Climate Change Expert (Mitigation)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is at the forefront of work towards sustainable agriculture and food systems by promoting protection and sustainable use of natural resources, while meeting society’s growing needs for decent and resilient livelihoods. FAO has worked in Sri Lanka for over four decades, sharing technical expertise and building the capacity of stakeholders in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, forestry and environment sectors to build resilience, increase food security and ensure sustainable management of natural resources.

FAO had secured funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness programme, for implementing the project GCP/SRL/079/GCR “Capacity enhancement of the National Designated Authority (NDA) and other relevant stakeholders in Sri Lanka to re-evaluate technical needs for climate change adaptation and mitigation and assess climate finance priorities for agriculture by developing innovative climate smart investment mechanisms through increased partnerships between public and private sectors”. The Project Goal is to enhance the capacity of the Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, to jointly identify and implement technical needs for addressing Sri Lanka’s climate challenges in its priority sectors, and leverage public and private investment for climate-smart agriculture through scientific knowledge-based planning. The main outputs of the project are:

• Sectoral and national Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) and Technology Action Plans (TAPs) updated for mitigation and adaptation with clear strategies to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions and the National Adaptation Plan. • Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) investment plan developed based on updated Agro-ecological maps and other relevant information. • Capacity of the NDA and relevant stakeholders strengthened to facilitate a dialogue and forge partnerships between the public and private sectors for increased private sector engagement and investment in CSA. • Concrete strategies and actions developed for improving private sector engagement and investment in CSA in the plantation and non-plantation sub-sectors identified through a public-private forum • Capacities of relevant stakeholders enhanced to prepare quality concept notes for developing bankable projects for implementing the CSA investment plan • GCF concept notes developed for in the plantation and non-plantation sub-sectors to advance the CSA investment plan through potential AEs, including FAO. • NDA’s data and information portal/web platform established to FAO’s Climate and Agriculture risk Visualization and Assessment (CAVA) platform to improve Sri Lanka's capacity to analyse, manage and disseminate information concerning climate vulnerabilities and risks • Awareness and capacity of NDA enhanced with clear ways forward to improve knowledge management related to climate finance.

FAO Sri Lanka is recruiting a Climate Change Expert (Mitigation) for preparation of Technology Need Assessment (TNA) and Technology Action Plan (TAP) for 6 mitigation sectors (Energy, Transport, Industry, Waste, Forestry, Agriculture) of climate change. He/she will also work with Climate Change Expert (Adaptation) for identifying adaptation aspects of those sectors. The post is based in the FAO Representation in Colombo, Sri Lanka with delivery basis payments.

Reporting Lines

The Climate Change Expert (Mitigation) will be working in close coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the GCF Readiness Project and with technical guidance by the Environment and Climate Change Specialist and the Lead Technical Officer with regard to project implementation. He/she will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme).

Technical Focus

• Prepare/ update the TNA and TAP for the mitigation sectors (including both adaptation and mitigation). • Conduct the inception workshop and validation workshop in collaboration with the Climate Change Expert (Adaptation) • Conduct workshops for the mitigation sectors. • Prepare the TNA and TAP reports in collaboration of Climate Change Expert (Adaptation) and Environment and Climate Change Specialist. • Ensure that the TNA and TAP are gender responsive.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the TNA and develop the work plan to update the TNA and TAP in collaboration with the Climate Change Expert (Adaptation). • Prepare the TOR for the working group members in mitigation sectors. • Identify the working group members (institutions) in consultation with the Climate Change Secretariat. • Conduct the inception workshop and validation workshop in collaboration with to Climate Change Expert (Adaptation). • Review the NDCs, NAP and other priority documents on climate change and prepare a zero draft document of TNA for Mitigation Sectors. • Conduct consultation workshops. • Prepare an improved draft document of TNA with comments of working groups. • Prepare zero draft of the TAP in consultation with relevant parties. • Produce the validated version of TNA and TAP of the mitigation sectors. • Participate in progress review meetings. • Prepare the printable version of the TNA and TAP in collaboration of Climate Change Expert (Adaptation) and Environment and Climate Change Specialist.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• A Master Degree or equivalent in environmental science, natural resources management, agriculture, climate change or any related disciplines. • At least 10 years of working experience in the field of Climate change mitigation. • Working knowledge and excellent communication skills in English (written and oral) and Sinhala/Tamil. • National of Sri Lanka or a legal resident in the country.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Familiarity with effectively use standard office software, such as MS Office (Windows, Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point). • Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholder groups. • Demonstrated experience in working with government structures at national level and wider stakeholders (regional and international development agencies). • Experience working for donor-driven projects.

Selection Criteria

• Extent and relevance of experience in one or more sectors in Climate change mitigation. • Extent of experience in technical report writing. • Experience in coordinating and liaising with industry, academia, national authorities, UN agencies, donors, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. • Familiarity with the UN System and /or development sector will be considered an asset. • Strong analytical skills and experience in developing technical reports - undertaking research, primary and secondary data collection, analysis and report writing. • Ability to work/deliver independently with minimal supervision.