Sustainable Agriculture Sr Associate

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

PURPOSE

• Provide support and technical input for the implementation and monitoring of Sustainable Landscapes related policies, particularly those related, but not limited to sustainable agriculture.

• Undertake data collection and technical analyses for development of green value-chain business models, and for development of green business entrepreneurship platforms targeting agri-business and environmental value-chain stakeholders.
• Provide technical inputs for the development of new projects under the guidance of the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer.
• Construct technical inputs for the review and development of new policies and other strategic planning documents as requested GGGI’s counterparts and assigned by the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer.

• Support the implementation of GGGI's projects/programmes in close collaboration with GGGI's team members and partners for technical consultation and inputs to align efforts and workstreams from national to sub-national level, assigned by the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer.
• Support the assessment and development of Sustainable Landscapes and green growth issues and opportunities within targeted sectors at the national and subnational level in coordination with key national counterparts, such as Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, CONAFOR, INECC, CONABIO, CONANP, private sector, NGOs and others, and define strategic interventions for which GGGI will be a key partner in support of the overall 2021-2025 CPF objectives and the upcoming 2026-2030.
• Contribute to the development of funding and technical proposals to meet needs and requests of Mexico’s government in terms of Sustainable Landscapes actions and other related green growth topics.
• Support the identification of best practices through research case studies and other illustrative materials which support GGGI’s state-of-art on Sustainable Landscapes.

ENGAGEMENT

• Works closely (potentially embedded) with national (e.g. Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FIRA, CONAFOR, INECC, CONABIO or other relevant institutions) and subnational counterparts to acquire information/knowledge and to build cooperative relationships and support GGGI’s recognition as an effective partner for policy delivery;
• Support stakeholder engagement and strategic relationship with counterparts, donors, development partners, investors, and various stakeholders related to Sustainable Landscapes to build synergies and partnership opportunities, as well as identify opportunities for scaling up/enhancing activities where possible;
• Contribute to the articulation and sustainment of GGGI´s engagement with SEMARNAT, SADER, FIRA, CONABIO, CONAFOR and other relevant related institutions;
• Coordinate closely with the Mexico team and field offices as needed to build complementary capabilities and stronger technical delivery to government and private sector partners towards the achievement of high-quality products attaining desired impact and goals;
• Support the development of strong networks among other international cooperation agencies and international organizations, NGOs, government institutions, private sector stakeholders and other relevant parties that could support and facilitate GGGI´s delivery, scalability and impact in Mexico.

DELIVERY

• Contribute to the implementation of programs, projects and actions related to the Sustainable Landscapes thematic area under the leadership of the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer;
• Understand México Programs and projects methodologies and is able to provide a wide range of contributions in support of delivery of components/workstreams in the country program;
• Support to building capacities within GGGI’s team and counterparts on sustainable agriculture concepts in policy formulation, development planning, project implementation, and green investment and climate financing mobilization;
• Contribute to the assessment of delivery issues and identification of potential solutions in consultation with key national and subnational counterparts to build common understanding and implementation of project activities;
• Support the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer as needed in procurement of technical services, monitoring of project component budgets/expenditures, and review of technical deliverables;
• Contribute to regular monitoring and reporting of project activities to ensure effective and timely implementation of project’s portfolio progress;
• Support the consolidation and conduct technical analyses to address green growth opportunities and provide support for sound regulatory and policy design and implementation;

• Participate in any other relevant activities deemed necessary for the development of GGGI’s México program, including monitoring and evaluation of the Sustainable Landscapes related activities;
• Apply technical skills to prepare rigorous analyses and briefing notes, concept notes and analytical reports to support GGGI Mexico’s engagement with diverse technical and general stakeholder audiences.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields such as agronomy, agroforestry engineering, forest engineering, biology, economy, environmental management, or similar.
• A Master’s degree in these relevant fields such as climate change, agroecology, sustainable landscapes, environmental sciences, land and water management, resilient farming, sustainable business, or similar;
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in the promotion and implementation of climate-smart agriculture, low-carbon sustainable agriculture, integrated landscape management strategies, agricultural technologies, AFOLU projects, and/or sustainable development in Mexico;
• Knowledge of green growth approaches to advancing on sustainable landscapes objectives, involving both private and public with relevant experience on policy development, implementation, and/or evaluation;
• Knowledge of public policies and natural resource conservation and management in Mexico.
• Field experience and context understanding of local communities, environment and development institutions, bottlenecks, issues and policies at the national and local levels;
• Experience in development and implementation of projects/activities (preferably with international funding) related to at least one of the following sectors/areas: regenerative agriculture, zero-deforestation value chains, blockchain/traceability, agricultural technologies or agricultural certification.
• Preferably previous experience working in international organisms similar to the Global Green Growth Institute -where collaboration between regional, country offices and thematic officers is key towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Fluency in English and Spanish (spoken and written).

