National Project Personnel – Land Management Specialist

Organizational Setting:

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. The FAO-GEF partnership addresses critical challenges at the nexus between agriculture and the environment. FAO has a history of partnership with the Government of Mongolia (GoM), to eradicate poverty and malnutrition through the development of the agriculture sector. It has also been an active partner of the government in protecting the environment,promoting sustainable development and the disaster risk management strategies of the country.

The project “Promoting Dryland Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia” is part of a global program led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO), the Global Environment Facility 7th replenishment (GEF-7) Sustainable Forest Management Impact Program on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (SFM/Drylands IP). In Mongolia, the project is led by FAO in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and will be executed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food agriculture and light industry (MoFALI) and other partners.

WWF works to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. Working with many others – from individuals and communities to business and government – WWF urgently seeks to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable. As a part of WWF Network, WWF-Mongolia embraces the concept of being international and at the same time national. WWF-Mongolia focuses its efforts on critical conservation issues in 2 of the world’s outstanding places for biodiversity conservation, the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion in Western Mongolia and Amur-Heilong Ecoregion Complex in Eastern Mongolia.

Reporting Lines:

Under the direct supervision of National Project Manager (NPM) and technical guidance by FAO-Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and WWF concerned experts in close collaboration with the ALAMGAC, MoFALI and Local government, the National Land Management Specialist will be responsible for the implementation of following activities described as project Outcome 1.1; Outcome 2.2.1 and 2.2.2.

Technical Focus:

The objective of the project is to reverse and prevent dryland ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss through an inclusive, integrated landscape and value chain approach securing multiple environment benefits and sustainable, resilient livelihoods in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia.

Tasks and responsibilities:

1. Under the leadership of Agency for Land Administration and Management, Geodesy and Cartography (ALAMGAC) and in close collaboration with the respective national and local government agencies and project technical experts, support the implementation of following activities described as project Outcome 1.1:

• Review and revise existing guidelines used by ALAMGAC for development of aimag and soum land management plans;
• Organize consultations with stakeholders to discuss cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder landscape planning and management mechanisms/working groups at national and local levels, building on existing mechanisms. Develop draft Terms of Reference (TORs) of working groups in a gender-sensitive and inclusive manner and lead the processes of establishing a functional, cross-sectoral, multi-stakeholder working group at national and aimag levels within existing framework;
• In close consultation with ALAMGAC and stakeholders (including the private sector), prepare detailed guidelines for science-based, integrated management planning, assessment and monitoring (building on existing guidelines) and conduct training for aimag and soum level land officers to build capacity;
• Work with project technical staff and stakeholders and ensure that the developed guidelines for land planning and monitoring is complemented with LADA-WOCAT or other relevant tools;
• Ensure that missing elements of land degradation (LD) and biodiversity (BD) priorities are incorporated into aimag and soum level management plans and the important aspects of the Voluntary guidelines (VGGT) on tenure by FAO are reflected;
• Ensure that missing elements of land degradation (LD) and biodiversity (BD) priorities are incorporated into aimag and soum level management plans and the important aspects of the Voluntary guidelines (VGGT) on tenure by FAO are reflected;
• Lead and document recommended (adaptable) processes for development of aimag and soum land management plans and investment decision making through participatory and adaptive planning practices and ensure aimag and soums integrated land management plans are endorsed and implemented and regularly monitored in coordination with respective stakeholders and specialists;
• Collaborate closely with the International Soil/Land Degradation Expert and other technical experts during his/her assignment to get feasible policy recommendation for ensuring that guidelines incorporate land degradation and biodiversity considerations;
• Assist to review the existing PA zoning, regulation, and management plan from the general land use planning point of view;
• Prepare digital data layers against (a) the existing NRs and LPAs zoning; (b) forest patches and riparian forest zones; (c) pasturelands and seasonal grazing area; (d) planned development; (e) sites the ecological significance (eg., fauna breeding habitats, migratory routes), livelihood, and sites of cultural values, infrastructure, topography of the park;
• Assist developing protected area land use map as part of PA management plan within the broader land use planning.
• Assist to review forest management plan, with Biodiversity specialist, and ensure forest land use plan to be developed within overall land use planning of the aimags and soums building on the results of previous GEF funded forest project and other international and local initiatives.
• Prepare bidding documents and co-financing plan for developing aimag and soums integrated land management plan in collaboration with Department of Land management and urban construction of 3 target aimags in consolidated ways;
• Prepare technical specification and list of equipment and tools to be supplied;
• Conduct technical training for technical capacity to use guidelines and supplied equipment/tools to local government officers and other stakeholders;
• Prepare knowledge products on the entire process of development of land management plans and monitoring including the lessons learned on co-financing practices;
• Provide feedback on required actions to improve legal framework for land management at national level;
• Supervise the Sub-contractor’s work for development of guidelines and trainings on land degradation neutrality and land management by ensuring their work is delivered in timely and satisfactory manner for up-scaling and replicating nation-wide by the ALAMGAC.

