Organizational Setting
The Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) is responsible for FAO’s response in developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies to address subregional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. The Subregional Office is based in Samoa, and is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP). SAP is an important FAO technical hub in direct support of 14 countries.
The Ecosystem Conservation and Management Specialist post is located in Kiribati (Tarawa) and funded under the FAO Global Environment Facility (GEF) Project “Resilient Islands, Resilient Communities – GCP/KIR/009/GFF”. The project aims to improve biodiversity conservation and land/seascape level management to enhance socio-ecological resilience to climate variability and change in Kiribati.
Reporting Lines
The Ecosystem Conservation and Management Specialist reports to the Project Technical Adviser and is under the technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO). He/she will work in direct collaboration with the ECD Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) as well as a national project team, relevant government institutions, FAO technical and support staff, consultants and partners.
Technical Focus
Capacity strengthening on R2R (Ridge to Reef) and whole island approach through promotion of biodiversity conservation and landscape level management to enhance socio-ecological resilience to climate variability and change through the implementation of the project outcomes and activities in the project areas.
Tasks and responsibilities
- Facilitate and support all aspects of the project implementation in Kiribati;
- Act as Technical Focal Point and first point of contact for the project stakeholders and interested parties from the field when it comes to environment and conservation activities;
- Maintain strong working relationships with all stakeholders (particularly Ministries, outer islands local authorities, elders, etc.) in project area and ensure their active involvement with project interventions;
- Establish dialogue with stakeholders and outer islands in general, to develop an understanding of local requirements, constraints and issues to be considered through project activities;
- Ensure regular communications with MELAD and FAO to integrate and align the ECD quarterly and annual workplans, Ministry Strategic Plans (MSP) and project activities harmoniously within the development plans and objectives of the MELAD;
- Ensure timely implementation of project activities as per workplans and LoAs in the project sites;
- Support ECD management and the PMU in the development of ToRs for national and international consultants needed to work for the project;
- Participate in the conducting participatory field work, research and consultations in outer islands;
- Facilitate, usually with other members of the Project Team, meetings and trainings in communities and other locations;
- Contribute in producing reports for activities, including technical reports, trip reports and project progress reports;
- Contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the extension officers working under the project in the pilot sites on a quarterly basis;
- Participate in the collection, compilation, analysis, and reporting of data and information for activities specified in the project work plan and integrated, where possible, with Environment Management Information System (EMIS).
- Identify relevant data that could contribute to the State of the Environment report data generated through the implementation of the activities of the project (across ALD, CFD and ECD);
- Contribute, as appropriate, to the development of policy and legal frameworks to support these management plans in the outer islands with the support of the extension officers;
- Contribute in developing training materials, such as guidelines, presentations and other resources management, awareness and educational information;
- Contribute with innovative ideas in regard with the ecosystem restoration activities and provide recommendations for any potential activities that could be considered for implementation by ECD under the project;
- Facilitate the development of plans for absorption of extension officers at the end of the project implementation through provision of staff performance assessments; and
- Perform other related duties as required.
- University degree or technical diploma in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Natural Resources Management, Climate Change or related field;
- At least four years of relevant experience in environment and conservation, natural resource management or similar field;
- Working knowledge of English;
- Knowledge of I-Kiribati is an advantage.
- National of Kiribati.
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Work experience in more than one location or area of work;
- Extent and relevance of experience in undertaking environment and conservation related baseline survey and assessment work;
- Extent and relevance of experience in Kiribati ecosystems, their values and vulnerabilities and their legal and institutional foundations;
- Familiarity with GEF projects and project management is an advantage;
- Computer literate and able to use different Software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, powerpoint and Excel);
- Ability to work as a member of the project team;
- Willingness to travel regularly and undertake local and overseas assignments;
