Programme and Operations Support Specialist (GEF-7 DSL-IP Southern Africa Cluster)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was selected to lead the GEF-7 Sustainable Forest Management Impact Programme on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (GEF-7 DSL-IP). The overall objective of the DSL-IP is to “maintain the ecological integrity of entire biomes by concentrating efforts, focus, and investments, as well as ensuring strong regional cross-border coordination”, in order to transform the course of development and produce multiple benefits towards biodiversity enhancement, climate change and land degradation reduction and overall improvement of livelihoods. Furthermore, the SFM-DSL IP “will support a multi-country collaboration on management challenges faced by countries across borders and identifying this during the design process.” The SFM-DSL IP will implement the Child Projects across 11 countries: 8 in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe), one in West Africa (Burkina Faso) and two in Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Mongolia). The SFM-DSL IP Global Coordination Project (GCP) will not directly participate in the implementation of IP but will coordinate and support the implementation and engagement of these country-specific Child Projects. Based on the geographic distribution of the DSL IP countries, three regional platforms (Regional Exchange Mechanisms - REM) are envisaged: for Central Asia, Sahel/East Africa, and the Miombo/Mopane Ecoregion of Southern Africa. REMs will facilitate the collaboration and exchange both within and between regions as needed. REM –Southern Africa cluster include these child projects, Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Reporting Lines

Under the direct supervision of Forestry Officer, SFS (as LTO of child projects for Southern Africa – REM), and in direct support of the Regional Coordinator (GEF – 7 SFM/-DSL IP – Southern Africa Cluster), and in close coordination with FAO country offices participating in the programme, as well as the overall guidance of the Global SFM-DSL IP, the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

Technical Focus

In close consultation with the GCP and sub regional office, provide programme and operational support functions to the DSL IP REM Southern Africa in order to achieve the following core results: (i) Increased collaboration and coordination among the 7 DSL IP country projects (Angola, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe) (ii) Improved delivery of demand-driven support (work planning, programme and financial reporting) and other operational support to the Child Projects; (iii) Harmonized approach in child projects planning and timely reporting across countries; and (iv) Regional level M&E for adaptive management responses to regional impacts and trends.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day administrative and operational actions of the program;
• Support the Regional Coordinator in the work planning, monitoring and reporting of the REM interventions;
• Support the organization of travels and missions for staff and consultants under Project Management Unit (for REM and global coordination project) to the child project countries, non-IP scaling out countries and to regional and global events in order to optimize cost-efficiency and effectiveness;
• Support the organization of regional workshops, trainings, webinars organized through the REM, including the identification and hiring of venues, the preparation and circulation of agendas and invitations, and the logistical coordination of invitees’ participation including transport and accommodation;
• Assist and support participating FAO country offices in work planning and OPIM related reporting requirements;
• Assist in updating the programme’s monitoring dashboard;
• Support the preparation of region-specific status reports, progress reports and the annual Project Implementation Reports;
• Support to the preparation and dissemination of outreach materials at regional level;
• Compile and verify region-specific budget and accounting data by researching files, calculating costs and estimating anticipated expenditures from readily available information sources (for Consultants only);
• Process all types of payment requests for settlement purposes including quarterly advances to the partners upon joint review;
• Prepare periodic accounting records by recording receipts, disbursements (ledgers, cashbooks, vouchers, etc.) and reconciling data for recurring or financial reports and assist in preparation of annual procurement plans.
• Undertake missions to monitor technical and operational performance to child countries, as appropriate;
• In consultation with the FAO Evaluation Office and FAO-GEF Coordination Unit, support the organization of the mid-term and final evaluations, and provides inputs regarding project budgetary matters;
• Perform any other related duties.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Economics, project management, natural resources, social sciences, agriculture, forestry or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Operations, Programme, Contract Management or Procurement.
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian) for Consultants. Working knowledge of English for PSA.SBS

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in operations functions and OPIM related reporting requirements, is desirable;
• Excellent communication skills, including ability to write concise technical reports in English
• Knowledge of UN or standard operational rules and procedures and project/programme administrative management procedures is considered an asset;
• Ability to work independently, under time pressure and meet deadlines
• Thoroughness and reliability, sense of diplomacy and tact