Job Posting: 21/Feb/2023
Closure Date: 07/Mar/2023, 11:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: FRGAM
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Gambia-Banjul
Duration: 6 months
Post Number: N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- 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
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
Organizational Setting
The Government of The Gambia has committed to a stronger agricultural performance and has asked IFAD to co-finance the Resilience of Organizations for Transformative Smallholder Agriculture Project (ROOTS). IFAD requested FAO to provide technical support in the use of geospatial solutions for its first component that mostly focuses on infrastructure development and management for resilient rice cultivation, vegetable cultivation, agroforestry, mangrove restoration. 39 districts in five regions have been identified for the implementation of this project
Reporting Lines
The specialist will be under the overall supervision of the head of the geospatial unit in the Land and Water Division (NSL) and FAO Representative
Tasks and responsibilities
The specialist will perform the following tasks::
• To provide overall technical assistance to the project on the use of geospatial technologies for ROOTS project;
• In collaboration with ROOTS project, provide technical support on the use of GIS and Remote Sensing, for (1) definition of the area of interest, (2) identification of indicators for baseline and monitoring activities, (3) characterization of the area of interest using RS/GIS for selected indicators, (4) prepare sampling strategy and undertake field data collection for calibration/validation, (5) documentation of the results, (6) preparation of the data for dissemination on a web-platform, and (7) knowledge transfer and capacity development for the sustainability of the geospatial activities for ROOTS project and within the Government;
• Develop methodological approach for the preparation of key indicators for the main ROOTS intervention areas (land and water resources, suitable land for crop production, infrastructure development, new micro-catchment areas, agroforestry, mangrove restoration among others), by integrating different FAO and non-FAO tools such as LCCS, Open Foris suite, Collect Earth, EarthMap, SEPAL, ABC map, Open Tenure, WOCAT as well as other tools;
• Provide GIS/RS technical assistance to the ROOTS capacity building strategy with the objective to provide on-the job technical assistance and regular specific trainings for land and water resources monitoring following an agreed methodological approach and indicators;
• Prepare maps and assessment in support to the project team for ROOTS activities in particular for land suitability, implementation plan, monitoring. Key results are documented in the form of one-pager and compiled in the form of a report or atlas in support to ROOTS project activities monitoring;
• Document and prepare the necessary data for dissemination in FAO geospatial platforms such as FAO data catalogue, Hand in Hand geospatial, EarthMap, as well as into national platforms as necessary and requested;
• Prepare technical reports with detailed baseline information and results for key ROOTS intervention areas (e.g. rice, horticulture, ecosystem restoration). Technical reports can cover specific area of intervention, reporting periods or both;
• Prepare technical reports with detailed baseline information and results for key ROOTS intervention areas (e.g. rice, horticulture, ecosystem restoration). Technical reports can cover specific area of intervention, reporting periods or both;
• Provide monthly training on the various GIS/RS tools to be used under ROOTS project (Open Foris Suite tools e.g. Collect Earth) for integrated field and RS, and platforms (e.g. EarthMap, SEPAL, Google Earth Engine (GEE)) for analysis and dissemination;
• In close collaboration with the international IT consultant, design and document the national geospatial ROOTS monitoring platform;
• Present the results of the mentioned activities to the ROOTS team and to relevant FAO teams; and
• Twenty priority ROOTS indicators identified and defined
• Methodological approach prepared for assessing 20 indicators for identified area of interest
• The results for twenty indicators monitored for the first quarter of 2023
• Atlas of the assessment in 36 districts with field documentation
• Proceedings of five trainings related to use of geospatial solutions
• Web platform for the visualisation of the results operationalised
• Records/Minutes of the meetings
• Carry out other relevant tasks in the project
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in remote sensing, GIS/RS, forestry, environmental sciences, or a closely related field
• 5 years of relevant experience related to land and water monitoring
• Good knowledge of ISO and land cover standards
• Quality of both oral and written communication skills
• Programming, coding, and relevant software knowledge
• Language requirements for Consultants: Working knowledge of English and 1 other UN language on minimum level B (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish or Russian) ; For PSA.SBS; Working knowledge of English
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
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
- Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For more information, visit the FAO employment website
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
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.
If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
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