Organizational Setting
The cooperation between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Ukraine has been designed to reinforce national capacities and to contribute to the broader development of agriculture, sustainable management of forests and fisheries, and animal and plant disease control. FAO is also contributing to building resilience and supporting early recovery in conflict-affected regions by supporting the economic recovery of farmers and rural communities. FAOโs presence in Ukraine has been scaled up across it three offices located in Kyiv, Lviv; Kharkiv and Dnipro under the overall responsibility of the Head of the FAO Office/Designated Responsible Officer in Ukraine.
The recent and large-scale escalation in hostilities in Ukraine is exacerbating the already dire food security situation of the most vulnerable rural households and small farmers. In response to the evolving situation, FAO Ukraine is scaling up its emergency humanitarian and resilience programming in conflict-affected areas of Ukraine, including previous areas of focus such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson; Lviv and Zakarpattia in the West; and newly affected and newly accessible areas. In order to address the rapidly deteriorating situation, FAO us guided by its Rapid Response Plan (RRP) that is aligned with the Humanitarian
Response Plan (HRP) and the UNโs Transitional Framework for Ukraine land focuses on responding to immediate needs by providing life and livelihood-saving assistance to the most vulnerable smallholder farming households impacted by the conflict as well as to providing urgent support to the countryโs agrifood sector which contributes to both national and international food security. Supporting the capacity of the Government of Ukraine to sustain critical food system services is also a key pillar of the Plan.
This assignment will be home-based, with work being executed during FAO Ukraine office hours.
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Reporting Lines
The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of FAO Ukraineโs Head of Programme and the direct supervision of the Senior International Forestry Expert and Project Manager of project GCP/UKR/021/EC.
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Technical Focus
The Forestry Policy Specialist will play a pivotal role in providing technical and policy support for the sustainable development and governance of the forestry sector in Ukraine, including policy alignment with the EU framework, institutional strengthening, and support to national partners under the FAO Forestry Support Strategy 2023โ2027.
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Tasks and responsibilities
โข Provide technical support to the Project Coordinator and FAO forestry experts in matters related to forestry policy and governance in Ukraine, including alignment with relevant EU requirements and best practices.
โข Contribute to policy dialogue, analytical work, and research activities related to forestry and natural resource management policies in Ukraine.
โข Participate in field missions, study tours, and stakeholder consultations when needed.
โข Support the preparation of project reports, concept notes, and related documentation as required.
โข Perform other duties as required.
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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
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Minimum Requirements
โข Masterโs level degree in Forestry, Forestry Policies, Forest Economy, or a related field, or a Bachelorโs degree with an additional two years of relevant work experience in the forestry sector.
โข A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in forestry.
โข Working knowledge (Level C or native) of English
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FAO Core Competencies
โข Results Focus
โข Teamwork
โข Communication
โข Building Effective Relationships
โข Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
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Technical/Functional Skills
โข Ability to work effectively under pressure, adapt to evolving and complex humanitarian contexts, and operate within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
โข Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and motivational skills, with a proven ability to work as part of a team.
โข Capacity to meet tight deadlines and work independently with minimal supervision.
โข Good knowledge of humanitarian principles.
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Selection Criteria
โข Good knowledge of MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
โข Demonstrated experience in the development, implementation, or analysis of Ukrainian forestry policies.
โข Knowledge of the Ukrainian forestry sector, including institutional structures, regulatory frameworks, and current reform processes, is an asset.
โข Knowledge of international forestry policies, strategies, and best practices.
โข Familiarity with international forestry institutions, mechanisms, and policy frameworks.
โข Additional international experience in forestry policy or governance, particularly within EU countries, will be considered a strong asset.
โข Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
โข Working knowledge (Level C) or native Ukrainian would be considered an asset.
โข An advanced-level degree will be considered an advantage
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