Programme Officer (GEF Policy, Monitoring and Reporting)

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 Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) promotes integration of innovative approaches in the activities of the Organization, for the sustainable use, management and conservation of natural resources for food and agriculture. OCB assists FAO Members in their responses towards the challenge of climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the development of adaptive capacities of agriculture, fisheries and forestry for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and other natural resources. It provides a coordination role on climate change, biodiversity and the environment. OCB also serves as the focal point for a multidisciplinary and global approach to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and topics on bioenergy, ecosystem restoration and green and climate resilient agriculture.

FAO is one of the 18 Global Environment Facility (GEF) Agencies. GEF is a financing mechanism for five international environmental conventions: the CBD, the UNFCCC, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

FAO's GEF Coordination Unit (GCU), based in OCB, assists Members in developing and implementing projects for financing through the GEF Trust Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund (LCDF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). In recent years, the FAO-GEF portfolio has grown rapidly, now valued at over USD 1 billion and comprised of over 225 projects.

As GEF Agency, FAO's work with the GEF involves a robust and intensive dialogue (inputs and compliance) on policy matters. The GCU plays a unique liaison role between the FAO and the GEF on policy and programming matters. As such, this position plays an important role in supporting the robust policy dialogue FAO has with the GEF and in enabling FAO to ensure a solid policy baseline to enable effective and efficient implementation and oversight of the portfolio. This dynamic engagement with the GEF requires FAO to adjust continuously and improve its policy baseline to comply with the evolving GEF policy requirements. This in turn requires the GEF Unit to lead and coordinate the in-House dialogue and discussion of FAO's policy baseline and to communicate new GEF policy requirements to the House. Additionally, the GEF's policy requirements affect every aspect of FAO's GEF project submissions. Portfolio monitoring and reporting (M-R) is a key task of the FAO-GEF Coordination Unit (GCU). As GEF Agency, FAO is also responsible to supervise and monitor all of its FAO-GEF projects and programs, coordinating the annual Project Implementation Review (PIR) exercise, leading the mid-term review function, and working closely with FAO's Office of Evaluation and the GEF's Independent Office of Evaluation to support terminal evaluation function.

This position is located in the FAO-GEF Coordination Unit (GCU) in OCB and based at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Programme Officer (GEF Policy, Monitoring and Reporting) reports to the Senior Coordinator, GEF Unit.

Technical Focus

A) Strategic policy advice and guidance to the FAO-GEF community and to the GEF partnership;

B) Management and guidance on monitoring and reporting functions of the FAO-GEF portfolio and projects, including providing guidance for financial management of GEF resources, mid-term reviews, methodology development, quality assurance, review, portfolio analysis, reporting, lessons generation and knowledge management.

Key Results

1. FAO plays a leading role in GEF policy dialogue with up to date policies to ensure that FAO is “fit for purpose” policy foundation.

2. FAO-GEF portfolio is effectively monitored, reported and evaluated and Mid-Term Review (MTR) of programme/projects adequately undertaken and this monitoring work generating lessons for knowledge management and double loop learning.

3. Develops, implements, evaluates, effective leadership and management of major projects and teams in accordance with Divisional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Coordinates the monitoring and reporting on FAO’s GEF portfolio; monitors and analyses programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and initiates corrective action; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up action;

• Performs specific assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change;

• Researches, analyses and presents information gathered from diverse sources;

• Coordinates policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies;

• Generates survey initiatives; reviews, analyses and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions;

• Organizes and prepares written outputs, e.g. background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications;

• Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings and conferences to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations;

• Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops and seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities;

• Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries;

• Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, FAO GEF portfolio financial management) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget).

Specific Functions

Monitoring and Reporting

• Coordinates the overall monitoring of the FAO-GEF portfolio, including the support to- and oversight of the mid-term review (MTR) process, as well as the oversight of the Terminal Evaluation process;

• Coordinates the GEF Unit's reporting function, both externally versus the GEF, as detailed in section 12 of the Financial Procedures Agreement with the GEF Trustee, including further GEF requirements such as the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) which includes the Project Implementation Reviews (PIR), the Administrative Expenses report etc., and internally in FAO;

• Liaises and collaborates with FAO's Office of Evaluation (OED), for the evaluation of FAO-GEF programmes and projects;

• Liaises with the FAO Office of Evaluation (OED) and the GEF Independent Evaluation Office on behalf of the GEF Unit;

• Provides Quality Assurance on MTR- and TE reports, by ensuring that GEF Evaluation Policy is being correctly applied, before these are submitted to the GEF through the GEF Portal;

• Undertakes capacity development activities; conducts training workshops, seminars;

• Coordinates the reporting on results at portfolio level and contribute to the knowledge management for the FAO-GEF portfolio.

Policy

• Serves as the policy liaison with the GEF Secretariat and GEF agencies to ensure robust FAO engagement in the ongoing GEF policy dialogue;

• Liaises and engages with the GEF on GEF policy matters to ensure that these are correctly applied to GEF projects in FAO throughout the project cycle;

• Liaises and engages with the GEF community in FAO to reach out of- and facilitate the application of GEF policy matters throughout the project cycle.

Project Funding Liaison Officer

• Provides guidance to the GEF project's Funding Liaison Officers (FLO) to ensure that the FLO support allows smooth project implementation throughout the project cycle;

• Coordinates the FLO interactions between GEF Technical Officers (GTO) and GEF project design experts, to facilitate the implementation of the various GEF project cycle phases ;

• Ensures that GEF project budgetary actions in FAO's corporate system are supported in an effective and efficient manner.

GEF portfolio financial management

• Ensures that procedures are in place that GEF resources (GEF project grants and GEF agency fees) are used for the purpose they are provided;

• Ensures that these GEF resources are timely made available to all related stakeholders to allow smooth implementation of the GEF projects throughout the project cycle;

• Provides financial information to the GEF Unit, OCB Director, and FAO senior management about the planning- and use of GEF resources.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in business administration or public administration, social science, political science or in a related field.

• Seven years of relevant experience in project or programme management, administration or related area.

• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

• Results Focus

• Team Work

• Communication

• Building effective relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions;

• Extent and relevance of experience in designing, planning, leading, and conducting project and programme reviews;

• Extent and relevance of experience in monitoring and/or evaluating projects (GEF project in particular is considered a strong asset);

• Extent of knowledge of planning and budgetary processes and associated tools;

• Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset;

• Demonstrated knowledge of results frameworks, theories of change and other theories, concepts and approaches relevant to GEF funded projects; knowledge of GEF policies, procedures, project cycle, is considered a strong asset.