Deadline: 09 May, 2020

Location: Rome, Italy

The Climate and Environment Division of the FAO is seeking to fill a Agricultural and Sustainability Specialist position. The Climate and Environment Division assists member countries in their responses towards climate change, including the mitigation of climate change as well as the development of adaptive capacities of agriculture, fisheries and forestry to the effects of climate change. The Division also serves as a focal point for a multidisciplinary and global approach to bioeconomy and bioenergy.

Responsibilities

• Draft FAO’s study on the plastic footprint in and of agriculture and food systems (production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption), including identification of sources, impacts, policies and stakeholder mapping
• Map and keep under review FAO’s technical work and capacities to address plastics use in agriculture
• Support the establishment and effective management of the organisation’s working group on plastics in a circular economy in agriculture and food systems
• Support the identification and engagement of relevant stakeholders at the global, regional and national level
• Contribute to FAO’s inputs on agricultural plastics to relevant global and regional forums and mechanisms
• Support the mainstreaming of plastic reduction measures as a part of FAO’s Corporate Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2020–2030
• Contribute to the identification of opportunities for advancing innovation in developing countries focused on use of plastics from alternative feedstocks, use of plastic waste as a resource, innovative plastic recycling models, and business and consumer cooperation models
• Support resource mobilisation and project development to advance the application of circular economy principles to plastics use in agriculture and food systems
• Plan and organise meetings, international workshops, internal and external seminars
• Act as focal point on plastics circular economy in agriculture as needed
• Develop and oversee outreach and public awareness activities on the impacts of plastics use in agriculture and food systems
• Develop and support the updating of FAO’s intranet/extranet portal on plastics and establish linkages with relevant in-house initiatives
• Provide operational support at divisional level in data management tasks, organisation of meetings, workshops, webinars, preparation of contracts, and other requests that may arise
• Perform other duties as required

Requirements

• University degree in Environmental  Engineering,  Natural  Resource  Management,  Soil Sciences, Economics, Agronomy, Agriculture or a related field
• One year of relevant experience (minimum for category C); five years of relevant experience (minimum for category B); 12 years of relevant experience (minimum for category A); 15 years of relevant experience (minimum for PSA cat A) in one or more areas in Natural  Resource  Management, Circular and Bioeconomy, Biology, Polymer Sciences, Agronomy or any relevant field addressing plastics use in food value chains
• Working knowledge of English, French, Spanish or Chinese and limited knowledge of one of the other three or Arabic, Russian

To apply and for more information, click here.

Photo source: Nick Richie