Technical Specialist (Forest-Positive Policy Analysis)

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Cambodia supports the transformation to sustainable agrifood systems, aiming to achieve food security and reduce hunger. The FAO Representation implements the Country Programming Framework and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. It focuses on six thematic areas, including Forest, Land, Water, Climate Change, and Climate Finance. A key project, "Strengthening Sustainable Forest Landscape Management and Commodity Production Decoupled from Deforestation," targets agriculture-forest frontier landscapes to reduce deforestation, enhance climate resilience, and improve rural livelihoods.

Job Purpose

This role focuses on mapping land tenure in targeted areas and assessing policy and institutional instruments governing land-use decisions, tenure practices, and commodity production in Cambodia, particularly for cashew and other identified commodities. The analysis will evaluate the enabling environment for inclusive, climate-resilient production systems and due diligence compliance. Findings will be derived from national data, existing analyses, and stakeholder consultations. The ultimate objective is to provide actionable recommendations for enhancing land governance, land formalization, and agro-forestry tenure practices, thereby supporting deforestation-free commodity supply chains.

Responsibilities

The Technical Specialist will develop a detailed work plan, including methodology and stakeholder engagement. Responsibilities include mapping and assessing relevant international, national, and local policy, institutional, and tenure instruments related to forest-positive production systems and deforestation-free instruments, with a focus on land tenure. This involves complementing desk research with national repositories and stakeholder interviews. The specialist will map responsible institutions, assess data availability for due diligence, and document traceability efforts for targeted commodities. Key tenure, policy, and institutional gaps will be identified, leading to proposed short- and medium-term solutions to enhance the enabling environment and policy coherence. A comprehensive policy gap assessment report will be drafted, including recommendations, and validated through stakeholder consultations and revisions.

Work Experience

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in forestry, agriculture policy, tenure, economics, or a related field. A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in environmental, agriculture-forestry nexus, tenure, natural resources, or forestry policy within Cambodia is essential. Candidates should possess good knowledge of the international forest context and key international and regional environmental instruments. Proficiency in English is necessary, and the applicant must be a Cambodian national.

Skills

Key skills include results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing. Demonstrated abilities in drafting reports, strong organizational skills, and the capacity to meet tight deadlines are crucial. The ability to prioritize tasks, work effectively in a multicultural team, and collaborate closely with national institutions and governmental entities is also essential. Experience in multiple work locations or areas is beneficial.

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