Sustainable Land Management Specialist

Tasks and Responsibilities

•    Identify, organize, and review successful practical experiences in combating desertification and land degradation, for subsequent inclusion in the international WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies) platform.
•    Conduct a survey of relevant territorial experiences by mapping successful practices developed in REDESER Priority Areas and other semi-arid territories relevant to combating desertification and land degradation, covering all 11 states of the Brazilian Semi-Arid region.
•    Carry out structured interviews, based on the official WOCAT questionnaire translated into Portuguese, with local technicians, public policy managers, representatives of civil society organizations, and other actors directly involved in sustainable land management practices and the fight against desertification.
•    Enter the documented experiences directly into the WOCAT platform.
•    Systematize relevant scientific knowledge on practices for combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought, with a focus on experiences developed in Areas Susceptible to Desertification (ASD), providing evidence to support the improvement of the National Policy to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Drought (PNCD).
•    Elaborate a technical Report with Systematized Experiences on the WOCAT Platform – A document presenting the systematization of 10 territorial experiences related to sustainable land management, natural resource management, and combatting desertification in the REDESER Priority Areas and other semi-arid territories. The report must include complete technical sheets in accordance with WOCAT methodology parameters, based on interviews with local technicians, public managers, and civil society organizations. It must also demonstrate that the experiences have been uploaded to the WOCAT platform, with proper validation and categorization.

FAO Standards and guidelines:

•    Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
•    All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en  
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia  
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology: http://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names of Countries: https://www.fao.org/nocs/en    
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff). 
•    Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING: 

Minimum Requirements  

•    Master’s degree in Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Agronomy, Geography, Environmental Management, Forestry Engineering, or other fields related to natural resource management and public policy.
•    Minimum of three (3) years of experience in knowledge systematization and/or the implementation of projects related to sustainable land management, combating desertification, natural resource management, or related environmental themes in semi-arid contexts.
•    Working knowledge (level C) of English and Portuguese.
•    National of Brazil or resident in the country with work permit.

 FAO Core Competencies 

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Experience in projects/activities related to Knowledge Management.
•    Proven knowledge and ability to operate the WOCAT platform.
•    Participation in at least two projects developed in the Brazilian Semi-Arid region, with an emphasis on themes related to combating desertification, drought, and living with the semi-arid conditions;
•    Experience in the preparation of technical documents and data analysis, including the production of scientific reports, publications, and technical papers in the fields of Knowledge Management on topics such as natural resource management, resilient production systems, restoration of degraded areas, combatting desertification, and living in the semi-arid region.

Selection Criteria

•    Experience in projects addressing themes such as natural resource management (like soil and water management), resilient production systems, restoration of degraded areas, combatting desertification, adaptation to semi-arid environments.

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