POLICY, LAW AND INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING SPECIALIST

Organizational Setting

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Reporting Lines

The Policy, Law and Institutional Strengthening Specialist will report to the Lead National Consultant – Natural Resource Management Specialist. At the same time, s/he will be under the technical supervision of a Legal Officer, Development Law Service, FAO HQ, for legal/institutional review work.

Technical Focus

The Global Environment Facility (GEF8) approved the Expression of Interest (EOI) of the project entitled “Transforming Agricultural Landscapes in Island Ecosystems and Key Biodiversity Areas towards Sustainable Food Systems and Climate Resilient Communities” under the Food Systems Integrated Program (FS-IP). The project aims to improve the ecosystem health and transform food systems to deliver multiple environmental and social benefits through the following components: (i) enhancing the enabling environment for climate-resilient and sustainable food and landscape management systems, including the dynamic conservation of biodiversity for food and agriculture; (ii) enabling integrated landscape management to sustain food systems and deliver GEBs; (iii) strengthening capacities promoting investment in sustainable and climate resilient food production practices, and improved value chains ; and (iv) promoting learning, knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation for sustainable landscapes management and biodiversity conservation.

In preparation for the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase, the Food and Agriculture Organization, in collaboration with the Government of the Philippines will develop the full project document in alignment with the national priorities and GEF8 programming directions. Project preparation activities will include desk review as well as multi-stakeholder consultations to ensure the involvement of key stakeholders in the project design process and generate commitments both at the national and local levels.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide technical inputs to ensure that the overall project design reflects and integrates a strong understanding of existing policy, law, and institutional challenges and opportunities related to the achievement of the project objective. • Conduct literature review of existing and related legal and institutional frameworks, relevant sectoral plans, and policies on food system transformation, integrated landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land management that are applicable to the project site. • Identify gaps and barriers in mainstreaming biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable food and landscape management systems, in development plans/ frameworks both at the local and national levels. • Provide assessment and preliminary recommendations on the harmonization of multiple land use plans as well as for improving the enabling environment toward resilient and sustainable food and landscape management systems. • Identify topics and implement trainings towards enhanced capacity of partner agencies and key stakeholders for the development and implementation of harmonized land use plans, and resource management frameworks. • Identify and assess existing national and local incentives for sustainable land use and integrated natural resource management, including the provision of relevant recommendations on regulatory provisions for the appropriate incentive mechanisms identified. • Provide inputs on the discussion on the institutional engagement section of the project document, including a detailed elaboration of the institutional and project management arrangements for project implementation that will be done at local and national levels. • Complete and contribute to relevant sections of the project document and supporting materials any relevant policies, laws, and institutional information necessary to finalize the full-sized project document and supporting materials, including , social and environmental assessments, results framework, baseline information, national benefits, capacity development, etc. • Conduct individual meetings, interviews or workshops with relevant departments, both at the national and local levels on approaches for harmonisation of land use governance frameworks. • In consultation with the stakeholder engagement specialist and food systems expert, develop activities and corresponding budget and M&E plan. • Complete and submit mission reports covering a summary of mission activities and conclusions, key persons/ organizations consulted and recommendations for the finalization of the project documents. • Undertake field missions and participate in workshops/ meetings/ consultations as required. • Provide a preliminary outline, proposed methodology, draft and final copies of all expected outputs; and • Carry out other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as requested by FAO.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in environmental/agricultural law and policy • At least ten (10) years of demonstrated experience working on policy, law and institutional strengthening in the Philippine context. • Working knowledge of English

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English