Senior Forest Management Expert

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Job Location: Saudi Arabia

Vacancy: 1 Vacancy

Job Description:

Experience: 7 to 15 years

Education: Graduate; Post Graduate in Management

Job Function: Wildlife / Environment / Veterinary

Skillset: Forest conservation and management, natural resources

Key Functions:

1. Participates in policy dialogue and advises government authorities, local, national, and international institutions in the areas of FAO's activities and liaises with other UN agencies.
2. Represents FAO at inter-agency meetings.
3. Promotes the image of FAO through advocacy of the Organization's mandate, programmes, national priorities, and activities including the coordination of development and maintenance of communication tools such as website, press releases, and publications, and supports the implementation of FAO's regulatory frameworks (Codex Alimentarius, Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Safe Use of Pesticides, etc.) in the country.
4. Coordinates and manages the maintenance of country data on food, crops, livestock, forestry, and fisheries, including information on external aid in FAO's corporate systems and monitor and communicate changes in national policies affecting the agricultural sector.
5. Takes the lead in producing technical, economic and policy studies as well as developing country-level development frameworks such as the Country Programming Framework (CPF) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).
6. Identifies, formulates, and coordinates the preparation of programme and project proposals, monitors FAO field programme implementation, ensuring that all operational activities are carried out in line with the work plan and the project document, and makes recommendations on how to improve results and increase efficiency.
7. Briefs, trains, and supervises lower grade level programme staff regarding all aspects of the job. Ensures adherence to procedures and work requirements and accuracy and diligence of the work provided.
8. Performs other duties as required.

Specific Functions:

1. Co-leads the comprehensive situation analysis, baseline assessment and diagnostic studies on the extent and status of forest and other natural resources in Saudi Arabia to give directions on their sustainable development.
2. Identifies and ensures appropriate management of indigenous plants orchards and mother trees to produce quality seeds of forest plants.
3. Reviews and assesses agroforestry systems and practices currently used by smallholders in the target regions, and designs and promotes adoption of appropriate agroforestry systems and practices by smallholders.
4. Reviews and updates opportunities for integrating agroforestry and community forestry for land degradation control in target regions.
5. Prepares, updates and leads implementation of practical guidelines on integrating agroforestry systems and practices in vegetation cover rehabilitation and conservation.
6. Prepares, updates, and leads implementation of guidelines for introducing suitable community-based forestry approaches within the rangelands of Saudi Arabia.
7. Leads field organization and implementation of inventories of forest and natural resources in Saudi Arabia.
8. Leads field assessment of the potentials of Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) in the project target regions for income generation and livelihoods support and promotes their sustainable developments in different rural contexts.
9. Co-prepares and leads testing of management plans for sustainable management and conservation of mangrove forests.
10. Coordinates study on Integrated Pest Management for forest vegetation cover protection.
11. Leads the development of demand-driven and responsive partnerships to benefit Saudi Arabia from proven innovation and good practices in the south and the north for sustainable forest management.
12. Co-leads the development and dissemination of information and knowledge products for sustainable forest management.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING:

Minimum Requirements:

1. National of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
2. Advanced University degree in forest conservation and management, natural resources management or any other related field.
3. Seven years of relevant experience in sustainable forest management and natural resources management and/or project management in the field of sustainable rural agricultural development.
4. Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of Arabic and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of English.