Senior Policy Officer (Environment and Climate Change)

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Latin America and Caribbean (RLC) is responsible for leading FAO's response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with Offices and Divisions at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. RLC also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RLC develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The post is located in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile.

Reporting Lines The Senior Policy Officer (Environment and Climate Change) reports to the Regional Programme Leader in coordination with the Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative of the region. He/she maintains regular contact with FAO headquarters in Rome for functional guidance on matters relating to policy and governance support in agrifood systems transformation, sustainable agriculture and rural development. He/she has regional responsibilities and acts as the focal point for Country Offices in South America in his/her areas of expertise. The Senior Policy Officer (Environment and Climate Change) convenes and coordinates regularly with other natural resources and climate change policy officers in Decentralized Offices in the Region to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of regional priorities in response to country demands. He/she supervises one or more multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams.

Technical Focus Provides leadership, guidance and operational support on regional and subregional policy issues with focus on Environment, Climate Change, Bioenergy, Landscape management, Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management.

Key Results Leading and coordinating coherent, integrated and effective policy assistance and governance work supporting Members at regional and country level: i) in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework, in alignment with the Organization's Gender Policy and its delivery mechanisms; and ii) in response to new policy assistance requests.

Key Functions • Manages or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams and provides technical leadership in high-level policy analysis missions or projects, policy networks and/or international policy setting bodies. • Leads the work carried out by technical or policy officers from headquarters or out-posted staff in the Decentralized Offices in relation to policy and governance work under the FAO Strategic Framework. • Facilitates and advocates strategic partnerships, best practices and policy dialogue in support of enhanced policies and governance for food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and food systems. • Interacts with UN Regional and Country Teams to improve cross-sectoral policies and strategies concerning agriculture, food and nutrition security and sustainable development. • Analyses regional and country-level issues to provide input into the identification of country and regional priorities and requirements. • Designs, implements and monitors regional and subregional policy work programmes and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies. • Leads capacity development activities involving the provision of technical advice and assistance, and oversees the development of related materials, on-line tools and information kits. • Represents the Organization at international/inter-governmental meetings and conferences.

Specific Functions • Provides policy advice and technical support to FAO Regional, Subregional and Country Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean in support to the Regional Initiative 3, on climate change adaptation and mitigation and its linkages with sustainable development, natural resources management, landscape management and environmental management and biodiversity related activities and services. • Supports the integration of food security, nutrition, agrifood systems, natural resources and livelihoods in the international climate change agendas as part of the solution to address climate change, and climate finance for agrifood systems. • Coordinates the planning and implementation of the regional climate change action plan, including: • capacity building of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) agricultural negotiators, in particular under the Sharm El Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture and Food Security and other relevant negotiation processes, and support for their participation in annual negotiations; • follow-up, support and participation in Conference of the Parties (COP) initiatives and other related events; • participation of the LAC agriculture sector in the official agenda, events and other instances of annual meetings under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with FAO support, including Climate Week, Pre-COP and COP; • support to policies and national action plans related to climate change adaptation and mitigation. • Provides advice to global community, countries and partners to have access to and utilize data, science, evidence, tools, protocols, guidelines and standards related to climate change and agrifood systems that are collected and developed by FAO and partners. This includes monitoring and reporting [at Member’s request], climate vulnerability and risk analyses, barriers to adaptation and adaptation cost analysis, assessment models, good practices and policies on climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation. • Supports FAO Members’ implementation, monitoring and reporting of their climate commitments as outlined in their agrifood system strategies and/or climate change strategies, links them with the other commitments and tracking for sustainable development, including through their regular reporting to UNFCCC under the enhanced transparency framework and other international reporting framework, in particular, preparation and submission of periodic reports to the UNFCCC within the framework of the Exchange-Traded Fund( ETF), including: • design, implementation and update of climate commitments, including Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation REDD strategies (in coordination with other areas of FAO), etc.; • support as Secretariat of the Climate Action Platform for Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA); • support to Members to access financial resources to carry out adaptation and mitigation measures at scale. • Supports FAO Members in mainstreaming climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation in their policies and legislation, plans, programmes, practices and domestic and international investments across agrifood systems, including through FAO Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs). Analyses global, regional and national trends, and provides prospective analysis to identify, test and pilot suitable methodologies, technologies and tools relevant to the agriculture, forestry, fishery, livestock and land and water sectors. • Supports national projects with climate actions on the ground, with a focus on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in order to strengthen countries’ resilience and adaptive capacity through climate risk management and adaptation, especially in areas most vulnerable to climate change, reducing risks and enhancing sustainability of agrifood systems, ecosystems and related livelihoods. • Supports countries in strengthening their low-emission development pathways through more resilient and adapted agrifood systems with mitigation co-benefits with a focus on Climate Change Mitigation (CCM).

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in environmental sciences, sustainable development, climate change, natural resources management, sustainable agriculture (including livestock, forestry and fisheries), political or social sciences, or related field. • Ten years of experience in policy formulation, programming, advice and analysis relating to environmental management, climate change, climate change adaptation and mitigation planning and/or sustainable development, as well as monitoring and evaluation of national policies and programmes. • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and Spanish.

Competencies • Results Focus • Leading, Engaging and Empowering • Communication • Partnering and Advocating • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement • Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions. • Understanding of complex policy processes. • Relevance and extent of experience in policy analysis and advice relating to food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development. • Relevance and extent of knowledge and experience in working with intergovernmental bodies and multidisciplinary teams.