Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Expert

• 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 persons 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.

Organizational Setting

The Green Cities Initiative (GCI), launched during the 75th United Nations General Assembly in September 2020, is an FAO Flagship Programme aiming at improving the urban environment and making a tangible impact on the lives of urban communities in 1,000 cities around the world by 2030. The vision of the GCI is to promote the use of urban and peri-urban forestry and agriculture, sustainable management of natural ecosystems and circular bioeconomy for green urban adaptation, increasing resilience, health and well-being of urban and peri-urban dwellers and supporting sustainable urban development.

Under GCI framework, in October 2024 FAO launched the project “FAO Green Cities Initiative in Action to support 10 African cities” (GCP/GLO/1245/ITA), financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy.

The project will assist 10 cities in five African countries to develop bankable investment strategies supporting adaptation to climate shocks and leveraging the multiple benefits offered by mainstreaming urban and peri-urban forestry, urban agriculture, and circular bioeconomy practices. The portfolio of possible investment options will be leveraged in the framework of the Italian Climate Fund and other Italian Development Cooperation instruments, paving the way for further expanding public-private collaboration as well as synergies with other development partners and International Finance Institutions.

The post is located in the Greening Cities team, Forestry Division (NFO), at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Expert reports to the Urban Forestry Officer and GCI Coordinator, under the overall guidance of the Deputy Director, NFO.

Technical Focus

The consultant will be responsible for supporting the development of the urban forestry component of local bankable investment strategies and projects to be submitted for climate financing.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of a data collection framework of city-level data to be used by national project teams.
• Support research and analysis of the existing green infrastructure in selected areas of intervention and identify existing gaps in the distribution and management of green spaces to support climate change adaptation strategies.
• Identify promising urban forestry and urban greening practices suitable for implementation at city-level.
• Collaborate with project experts and national teams to select the most cost-effective urban forests and urban greening solutions and indicate how these can be integrated into the local Green Cities Action Plans.
• Explore opportunities for the development of public-private partnerships, for example through the development of innovation hubs and start-ups.
• Promote knowledge sharing among project teams and stakeholders on strategies to maximize ecosystem services through tree planting and management, green roofs, and other green infrastructure solutions.
• Produce periodical technical information notes on matters related to project activities.
• Participate in coordination meetings and stocktaking exercises.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced degree in forestry, natural resource management, or other relevant fields.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience, including practical experience in the implementation of interventions for the sustainable management of urban forests and urban green spaces, preferably in Africa.
• Working knowledge (proficiency - level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area, including Africa.
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing integrated urban forestry interventions that prioritize climate adaptation strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in implementing cost-effectiveness analysis of urban forestry practices.
• Demonstrated research and analytical abilities, and familiarity with the latest research and innovations in urban forestry.
• Demonstrated ability to write clearly and concisely.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team and under tight deadlines.
• Working knowledge of French will be considered an asset.

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

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing).
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list.
• 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/.
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

• 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.
• 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.

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