaches aligned with biodiversity conservation, food systems transformation and One Health.
• Leads and supports FAO’s engagement in international policy processes, conventions and technical fora related to sustainable wildlife management, biodiversity, food security and nutrition, including through the provision of technical advice, evidence-based inputs and representation of the Organization.
• Provides normative and technical support to countries and FAO's operational and field-level programmes including through policy support, capacity development and training.
• Leads resource mobilization strategies, partnership development and project formulation to advance sustainable forest foods and wildlife management initiatives, including global normative work and country-level support programmes.
• Promotes interdisciplinary approaches and strengthens collaboration across FAO technical units, including forestry, food systems, nutrition, biodiversity, One Health and climate teams, to advance integrated solutions for sustainable forest-based food systems.
• Fosters, strengthens and manages strategic partnerships and initiatives with relevant institutions at international, national and local levels, including the private sector, research and non-governmental organizations, and donors.
• Collects, analyses and disseminates data and information on issues related to forest foods, nutrition and wildlife.
• Serves as Secretary of the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW), coordinating partnership activities, facilitating collaboration among member organizations and supporting implementation of the CPW Strategic Roadmap and work plans.
• Leads the development of technical guidance, knowledge products and policy tools on sustainable wildlife management and forest foods, including their contributions to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and resilient food systems.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in forest, agriculture or natural resources management, ecosystem biodiversity management, or social sciences, including political sciences or economics.
• Ten years of relevant experience in forestry, sustainable wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, natural resources management, forest-based food systems, or related areas, including experience in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• 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).
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is essential.
• Extent and relevance of experience or knowledge of forestry and wildlife management for food security, nutrition and livelihoods.
• Extent and relevance of technical expertise in the contributions of forests and wild species to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and biodiversity conservation, including sustainable use and management of forest foods, wild meat and other wild resources.
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing and implementing policies, programmes and initiatives related to sustainable wildlife management, forest foods and the linkages between biodiversity, food systems, nutrition and livelihoods, particularly in developing countries and countries in transition.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the planning and implementation of programmes related to forest foods and wildlife.
• Demonstrated results-based management capabilities with an ability to manage programmes, budgets and human resources efficiently under shifting priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in integrating sustainable wildlife management and forest-based food systems into national, regional and global policy frameworks, including biodiversity, climate, One Health and food security agendas.
• Ability to provide technical leadership, policy advice and normative guidance on sustainable wildlife management, including legal and sustainable use and trade of wildlife, human-wildlife coexistence, and the role of wild species in supporting resilient ecosystems and vulnerable communities.
• Extent and relevance of experience in coordinating multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder partnerships involving governments, international organizations, research institutions, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, civil society and other relevant stakeholders.
• Extent and relevance of experience in different countries and regions, especially in developing countries and countries in transition.
• Ability to mobilize resources.
• Extent and relevance of experience in organizing international meetings, seminars and training courses.
• Candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

Skills

• Sustainable Wildlife Management
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Natural Resource Management
• Forest-based Food Systems
• Food Security
• Nutrition and Livelihoods
• Programme Planning
• Result-Based Management
• Budget Management
• Human Resources Management
• Policy Development
• Technical Leadership
• Normative Guidance
• Legal Wildlife Use and Trade
• Human-Wildlife Coexistence
• Multidisciplinary Partnership Coordination
• Resource Mobilization
• International Meeting Organization
• Training Course Development

Languages

English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish