Forest Database and QAQC Specialist

Organizational Setting

Bangladesh is a highly populated and agriculture dependent country, but climate change impacts, unsustainable agricultural practices, land degradation and over exploitation of natural resources threaten to undermine its agricultural development trajectory. To stem these trends, several projects are being implemented and formulated aimed at promoting a transition to more productive and sustainable agriculture at national and local levels. FAO supports the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in ongoing programs related to land restoration, reforestation and REDD . A national forestry inventory and satellite forest monitoring program was designed and carried out by the Bangladesh Forest Department under the MoEFCC with support from FAO from 2016 to 2019. A second cycle of the inventory is planned which FAO may expect to support.

Reporting Lines

The Forest Database and QAQC Specialist is a SC 07 position who will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the the Environment Climate Change Specialist (Team Leader) and in close collaboration with national and international consultants in the project team, and the technical backstopping of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) at FAO Bangkok.

Technical Focus

The Forest Database and QAQC Specialist will be a part of a national team to provide technical assistance in the areas of capacity building, institutional strengthening, planning and implementation of forest-related projects. This position requires a background in natural resources, especially knowledge of local tree species in addition to a basic understanding of spreadsheets and databases. The Forest Database and QAQC Specialist will be supported by an IT Website and Database Development Expert

Tasks and responsibilities

● Work closely with the International Consultant, central forest inventory team, and national partners on a wide range of natural resource data management needs (e.g. collection forms, archiving, online database tools, data cleaning, QAQC protocols, etc); ● With support from IT experts, provide plot reports to support field teams to relocate plots and update their data; ● Compile all data from field data collection teams for archiving into a central database; ● Support national, international, and government users to query the database for forest management needs; ● Perform office QAQC protocols to identify outlier data and perform other data cleaning steps and update the database as needed; ● Carefully document all changes made to the database, attributing proper reasons for the changes; ● Report any technical problems related to the data and database the International Consultant and national team; ● Develop terms of reference and act as responsible officer for selected service providers that support the QAQC process; ● Perform analysis of QAQC results and write QAQC results as inputs to the national report on the Bangladesh Forest Inventory; ● Review existing manuals and guidance documents regarding national forest inventory data and suggest improvements; ● Revise and update a database maintenance and QAQC manuals to ensure the sustainability of the forest data information and archiving systems; ● Recommend changes to the data collection procedures that improve the efficiency and quality of data that is archived; ● Assist in improving field QAQC procedures to ensure proper protocols are followed; ● In close collaboration with the national counterpart personnel, review the current database structure and ensure that is fit for purpose to archive, query, and make accessible several datasets collected by the Forest Department (FD); ● Provide training to FD and its national partners on proper tree and forest database management; ● Support the development and maintenance of websites and web portals that host tree and forest databases; ● Assist in reviewing the current Bangladesh Forest Information System (BFIS) and make recommendations for improving it modules and management; ● Assist development of new BFIS modules according to FD needs; ● Assist in any other tasks under the project at the instruction of the FAO Representative, the LTO and Team Leader

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management or other related field is required • A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in the natural resource data compilation, management and maintenance • Working knowledge of English and Bangla • National of Bangladesh

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

● Proficiency in data collection tools and archiving data in spreadsheets, and a basic understanding of database design and database queries ● Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power point, Internet); ● Experience working with tree and forest databases is an advantage ● Familiarity of working with the UN or development sector actors an advantage; and ● Knowledge of GIS an advantage. ● Ability to multi-task, work under pressure, and tight deadlines; ● Ability to work independently, take initiative, and self-manage deadlines and deliverables;

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.