National Climate Change Planning Specialist

Support Nauru's climate change planning and adaptation initiatives.

FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Application deadline in 11 days: Tuesday 4 Aug 2026 at 21:59 UTC

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Overview

Support Nauru's climate change planning and adaptation initiatives.

You have:

  • University degree from a recognized institution recognized in climate change planning and adaptation, International Development, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or related field.
  • Minimum of three years of relevant experience in climate policy development, adaptation planning, development planning.
  • Working Knowledge of English.
  • National of Nauru.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The FAO Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) was established in 1996 in Samoa to coordinate the FAO work in the Pacific and covers 14 - Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Tokelau (one Associate Member). SAP is responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing programmes and projects to address food security, nutrition, agriculture, natural resources management, and rural development priorities, in which gender, climate change adaption, and anticipatory action are important cross-cutting issues. SAP develops and maintains relations with subregion wide institutions and entities.

Reporting Lines

The National Climate Change Planning Specialist will be under the overall supervision of the FAO Subregional Coordinator (SRC) for the Pacific and will directly report to the project’s Lead Technical Officer (LTO) / Natural Resource Management Officer and the day-to-day supervision of the Technical Adviser (TA). He/she will also liaise with other technical, operational and administrative colleagues.

Technical Focus

The National Climate Change Planning Specialist will support the implementation of the Nauru Readiness Project and the development of Nauru’s technical studies, NDA and stakeholder capacity building, visioning and co-design process, prefeasibility studies, and the development of a project concept note for a potential GCF project in Nauru to build resilience to the impacts of climate change. The National Climate Change Planning Specialist will be responsible for ensuring alignment between the project and national climate change planning processes. They will also ensure regular communications between relevant government departments and will be responsible for working alongside the NDA throughout project implementation, supporting NDA capacity.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Collect and organize analyses on engagement and opportunities for Nauru’s private sector in climate action, and experiences and best practices from other countries to crowd-in / encourage private sector climate investments. • Support the preparation, review, and updating of national climate change policies, strategies, action plans, and implementation frameworks where relevant to the Readiness project. • Facilitate integration of climate change considerations into national and sectoral development plans. • Provide technical inputs for climate adaptation, mitigation, resilience-building, and sustainable development initiatives. • Gather and synthesize literature and supplementary information as required, including the review existing policy and regulatory frameworks and identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. • Support the preparation of the mitigation potential assessment and climate risks assessments. • Support the institutional capacity needs related to climate change planning. Support and facilitate training workshops and knowledge-sharing activities. Develop guidance materials, tools, and technical resources. Strengthen institutional capacities for climate mainstreaming and implementation. • Contribute to the co-design and visioning process, including the development of a concept note for a GCF project on agri-food system and water. • Monitor and report on developments relating to climate change and GCF projects and ensure that Readiness project activities adequately align and coordinate with relevant initiatives. Support the implementation of the results framework, and the monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan. • Support the process of GCF Readiness project implementation, including periodic reporting to the Technical Advisor (TA) and Lead Technical Officer (LTO) on implementation of activities. • Support the further development of project activities and implementation plan. • Coordinate and liaise with the NDA Secretariat (National Designated Authority) at the Department of Climate Change and National Resilience and the Department of Environment, Management and Agriculture (DEMA) as well as other key stakeholders. • Support the planning and organization of stakeholder meetings / workshops / consultations for the development of Nauru studies, concept note and prefeasibility study. Draft meeting minutes and workshop reports. • Support capacity development workshops / events to train government officials and representatives from other government entities. • Support the Technical Advisor, National Facilitator, and Administration and Procurement Specialist to draft and finalize concept notes and terms of reference (TOR) for vendors and sub-contractors who will support the implementation of specific GCF Readiness activities

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree from a recognized institution recognized in climate change planning and adaptation, International Development, Environmental Science, Social Sciences or related field. • Minimum of three years of relevant experience in climate policy development, adaptation planning, development planning. • Working Knowledge of English. • National of Nauru.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Knowledge of climate change adaptation and mitigation and sustainable development. • Climate risk and vulnerability assessment skills. • Policy and strategic planning expertise. • Strong analytical and report writing skills. • Strong writing skills and language proficiency. • Strong skills in developing capacity building materials; conducting health vulnerability and adaptation assessments; and working with communities to build resilience to climate-related health risks.

Selection Criteria

• Experience working with government institutions and development partners. • Strong knowledge on climate change planning, adaptation and mitigation. • Demonstrated understanding of machinery of government and government policy and planning processes. • Good level of analytical, communication, writing skills including ability to write concise technical reports in English is a strong asset. • Good knowledge of situation in Nauru. • Experience working with a cross-section of stakeholders, including senior government officials in Nauru or in Pacific region.

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.

Potential interview questions

Can you discuss your experience in climate policy development and its relevance to Nauru? The interviewer wants to assess your understanding and practical experience in climate policy related to the specific context of Nauru. Provide specific examples of your previous work in climate policy and how it can apply to Nauru's situation.
Describe a situation where you had to facilitate stakeholder engagement in a project. What strategies did you use? The interviewer is interested in your ability to manage relationships and coordinate with different stakeholders effectively. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies do you think are most effective for building resilience to climate change in small island nations? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you approach capacity building for government institutions in climate change planning? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Can you give an example of how you integrated climate considerations into national development plans? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Discuss a challenging climate risk assessment you have conducted. What was your role and the outcome? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What techniques do you use to monitor and evaluate climate projects effectively? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe your experience working with government officials. How do you ensure effective communication? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 2 days ago - Updated 35 minutes ago - Source: fao.org