National Silviculture Specialist

National Silviculture Specialist

Organizational Unit: FANEP
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Nepal-Kathmandu
Duration: 105 working days from August 2023 to February 2024
Post Number: N/A

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized technical agency of the United Nations. The FAO mission is to work toward the eradication of hunger and strive for food security for everyone as stated in the 2030 Agenda. The FAO’s Strategic Framework aspires to transform agri-food systems so that they are more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. The ultimate goals of these efforts include better production, better nutrition, better environment, and better lives, while leaving no one behind.

The FAO projects in Nepal currently involve building technical capacity, developing policies, enhancing agri-production, strengthening food systems, improving food & nutrition security, and mitigating the adverse impact of natural disasters and climate change. The FAO also embraces the One Health approach to address threats posed by zoonotic diseases to human health. Within the framework of the food security cluster, the FAO helps to coordinate humanitarian assistance and the recovery of livelihoods in the agriculture sector.

The FAO endeavours to eradicate hunger and malnutrition through its global initiatives. The key priorities of the Country Programming Framework (CPF) for Nepal (2018-22) entail enhancing natural resource management and agricultural production system resilient to climate change and disasters. For this reason, resilient livelihoods are critical to the efforts of the FAO to help the most vulnerable people achieve food security and the freedom from hunger — one of the most basic human rights. Thus, protecting people’s livelihoods from shocks, and strengthening their capacity to absorb the impact of, and recover from, disruptive events is important.

The National Silviculture Specialist will work for the project “Building a Resilient Churia Region in Nepal” (BRCRN) being implemented in 26 river systems of three provinces i.e. Bagmati, Madhesh and Koshi. The project aims to promote widespread adoption of climate-resilient land use practices, confront the challenges of deforestation and forest degradation, better maintain the forest ecosystem in the Churia hills, and build resilience to climate-induced hazards.
Working closely with the project team i.e. FAO-TA and the project and provincial project management units (PMU and PPMUs) of Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), the consultant will support community based organisations (CBOs) of the project area to develop, strengthen and deliver forest management operational plans (FMOPs) to be able to show the increased forest density in the project sites at the end of the project.

Objectives

The overarching objective of this GCF funded project is to enhance the climate resilience of ecosystems and vulnerable communities in Nepal´s Churia region through integrated sustainable natural resource management (SNRM) approaches.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Nepal, in close consultation with AFAOR (programme), the direct supervision of National Project Manager (NPM), with technical guidance of the lead Technical Officer (LTO) and in coordination with the BRCRN National Project Director (NPD) under MoFE.

Technical Focus

As a national silviculture specialist, the incumbent will technically focus to develop a silviculture guideline to improve existing forests management operation plans of CFs and ColFs to strengthen the capacity of forest groups for sustainable natural resource management in the project area.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The silviculture specialist will perform the following tasks:

• In collaboration with the Project Manager, PMU/MoFE, and Deputy PM cum Forestry Expert, prepare a training plan and a training manual on Forest Operational Planning for forestry field staff under the provincial Ministries related to Forestry.
• Include a technical backstopping and training plan for project recruited Service Providers to strengthen forest management.
• Develop a silviculture guideline to improve existing FMOPs of Community Forests (CFs) and Collaborative Forests (ColFs) in the project area with support from the related experts of the project. This guideline will be used by service providers engaged by the Project to recommend management prescriptions in the FMOPs of the project area.
• Train provincial forestry staff (at least two events: one each in Province Koshi, Madhesh and Bagmati) using the guideline.
• Support project team in the development of ToRs for Service Providers based on the guideline and develop a work plan with the national Forest Management Specialist and PPMU Technical (Forest) Officers so they can implement forest survey, mapping, inventory and draft new or revise FMOPs with CFUGs.
• Consult with Agroforestry/Livestock Development Specialist, FLR Specialist and PMU Forestry Expert on respective guideline and manual development for Leasehold Forests, Public Land Forests and Private Forests to align terminology and forest management practices.
• Design of a methodology for monitoring processes in targeted river systems, to manage the implementation of project interventions regarding silviculture (forest zoning within the river system and block, compartment, and unit establishment) in CFUGs and ColFs, in collaboration with MoFE including PMU and PPMUs and provincial forest ministries.
• Design a set of criteria to remove or replace intervention areas that are non-performing or not feasible. BRCRN exclusion criteria for Forest Management Units should include areas that are encroached, hazardous, contested or not consenting to interventions.
• Ensure with the national Forest Management Specialist that CBOs are trained and the knowledge on FMOP can be disseminated in their networks focusing on the Churia hills and Bhabar of the 26 targeted river systems.
• Review Critical Ecosystem Restoration Plans (CERPs) implementation arrangements of SFM with PPMUs, CBOs (CFUGs/ColFUGs) and Division Forest Officers.
• Review CERP monitoring arrangements of SFM interventions with PPMUs (river system level monitoring and follow-ups on BRCRN outcome indicators – forest density, beneficiaries etc.)
• Validate CF/ColF areas with PPMU Technical (Forestry) officers and advise on improvement in records and monitoring of SFM implementation
• Ensure the gender elements into the assigned activities is mainstreamed and women are equally considered within the process and are specifically consulted, participate in and provide feedback to the project at all levels.
• Ensure FAOs “Accountability to Affected People” (AAP) principles are clearly explained to all stakeholders in the consultation process and respected at all stages of project implementation.
• Submit regular progress reports on SFM related interventions and assignment completion report.
• Provide any other support necessary to the project and requested by the FAO CO team and RAP/HQ.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• National or a legal resident of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
• University degree in Forestry, Forest Management or Forest Sciences
• Working knowledge and excellent writing skills both in Nepali and English
• At least 10 years of work experience on forest management

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Strong experience on development of forest related guidelines and designing training manuals.
• Excellent knowledge and experience in designing and delivering technical training on silviculture.
• Proven track record of advising and collaborating with government institutions and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency in technical report writing and communication
• Computer skills in Office applications including Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint
• Ability to plan, organize, and administer workshops and training sessions

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated practical and technical experience in Silviculture Management
• Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team
• Proven ability to coordinate and work with government and community-based stakeholders, rights holders sensitively, cooperatively, and productively.
• High degree of team ethics, well-organized, results-focused, and dynamic personality
• Proficiency in English and Nepali language (both spoken and written) with good communication skills
• Previous experience working with UN agencies is an asset

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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 or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• 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 other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Closure Date: 11/Jul/2023, 3:44:00 AM

Tagged as: Food and Agriculture Organization, Kathmandu, NGO INGO