Back National Project Personnel - Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist (Community Forestry)

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and programmes to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO Liberia is implementing a joint programme on Community Forestry Management in two of Liberia’s priority landscapes (Northwest and Southeast). With funding from the Embassy of Sweden, and under a UN-to-UN arrangement with UNDP, through the Multi Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), FAO will implement its component of the programme  working with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and other relevant government institutions, international and national non-governmental organizations, as well as development institutions working towards sustainable natural resource management, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.  To support engagements and delivery of programmatic outputs, including engagements with the private sector for partnerships and service provisions, FAO Liberia seeks the services of a Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist. S/he will work fulltime and lead all gender-related aspects relevant to the achievements of the objectives of the joint programme, and support, under the leadership of FAO’s Project Management Specialist, the team at UNDP for the overall delivery under a joint programme management unit. 

The Joint Programme, funded by Sweden, is entitled “Community-Based Forestry and Protected Area Management: Boosting Biodiversity Conservation and Improving Livelihoods of Forest-Fringe/Forest-Dependent Communities and Groups in Liberia”. It seeks to strengthen management of community forests and protected areas in Liberia through improved governance of community forest management bodies, capacity building of forest regulatory institutions, empowerment of national CSOs/NGOs and Forest and Farm Producer Organizations, integrated natural resources management and the promotion of sustainable livelihood incentives for forest fringe communities. The Joint Programme, building on the experiences of each organization, will work across the following four components: 
•    Component 1: Enabling policy, governance framework and institutional capacity for CFM
•    Component 2: Promote effective community-based management of PAs and INRM in the target landscapes
•    Component 3: Create and strengthen resilient, low-emission land management, equitable, non-timber forest product smallholder value chains through sustainable business development of forest and farm producers, and their organizations (e.g., cooperatives) 
•    Component 4: Knowledge management, communication and awareness, gender mainstreaming, and monitoring & evaluation

The Joint Programme builds on the findings of the Snap Analysis for the Forestry Sector in Liberia commissioned by the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia with report finalized in January 2022.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Liberia, the technical leadership of the Assistant FAO Representative for Programme, the Lead Technical Officer, and the direct supervision of the Programme Management Specialist, and working with the Country Office’s Gender Focal Point, the Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will liaise with the Gender Officers and other technical officers of supporting thematic units. S/he will work with relevant colleagues at the country, sub-regional, regional and headquartered offices, will undertake the tasks outlined below.

Technical Focus

The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will be responsible for the management and implementation of the gender and social inclusion aspects of all programme activities in accordance with the Programme Document, supporting UNDP and all implementing partners.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following:

•    Lead all aspects of gender mainstreaming and social inclusion for the programme at the institutional and community level; 
•    Lead the integration of gender considerations in all stages including  development, analysis, implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases of programmes, in consultation with stakeholders, and communities forest management bodies to ensure their needs, challenges and opinions are adequately understood and taken into account and that these specific needs and priorities of men and women of different ages are adequately addressed; 
•    Ensure that stakeholders are engaged by both participating UN organizations and civil society organization (CSOs) / community-based organizations (CBOs) in a gender-responsive way;
•    Provide technical support to actions that promote the realization of gender equality and women empowerment in the landscapes;
•    Undertake ex ante gender screening of all interventions; 
•    Conduct gender analyses and assessment of the programme and formulate and monitor the gender action plan;
•    Provide technical guidance on how to collect and analyse sex- and age- disaggregated data to be used  and monitor for the differential impacts of the programme on female and male beneficiaries;
•    Ensure that monitoring, evaluation and learning tools are gender-mainstreamed and participatory approach were used across the programme; 
•    Ensure programme results are delivered and indicators are tracked in a gender-responsive way;
•    Create more awareness on gender and social inclusion dynamics towards strengthening institutional capacities to support men and women, including youth, elderly and people with disabilities; 
•    Support policy dialogue and awareness raising processes, the establishment and strengthening of a knowledge management system to support gender-balanced community forest management and co-management of PAs by communities; 
•    Support the development of communication products key for adequate gender mainstreaming, and  ensuring FAO, partner and donor visibility at all levels;
•    Develop gender training materials, case studies and document lessons learned for wider sharing.
•    Report on progress on gender aspects during programme implementation with guidance on activities planning, monitoring and evaluation, including the set of key performance indicators; 
•    Facilitate training of staff and partners on gender and women empowerment with regards to community natural resource management. 
•    Support the Programme Unit and Country Team in other areas as required relevant to forestry and beyond, consistent with expertise; 
•    Perform other duties, as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
 
•    Minimum of a Master Degree in Gender Studies, International Development, Political Economy or related field in the social or natural sciences in Africa. 
•    At least 5-years’ experience in working on programmes with responsibility for gender mainstreaming and social inclusion in the areas of forestry, agro-forestry, agro ecology, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, community-based development planning will be an added advantage  
•    Working knowledge of English
•    National of Liberia 

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Demonstrated result based management capabilities with an ability to manage programme budgets and human resources
•    Ability and willingness to travel extensively in support of programme implementation
•    Knowledge in research analysis and programme development
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is essential
•    Demonstrated result based management capabilities with an ability to plan and manage programme activities and budgets.
•    Ability and willingness to travel extensively in support of programme implementation.
•    Excellent communication, networking, written and presentation skills.
•    Familiar with United Nations System and/or FAO’s programming mechanisms.
•    Experience in developing and delivering community forest management plans is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION