National consultant on Forestry Program

Organizational Setting

The cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Ukraine has been designed to reinforce national capacities and to contribute to a broader development of agriculture, sustainable management of forests and fisheries, and animal and plant disease control. FAO is providing technical support for climate change adaptation, as well as working with civil society to mitigate soil erosion and degradation. FAO is also contributing to building resilience and boosting development in conflict-affected regions by supporting the economic recovery of farmers and rural communities. FAO’s presence in Ukraine is distributed by offices in Kyiv, Kramatorsk, Mariupol, Zaporizhzhia, and Lviv under the overall responsibility of the Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia and managed by the Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative and of the de-facto Head of the Office/Budget Holder, the direct supervision of the Head of Office/Programme Officer in Ukraine, the technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officers and in close collaboration with other staff and other projects, the consultant will support the implementation of the forestry component of the Project GCP/UKR/012/EC.

Technical focus

The Government of Ukraine and the European Union (EU) are currently working together to undertake institutional reforms to the agricultural sectors, including fisheries and forestry. In an effort to strengthen joint initiative of the Government and the EU for fostering sustainable economic development and meeting the needs of the targeted rural population, both women and men, FAO designed EU-funded project on “Inclusive, competitive and sustainable value chain development in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry (GCP/UKR/012/EC)”. The project is comprised of three components, each addressing critical issues within relevant agri-food sub-sectors. It will engage a diverse range of stakeholders and will be implemented in close collaboration with the following line ministries and state agencies:the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food (MAPF), State Agency for Land Reclamation and Fisheries of Ukraine (SALRFU), Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources (MEPNR), State Forest Resource Agency of Ukraine (SFRAU), Ministry of Economy (MoE) and the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection (SSUFSCP). During its implementation, the project will have to consider and closely monitor ongoing political and institutional challenges that primarily relate to the delineation of functions and responsibilities between the entities mentioned above as well as completion of the institutional set-up process and approval of key appointments which are still ongoing and expected to finish in mid-autumn.

The project seeks to strengthen livelihoods in target rural populations by increasing productivity and sustainability of agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors; reduce rural poverty; and enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. The project will reach these objectives through the implementation of three components focusing on (1) improving the policy environment; data, research, and monitoring; and governance systems in fisheries and aquaculture sectors; (2) strengthening the enabling environment for the forestry sector to help secure the long-term sustainability of forest management and to improve evidence-based policymaking in the sector; and (3) strengthening selected food value chains through improved access to finance, inputs and services to support the integration of smallholder farmers into sustainable value chains.

Component 2: Strengthened enabling environment for the forestry sector to help secure the long-term sustainability of forest management and to improve evidence-based policymaking in the sector

Taking into consideration the complex scenario of the forestry sector of Ukraine, the project’s primary objective is to support SFRAU, MEPNR and other relevant national stakeholders in strengthening the enabling environment of the sector and setting up the basis for future medium- and long-term interventions to further promote the sector. This includes strengthening the management and financing of protected areas, supporting the management of commercial and subsistence agriculture lands to reduce pressure on adjoining forests, and reinforcing institutional and decentralized capacities to integrate forestry into the broader landscape of land-use planning processes. The project will provide technical assistance for improving transparency and traceability in the sector through the improvement of a transparent e-tracking system for wood products. In addition, it will also support the implementation of the Forestry Strategy and Action Plan through supporting the revision/drafting of at least two key pieces of forestry legislation and improving communication and outreach, all on the basis of the future action plan priorities. Finally, the project will develop a multipurpose forest management plan to promote forestry-based value chains through establishing links and synergies with Component 3 of the project.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Monitor and support the development and implementation of the national forestry strategy and the action plan in close coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the State Forestry Agency, the EU project team and other national and international partners;
• Support the development of e-tracking system in close coordination with the State Forestry Agency, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Digitization;
• Support the development and implementation of Multipurpose Forest Management Plan (MPFMP) and forestry-based value chains, in close coordination with the State Forestry Agency, FAO project value chain development team and the local partners;
• When necessary, undertake the field missions to monitor project implementation and to provide feedbacks to the project works;
• Support the FAO procurement and human resources teams regarding the recruitment of national consultants, drafting ToRs, preparation of contracts, etc.;
• Provide six-monthly progress reports about implementation of the forestry component of the project including recommendations and actions for the attention of the FAO office and the project team.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in natural resources, forestry, environmental sciences or relevant fields;
• At least 5 years’ experience in project management, implementation and monitoring;
• Excellent communication and report writing skills in English;
• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• National of Ukraine or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work;
• Ability to take initiative and accomplish tasks with minimum supervision;
• Ability to perform in a multi-cultural team.