Climate Change Programme Consultant – Asia-Pacific

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is responsible for leading FAO’s efforts to achieve food security for all in the Asia-Pacific region. FAO’s three main goals are: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

The FAO-RAP Regional Initiative on Climate change (RICC), which commenced in 2018, provides the framework for FAO’s work on climate change and resilience in the region. It aims to better support its member countries to scale-up action to address the impacts and drivers of climate change in the agriculture and land-use sectors; particularly adaptation and mitigation actions identified as part of countries intended Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. In connection with this initiative FAO-RAP is undertaking a number of related initiatives including research on regional understanding of climate change impacts on agriculture and NDC implementation and implementing programs on relevant technical options and planning processes including National Adaptation Plans.

To further support member countries in the region and strengthen the delivery of the RICC, the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) is coordinating closely with FAO-RAP on a number of related initiatives including the implementation of the new FAO-UNDP Support Programme on Scaling up Climate Ambition on Land Use and Agriculture through NDCs and NAPs (SCALA). This programme is supported by the German Government and will be implemented in four countries in Asia and a further 8 countries globally from 2020-2025.

FAO-RAP’s Resilience and Climate Change team and OCB are seeking a motivated, dynamic consultant to support the implementation of both the RICC and SCALA. The consultant will also assist in the formulation, development and implementation of projects and activities related to climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures for continued agricultural development in the Asia-Pacific region.

The consultant will be based at the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok.

Reporting Lines

The consultant would report primarily to the Natural Resources Officer RAP - Climate Change and Bioenergy and will work in close collaboration with the Natural Resources Officer OCB - SCALA Senior Resilience Officer (RAP) and relevant technical officers of the FAO-RAP Climate Change Task Group and Natural Resource Management Group.

Technical Focus

Climate change, Adaptation, Mitigation, Energy, Agriculture, Policy

Tasks and responsibilities

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Regional Programme Support

• Prepare a review of the progress and achievements under the RICC and FAO Corporate Climate Change Strategy in Asia and the Pacific;
• Support a process to identify gaps and needs to further scale-up support to countries to implement agriculture sector priorities in their respective NDCs via the RICC and SCALA;
• Support coordination in the delivery of SCALA and other related RICC programs;
• Support and/or lead the development of project proposals for GCF, GEF and other funding sources to support NDC implementation;
• Engage in programme management activities for RICC and SCALA in Asia including the review operational and technical reports for coherence and provide detailed comments and suggestions as required;
• Engage in SCALA project coordination calls and meetings and take on additional project related tasks as required.

In-Country Support

• Support consultations with member country governments and FAO and UNDP country offices in SCALA countries to define clear work programmes consistent with the overall global design of the programme;
• Support the selection and hire of national consultants to support the SCALA programme implementation;
• Support coordination of project activities with national project directors in SCALA target countries;
• Support the delivery of SCALA and RICC technical outputs in member countries by engaging in and documenting meetings with country project counterparts and preparing and reviewing documents including terms of reference, letter of agreement, and contracts;
• Support the preparation of Field Budget Authorizations in target project countries to support the implementation of SCALA and RICC activities;
• Support coordination of regional and national service providers to implement SCALA and RICC activities;
• Engage in project management activities in target countries including the review operational and technical reports for coherence and provide detailed comments and suggestions as required;

Technical guidance and capacity building

• Support development of guidance materials for SCALA and RICC countries linked to country priorities for agriculture under their respective NDC and global public and private climate finance mechanisms;

· Lead organization of peer exchanges and regional workshops on selected thematic topics of importance for SCALA and RICC in the region including nature-based solutions, private sector engagement and value chain development;

• Support the mainstreaming of gender issues into SCALA and RICC implementation activities, by liaising with Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points in RAP and OCB;
• Provide support for the development of national NDC investment strategies;
• Support the preparation of thematic case studies on needs related to innovative and transformative climate-sensitive agriculture and land use actions and private sector engagement for NDCs;

Communications

• Support the preparation of country case studies for SCALA project countries and other key countries for the RICC as required;
• Lead preparation of a communications strategy for SCALA and RICC in the region;
• Lead drafting of news articles and blogs of SCALA and RICC activities.

Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University degree in fields related to agricultural, natural resource, ecological or environmental economics, climate and/or environmental sciences and agriculture and/or natural resource management
• At least 2 years of relevant experience working in an international organization or setting on topics related to climate change and agriculture and/or natural resource management
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO official languages (for COF.REG). In the case of PSA.SBS a working knowledge of English will be sufficient.

FAO Core Competencies

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