2. Under the leadership of MOFALI and in close collaboration with the National project manager, respective project specialists, the Soum Coordinators, relevant government agencies and local government, support the implementation of following activities described as Outcome 2.2.1 and 2.2.2:

• Under leadership of national livestock specialist, support the process of developing guidelines/handbooks and training program for local-national decision makers, herders, private sector and Community based organizations on sustainable pasture management;
• Support the consultations to identify roles and responsibilities and procedures to regulate pasture use at soum and bagh level in collaboration with livestock specialist.
• For the development of guidelines and handbooks, build on existing guidance nationally and internally and coordinate with the UNDP GCF project, FAO and other international and local initiatives.
• Facilitate the inclusion of the project-supported pasture management plans into the overall NRs and LPAs Management Plan, working especially with the Livestock specialist to ensure compatibility of the pasture management plans within the overall land use plan;
• Support implementation of pasture management/restoration plan and/or agreement and its monitoring as part of soum land management plan and NRs and LPAs management plan under the leadership of National Livestock specialist, and in close collaboration with Soum coordinators, concerned soum officials and Protected Area and River Basin Authorities.
• Ensure that all activities are screened against the environmental and social management framework (ESMF), support the targets of the gender action plan, focus especially on ethnic minorities and female herders, and are conducted with consultation and participation of herding families; This may involve a natural resource use survey as part of the Process Framework on access restrictions, in collaboration with the National Safeguards and Gender Specialist, National Livestock Specialist and other experts.
• Develop specific monitoring indicators to support implementation of ESMF measures related integrated land management and monitor progress of the activities;
• Develop lessons learned and policy recommendations on the activities conducted, and provide relevant inputs for project progress reports and consultant’s final report at the end of the project. This will include assisting knowledge management and M&E specialistto prepare a scale –up strategy and investment plan for integrated land management after project completion, including specific options for MET, MOFALI and ALAMGAC to prepare a scale-up strategy and investment plan for after project completion;
• Provide quarterly M&E report, co-financing report and inputs to the project six-monthly project progress reports and annual project implementation reports;
• Any other tasks that may be relevant to the position

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced degree in land management and related sciences.
• Minimum of 5 years directly applicable experience working on integrated land management, hands-on experience in developing land management plan and design of monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Proven experience with statistical and data analysis; familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative information analysis tools
• Excellent command of language in English and Mongolian including ability to write clearly and concisely at technical level
• Nationality of Mongolia.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Excellent capacity to manage project planning, implementation and evaluation;
• Excellent inter-personal skills, including the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships at all levels;
• Teamwork and strong soft skills including interpersonal, ethical, listening and communication skills, proactive, problem solving, self-organizing, planning, organizing, setting priorities and efficient use of time;
• High computer literacy in MS Office; Adobe (package) ArcGIS, and land management planning/monitoring tools and analysis software for integrated land management etc;
• In-depth knowledge of programme and project implementation is considered a strong asset;
• Experience in international programme and project implementing organization is an asset;
• Willingness to travel regularly in the field;

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/