Senior Technical Advisor (STA)

Organizational Setting

FAO's Subregional Office for West Africa is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing Subregional agri-food systems and rural development priorities. It develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations such as ECOWAS, CILSS, UEMOA and Mano River Union. It assists the FAO Representations (FAORs) in the sub region with addressing subregional food security, agriculture and rural development issues at country level. The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Africa. The Subregional office also works directly with country offices in the implementation of subregional and regional projects.

The GCF funded project: Accelerating Actions towards effective climate risks management in key sectors in Sierra Leone is a three-year project aimed at assessing climate stresses in key sectors, conduct series of stakeholder engagements/consultations, review Initial NAP to assess progress and identify the remaining gaps for inclusion into Full NAP that is to be developed. It is structured with a focus on four interventions areas below while guaranteeing gender integration. 
a)    Adaptation planning governance and institutional coordination. 
b)    Evidence-base for climate change adaptation planning and investment. 
c)    Private sector engagement and investment strategy in adaptation; and
d)    Climate adaptation financing.

In this regard, the country wishes to advance its climate resilience agenda through the development of a comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (NAP). The process aims to assess climate risks across key sectors and strengthen institutional frameworks for adaptation planning. The STA will lead technical coordination, stakeholder engagement, and strategic guidance to ensure the successful formulation of the NAP.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Technical Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the FAO Representative in Sierra Leone and in close collaboration with the Assistant FAO Representative for Programme and technical support and backstopping from the Lead Technical Officers (LTO) based in the FAO Sub-Regional Office for West Africa (SFW).

Technical focus

The Senior Technical Adviser (STA) will provide strategic and technical guidance to ensure the successful implementation of the NAP Readiness Project. S/he will provide strategic policy advice, oversight, quality assurance, design/implement capacity building initiatives and coordinate with different ministries, department, agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, local communities and private sector and provide technical directives leading to the development of the full NAP

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the FAOR on administrative issues and AFAOR on programmatic issues, the STA will:

•     Provide overall technical directives and support for the implementation of climate change adaptation strategies and plans; 
•     Lead the development, review, and updating of the NAP, ensuring it is comprehensive, evidence-based and aligned with national priorities. 
•     Coordinate with government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector, and development partners to ensure effective collaboration and participation in adaptation efforts.
•     Strengthen the capacity of national institutions and stakeholders to assess climate risks, develop adaptation strategies, and implement adaptation actions
•     Design and implement the NAP development process.
•     Oversee climate risk and vulnerability assessments across priority sectors.
•     Ensure alignment with UNFCCC guidelines and national development priorities.
•     Support the preparation of policy briefs, reports, and the final NAP document.
•     Ensure that climate change adaptation is integrated into national policies, strategies, and development plans. 
•     Support efforts to mobilize financial resources for adaptation, including accessing international climate finance mechanisms.
•     Establish systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of adaptation interventions and reporting on progress. 
•     Provide strategic and technical oversight for the implementation of the NAP Readiness Project.
•     Support the PMU in coordinating and sequencing project activities to ensure technical coherence and timely delivery.
•     Review and provide quality assurance for technical deliverables, including vulnerability assessments, adaptation strategies, and develop the full NAP document.
•     Advise on the development of Terms of Reference for consultants and supervise their work.
•     Facilitate multi-stakeholder workshops and consultations.
•     Provide guidance on international best practices and lessons learned in NAP formulation and implementation.
•     Review IEC and other training materials that may be developed by the Communication staff
•     Ensure alignment with FAO and GCF standards, including gender and social inclusion, environmental safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Master’s degree in climate change, environmental science, natural resource management, or related fields from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. Consultants with bachelor`s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience
•     5 (five) years of experience in the implementation of environmental assessment and monitoring climate change projects and related capacity building 
•     Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited of Arabic, French, Russian or Spanish.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

•     Leadership and supervisory experience in managing similar projects/programmes
•     Knowledge in capacity development in the climate and environmental environment and climate change sectors 
•     Experience in environment and climate change resources assessment and monitoring 
•     Knowledge of Sierra Leone’s environment and climate change environment and climate change sector is an added asset; 
•     Leadership and supervisory experience in managing similar projects/programmes
•     Proven experience in providing technical advisory services for international development projects.
•     Familiarity with GCF processes and UNFCCC guidelines.
•     Experience working in LDCs or similar contexts, preferably in West Africa.
•     Work experience in more than one country
•     Strong analytical, strategic planning, and coordination skills.
•     Ability to work with diverse stakeholders including government, civil society, and private sector.
•     Knowledge of UN system policies, rules, and regulations;
•     Work experience within United Nations System or an international organization is an asset.
•     Demonstrated expertise in conducting environment and climate change projects.
•     Knowledge on regional and global environmental resources.
•     Excellent in English communication skills, both oral and written. 
•     Experience in organizing and conducting regional and national workshops/ training sessions and in climate change adaptation, NAP formulation, and project implementation.
•     Technical understanding of UNFCCC policies and guidelines and environmental carbon markets
•     Knowledge in capacity development