FUNCTIONAL

• Exceptional planning and strategical skills oriented towards the effective and timely deliverance of the agreed outputs;
• Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills; capacity for synthesis, presentation and communication; and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong network that can contribute that could support and facilitate GGGI´s delivery, scalability and impact in Mexico.
• Sets high but achievable standards for self and others. Seeks opportunities to improve process and outcomes. Constantly reviews performance to identify areas to develop;
• Able to pick up and assimilate relevant information quickly and easily. Learns new tasks rapidly. Responds swiftly and appropriately. Can think on their feet in rapidly changing environments;
• Takes balanced view of situations incorporating different perspectives. Seeks alternative viewpoints. Recognizes priorities, weighs up different options and evaluates risks. Reaches logical conclusions and decides on appropriate plan of action. Evaluates previous judgements in order to improve;
• Able to communicate information and ideas clearly and articulately both in oral and written form. Uses appropriate language, style and methods depending on audience and the purpose of communication. Able to convey complex information clearly. Anticipates the information that others will need.

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively supports GGGI’s mission, vision and values.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership.
• Excels at problem solving, ask questions and seeks support when needed, shares easily information and knowledge with others both internally as externally.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, builds rapport and resolves conflict easily.
• Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity.
• Sets personal goals which are challenging but achievable. Pursues these with energy, persistence and determination. Enthusiastic and committed to improving personal performance levels;
• Actively participates in team encouraging cooperation while being aware of the needs of others. Shares information and supports other team members.
• Able to travel domestically.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• The Sustainable Agriculture Senior Associate is an X7 gradelevel in GGGI’s national salary scale. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate's experience, academic background and internal equity.
• GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance.
• GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members. 
• The chosen candidate is expected to be based in Mexico City, Mexico and will report directly to the Sustainable Landscapes Senior Officer.

INTRODUCTION

Mexico’s development priorities have evolved in the context of global and domestic changes, resulting in a significant push to transform the public life to achieve a greater benefit for all. This intent is ingrained in the National Development Plan 2019-2024, which serves as an umbrella for the federal sectoral and institutional plans and a key tool for cooperation fostering inclusive development. The ultimate goal of its political, social and economic pillars is to bring the nation toward prosperity, security, sustainability; thus, green growth and a low-carbon society are key development objectives for the country. Over the last decade, GGGI has consolidated its role as a trusted advisor to Mexico’s federal and subnational governments, actively working shoulder-to-shoulder with key counterparts to establish a strong green growth foundation in the country.

GGGI has supported the federal and subnational government of Mexico in various workstreams ranging from sustainable finance, sustainable landscapes to low carbon mobility and energy. GGGI works closely with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Ministry of Finance (SHCP). As well as with the subnational governments of Guanajuato, Chihuahua, Sonora, Puebla, Quintana Roo, among others. In 2024, two projects funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will start implementation having the participation of GGGI. The first will be focused on the Biocultural Corridor of Central West Mexico (COBIOCOM) having as its main objective to contribute to the regeneration of ecological integrity and promotion of green recovery through integrated landscape management, multi-level governance and innovative financing. A second project focused on the three states of the Yucatan Peninsula and will be aimed at conserving critical forest landscapes of the Selva Maya through strengthened governance and protection, ensuring a sustainable flow of ecosystem services for people and the planet. GGGI will have a key role in the execution of these initiatives by being in charge of the development of innovative financial mechanisms and incentives to expand investments that are nature positive.

The partnership between GGGI and the Government of Mexico has produced several key results to date. To further assist the Government of Mexico, accomplish its development objectives, SDGs and NDC targets in the following years under GGGI’s current Country Planning Framework (CPF) 2021-2025, as well as the upcoming development of the CPF 2026-2030, GGGI will continue to catalyze resource mobilization to bridge the significant climate finance gap. Simultaneously, GGGI will promote technical advisory in the following sectors: sustainable landscapes, waste, climate resilient agriculture, and marine and coastal resilience aiming to generate synergies between thematic work lines. Finally, GGGI will continue to foster resilient recovery initiatives at both the federal and subnational levels, with the aim to boost decent jobs and green growth engines throughout the country.

In this sense, having the support of a Sustainable Agriculture Senior Associate for GGGI Mexico will help this Country Office Program to continue expanding its activities and reach the targets proposed in the 2021-2025 CPF.

ONLY APPLICATIONS IN ENGLISH WILL BE CONSIDERED. 

THE POSITION IS SUBJECT TO RESOURCES AVAILABILITY.