General
Description of assignment title
Natural Resources Management Associate
Assignment country
Ethiopia
Duty stations
Addis Ababa
Expected start date
09/02/2026
Number of Assignments
1
Host entity
FAO
Modality
Onsite
Volunteer category
Youth
Duration
12 months
Sustainable Development Goal
15. Life on land
Details
Mission and objectives
The FAO subregional office for Eastern Africa (SFE) was officially established in February 2007 following the signing of a hosting agreement between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and FAO on 31 January 2007. SFE covers nine countries namely Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. It is the FAO representation to the AU & UNECA and plays a liaison role to two Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) including the Eastern Africa Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and to a large number of important development partners based in Ethiopia and within the sub-region. SFE is the FAO technical hub in Eastern Africa that is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing sub-regional food security, nutrition, agriculture and rural development priorities. The UN Volunteer will be assigned within the multidisciplinary team (MDT) of SFE, which is a core team of professional staff as well as several project-based consultants with multi-disciplinary expertise. The MDT is in charge of programming, project formulation, operations monitoring, information management related to regional projects. It also provides policy and technical backstopping to the FAO Representation in the nine countries, including on critical national issues pertaining to food and nutrition security. The MDT also represents FAO, upon instruction and guidance of the Subregional Coordinator, in various inter UN agency undertakings and task forces, as well as in regional discussions related to food and nutrition security, food systems, agriculture, among others.
Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Ethiopia recognizes the critical role of integrating sustainable Natural Resource Management (NRM) into programs and projects. Given the country’s heavy reliance on agriculture, addressing NRM challenges becomes essential. These challenges include soil erosion and deforestation, both directly linked to farming practices, as well as the loss of soil productivity, which impacts agricultural output and contributes to food insecurity. Additionally, factors such as population pressure, agricultural expansion, migration, and climate change necessitate regulation to minimize negative impacts on natural resources. Over the next decade, FAO in Ethiopia aims to enhance its support in this area. The Ethiopian government has developed a 10-year perspective plan with a strong focus on sustainable NRM and climate change mitigation. This plan promotes greener development models, particularly within the agriculture sector. FAO’s programs and projects align with the government’s ambitions, working toward achieving shared targets. Currently, the country office is developing a Climate Change Program Strategy tailored to address context-specific challenges related to the agrifood sector. This strategy translates FAO’s Global Corporate Climate Strategy (2022–2031) into actionable field-level interventions that directly align with Ethiopia’s priorities. Within this framework, the FAO’s Better Environment Unit works on cross-sectoral work that includes forestry, agriculture, sustainable rangeland management and pastoral land restoration, watershed management, and climate change adaptation and resilience, to ensure sustainable production systems and build resilience of rural communities. The Natural Resource Management UN Volunteer will play a key role in supporting programme design, analysis, monitoring, and knowledge sharing, contributing to FAO’s strategic objectives of sustainable food systems and resilient livelihoods.
Task description
Under the overall supervision of the Deputy FAO Representative for programmes, and the direct supervision of the Team Leader for the Better Environment Unit, the UN Volunteer will support the implementation of FAO’s programme of work, undertaking the following tasks: • Assist in the formulation and development of programmes and project proposals related to sustainable rangeland management, pastoral land restoration, and broader natural resource management initiatives. • Support the development and maintenance of technical, analytical frameworks, tools, systems, and databases. • Contribute to data collection, validation, analysis, and/or reporting activities, through desk research and field visits to project sites. • Provide support in the development of innovative approaches, strategies, tools, technologies, and manuals. • Assist in the preparation of knowledge products such as studies, publications, and analyses, knowledge products and dissemination, including guidelines, capacity building, manuals, e-learning, and training materials. • Contribute to the preparation of project reports, proposals, technical notes, and other documentation for government counterparts and partners. • Provide support in the coordination, implementation, and administration of assigned pro-grammes/activities in accordance with FAO rules, procedures, and systems. • Liaise with relevant FAO units, projects, decentralized offices, or other organizations relevant to their assignment. As applicable, support in the organization and participation in missions, consultations, and capacity-building events to strengthen the delivery of FAO’s programme of work.
Eligibility criteria
Age
18 – 80
Required experience
1 month
Donor priorities
–
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Additional eligibility criteria
This assignment is funded by the Government of the Czech Republic and therefore specific criteria apply: • Only nationals of the Czech Republic can be considered. • Candidates must be between 18 and 29 years at the time of application. • Candidates who already served twice on a UN Youth Volunteer assignment funded by the Government of the Czech Republic are not eligible. APPLICATION – You may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the ‘Additional remarks’ field when filling in the application form. SELECTION – Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment. +++ UN Volunteer entitlement calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator +++
Assignment requirements
Relevant experience
No experience required
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
Required education level
Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Rangeland Management, Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Rural Development, or a related field
Competencies and values
• Adaptability and Flexibility • Communication • Planning and Organizing • Respect for Diversity • Working in Teams
Skills and experience
• Ability and/or experience in drafting high-quality technical documents and reports in English. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. • Desirable experience in one or more of the following areas: – Supporting the planning and implementation of sustainable Natural Resources Management (NRM) and rangeland management practices. – Conducting assessments, analytical studies, and data analysis – Assisting in the design and management of projects and programmes related to sustainable agricultural development, food security, and rural livelihoods. – Support in the formulation and/or implementation of projects in the fields of rural development, climate change adaptation/mitigation, sustainable rangeland management, pastoral land restoration, natural resource management, Agro-processing investment, and finance support in developing countries and/or countries in transition. • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment, with a positive mindset and contributing proactively. • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. • Previous experience in rangeland management or pastoral land restoration (i.e., studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded. • Experience working with local communities and stakeholders. • Knowledge of GIS and remote sensing tools. • Familiarity with FAO’s mandate, programmes, and approaches. • Willingness to travel to project sites is required.
Area(s) of expertise
Agriculture, Energy and environment , Development programmes
Driving license
–
Other information
Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.
Living conditions and remarks
Addis Ababa is the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The population is estimated to be above 8 million. Addis Ababa is located in the Ethiopian highlands at an altitude of 2,500 – 2,700 meters. The climate is sunny and temperate, but it can be very cold at night, with freezing temperatures at times. It is therefore advisable to bring warm clothing and foresee using heaters and/or log fires when necessary. Addis Ababa is the headquarters for the UN Economic Commission for Africa as well as the African Union. Thus, there is a very large community of expatriates from all over the world. There are some 80 embassies/diplomatic missions. Housing is readily available, but rent can be expensive. However, shared housing is common and more affordable. Most foodstuffs, beverages, household goods, furniture, and clothing, mostly imported from the Middle/Far East, South Africa, and Europe, can be found, although they can be expensive. Meat, fish, fresh fruits, and vegetables are cheap and abundantly available. The basic infrastructures – roads, utilities, and telecommunications – are below standard, as are medical facilities, which are still largely inadequate, although a few private clinics and hospitals provide reasonably good routine care. Several restaurants around the city serve local or international cuisine, and numerous social and sports facilities (fitness, tennis, swimming, riding, golf, etc.) exist in the major hotels or in different establishments around the city. There are no major or special security concerns within Addis Ababa city limits.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
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