Assistant Director - General, Forestry Department (FO)

Summary of Duties and Functions

The Forestry Department (FO) aspires to be a global centre of excellence in providing policy relevant information and analysis in support of the achievement of FAO’s goals of ending hunger and rural poverty, while making agriculture and food systems inclusive and sustainable and rural livelihoods resilient.

The Department promotes FAO mission in forestry, ensuring the technical quality and service in the pursuit of the Organization’s five strategic objectives, and to enhance human well-being supporting member countries in the sustainable management of the world’s trees and forests, considering other land uses (soil, water, biodiversity conservation) and climate change. The Department ensures an effective balance among the social, environmental, and economic aspects of forests and their governance at all levels.

It develops its work in line with FAO's strategic framework and integrates forestry elements into FAO’s five strategic objectives. It ensures the development of policies, strategies and provides advisory and technical services to member states keeping the global community up to date on latest economic and social developments related to forestry and their policy implications. Its analytical work serves as input

for neutral policy and technical dialogue/forum between nations on matters related to forests and the role of forests in food security.

The Department ensures secretariat services to FAO forestry statutory bodies (Committee on Forestry and the regional forestry commissions) and coordinates departmental inputs to governing and statutory bodies (Conference, Council, FAO regional conferences).

As head of the Department, the ADG provides intellectual, managerial and technical leadership, and strategic guidance, to ensure full delivery on all results within its mandate at headquarters and at decentralized levels.

As part of the senior Management team, the ADG ensures coherence and quality of FAO policies, messages and work on Forestry across the Organization, as well as, consistency with corporate goals and programs. He/she sets an example for a positive, innovative and productive work culture within the Department and the Organization. The ADG serves on corporate teams to advance the Organization’s objectives and facilitates strategic partnerships with external stakeholders. Reporting to the Deputy Director-General (Coordinator for Natural Resources), specifically, the Assistant Director-General:

· Advises the Deputy Director-General on matters of strategy and policy or other subjects related to FAO mandate in forestry;

· Ensures that the Department works effectively and efficiently in cooperation with other units contributing to the achievement of FAO’s five strategic objectives, as well as the pursuit of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), especially in forestry related areas;

· Ensures general coordination, effective implementation and monitoring of the work of the Department in line with the strategic framework in close collaboration with the Strategic Objectives Leaders (SPLs);

· Ensures liaison on forestry matters with FAO Members, other UN agencies, the community of interest (i.e technical support to the Collaborative Partnership on Forests), development banks, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities;

· Exercises overall management responsibility over activities, programme and sources of funds in the Department with the SPLs and appropriate divisions;

· Ensures the development of coordinated and balanced programmes (medium and long-term) in the field of the Department;

· Supports and maintains a close cooperation with Decentralized Offices and ensures coherence and coordination at all levels;

· Promotes international dialogue and action on world and regional forestry issues through inter- governmental and non-governmental channels;

· Directs the preparation of forest flagship publication (State of the World’s Forests, Forest

Resource Assessment, UNASYLVA and other forest related publications);

· Represents the Organization, as appropriate, at policy, technical and inter-agency meetings in the fields of forestry.

General Requirements

· Advanced university degree in Forestry or Natural sciences

· Demonstrated professional competence and mastery of the relevant subject matters

· At least 15 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in thenatural resources and development issues, including field experience on issuesrelevant to the post.

· Demonstrated capacity to work in partnership with relevant institutions andstakeholders including Civil society, private sector, local communities, researchinstitutions, UN agencies,

member countries, resource partners, etc.

· Demonstrated intellectual, management and strategic leadership of a highorder in relevant subject areas

· Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Russian, Arabic or Chinese

· Strong track record in managing, motivating, mentoring and communicating withstaff through large, complex, cross-disciplinary, multicultural teams andstakeholders in an international

setting.

Leadership Competencies

Results focus: Takes accountability for the delivery of agreed results in service of FAO’sstrategic framework - Leading, engaging and empowering others: Coordinates, directs,facilitates and recognizes team efforts; creates an enabling environment and assists othersto realize and develop their potential - Communication: Encourages and contributes toclear and open communication - Partnering and Advocating: Promotes ideas anddevelops partnerships to advance the Organization’s work - Knowledge sharing andcontinuous improvement: Continually seeks to improve the knowledge, skills and workprocesses of oneself and others - Strategic thinking: Makes informed and coherentdecisions aligned with broader goals and strategies.

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

Remuneration

FAO adheres to the UN common system of salaries, allowances and benefits. Generalinformation regarding salaries and allowances can be found at the International CivilService Commission Web site: https://icsc.un.org/.

How to Apply

To apply, visit the iRecruitment website at https://www.fao.org/employment/irecruitment-access/en/ and complete the on-line application. Only applications received throughiRecruitment will be considered. Vacancies will be removed from iRecruitment at 23:59Central European Time (CET) on the deadline for applications date. We encourageapplicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: iRecruitment@fao.org