GEF Project Design Specialist (PDE)

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• 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 person 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
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• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

FAO successfully secured several projects during the GEF8 programming cycle, including the project Rehabilitation and restoration of ecosystems in the Gum Arabic belt and sustainable use of forest resources in Mauritania, of which the Project Identification Form (PIF) has been included in the June 2024 GEF Work Programme. Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase of this project will thus be initiated in September 2024, and a PDE (Project Design Expert) is being recruited to lead the design of the GEF project document and required annexes. The GEF PDE recruited under this contract will be engaged to develop the project documents and ensure coordination of the project design team, in close collaboration with the FAO Country Office in Mauritania, the project task force (PTF) and national stakeholders in Mauritania.

The Mauritania project will be developed under the GEF core indicators of (3.) Area of land and ecosystems under restoration (hectare); (4.) Area of landscapes under improved practices (hectare); (6.) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigated (metric tons of CO2e); and (11.) People benefiting from GEF-financed investments disaggregated by gender.

Building upon the Mauritania PIF, the project is expected to create an enabling environment for sustainable management of agrosilvopastoral landscapes, sustainably rehabilitate agrosilvopastoral landscapes to preserve ecosystem integrity, strengthen non-timer forest products (NTFPs) value chains to support socio-economic development while halting land degradation. The project will also focus on enhancing knowledge management capacities. The regional focus of this intervention are the wilayas of Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol, Guidimakha, Assaba, Hodh Gharbi and Hodh Chargui. The PDE is expected to design a project that is complementary to other on-going or planned projects (GEF and beyond) and that mobilized co-finance, in support of the Rehabilitation and restoration of ecosystems in the Gum Arabic belt and sustainable use of forest resources in Mauritania project. The design of this GEF8 project is a team effort and close collaboration by the PDE with the PTF is envisioned.

The project documents will elaborate the engagements made in the context of the Expression of Interest (EOI) and Concept Note (PIF).

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work Under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Mauritania (BH) under the direct supervision of the LTO of the project and technical experts in HQ and sub-regional offices, and in close collaboration with the project team at the FAO Representation.

He/she will manage a team of international and national consultants to design the project proposal.

Technical Focus

Project Development, Agro-ecology and Forestry

Tasks and responsibilities

• Initial review of relevant documents, captured in EOI and Concept Note/PIF.
• Develop, in consultation with the project team members, an overall PPG teamwork plan including specific milestones for national and international consultants, deliverables, etc (as per their TORs and final outputs).
• Confirm site selection criteria (to be verified during the first technical (national) planning meeting with key partners, with relevance to the wilayas to be included under this GEF project).
• Develop a methodology for stakeholder consultation and a data collection approach (building upon FAO’s participatory stakeholder assessment approach).
• Participate in the inception mission. This mission will be organised jointly with all technical experts and the PPG team, and feature workshops, stakeholder consultations, and technical working sessions with key informants Elaborate on the components indicated in the Expression of Interest (EOI) and PIF approved by GEF SEC.
• Ensure the “problem the project seeks to address” is fully and clearly elaborated and addressed in the Theory of Change.
• Obtain all necessary analysis and background information on the project areas, working closely with the national consultants that must be summarized in the CEO and Prodoc and included in the appropriate annexed material. Supervise thematic studies, back-up, review, and provide quality assurance by organizing periodical virtual calls with national and international staff including the FAO PTF (perhaps bi-monthly, or more often where required).
• Design the project’s concept clarifying and elaborating on the “baseline” (incremental reasoning) to secure co-funding for the project as well as the incremental logic of how GEF will complement the “baseline project” based on national consultants’ input.
• Organize the thematic focus of the inception workshop (aligned with the inception mission), with support from the FAO Country Office and PTF\:
o Present the draft project concept (based on the PIF) and the draft logical framework and collect inputs and directions from national stakeholders, including on the project locations.
o Participate in discussions related to and prepare letters for co-financing.
o Provide guidance for any missing points and lack of data necessary for project completion (FAO project document, CEO endorsement form and, core indicator worksheet).
• With support from the PPG team and PTF, develop FAO GEF documents.
o Finalise full draft documents; Project Document (with all annexes), co-financing and CEO endorsement template. Also ensure the preparation of a solid results framework, work plan (GANTT chart for the entire project implementation, and associated costing, spread out evenly for the duration of the project implementation).
o Taking part in the validation workshop to present and explain the final project components and activities. During this validation workshop\: collect the last inputs and circulate to main national stakeholders one last time for final inputs, if any (this would likely take place between January and March 2025, TBC).
o Revision of Project Document based on FAO PTF and national partner’s comments and subsequent preparation of the prodoc for submission to the GEF (after FAO’s LTO, BH, and GEF technical unit clearance).
• Assist FAO partners in responding to comments that the GEF Secretariat may raise on the final document review and finalise the project document integrating these comments. Complete any further documentation that may be required by the GEF or FAO to finalise the project document.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in natural sciences, forestry, agriculture or international relations
• 7 years of relevant experience in GEF or other environmental Fund (GCF, Adaptation Fund etc.) project development or environmental project management
• Working knowledge of English and French. Knowledge of Arabic would be considered as an asset.

FAO Core Competencies

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

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

HOW TO APPLY

• 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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