National Legal Specialist

Organizational Context

The FAO Representation in Georgia, based in Tbilisi, aims to assist governments in developing policies and programs for food security, hunger reduction, and sustainable agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors. This National Legal Specialist position is part of the UTF Project, focused on formulating and designing land consolidation in Georgia. The project supports the introduction of a land consolidation instrument integrated with irrigation rehabilitation, aiming to increase agricultural production, improve land and water use efficiency, and strengthen land rights, particularly for women. Land consolidation is intended to create more efficient farm structures and contribute to local agricultural development, while also integrating environmental and climate change objectives.

Job Purpose

The National Legal Specialist will lead comprehensive legal and institutional assessments of Georgia's regulatory frameworks for agricultural land management and consolidation. Key responsibilities include drafting legislative revision recommendations, advising on land disputes, assisting farmers with property registration and inheritance, and synchronizing land use registration data with GIS. The specialist will assess land use status in pilot and country-wide areas, provide legal summaries, and supervise junior land team members. Fieldwork will involve supporting landowners in understanding their rights. Regular updates will be provided to the project team and international specialists, with input for guidance materials aligned with Georgian law. The role actively contributes to drafting legal recommendations for the government on land consolidation legislation and provides technical support for the UTF Project's land consolidation activities.

Responsibilities

Provide legal support for land consolidation activities under the GRAIL Project, collaborating with FAO and relevant legal units. Contribute to drafting the National Land Consolidation Strategy, ensuring alignment with existing legal documents. Lead comprehensive legal and institutional assessments of the regulatory framework for agricultural land management and consolidation, under the guidance of FAO Legal Officer and International Legal Specialist. Draft recommendations for new legislation or revisions to existing legal instruments and operational procedures to enable effective land consolidation pilot implementation. Liaise with public authorities on legislation, regulations, and operational procedures for land consolidation. Supervise and coordinate the work of the Land Data/Information Specialist and Junior Land Consolidation Specialist, ensuring quality and timely delivery of outputs. Provide guidance to national team members on legal issues related to land consolidation. Support beneficiary farmers in understanding land rights, property registration, and inheritance procedures, and consult on the legal implications of land consolidation. Contribute to legal quality assurance for all deliverables related to the land consolidation component. Provide legal advice in cases of land disputes. Contribute to the design, coordination, and monitoring of capacity-building and training programs for staff and stakeholders from a legal perspective. Contribute to the development of the National Land Consolidation Programme based on pilot experiences and FAO guidance.

Work Experience

Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in the development, review, and implementation of legal and regulatory frameworks, particularly in property rights, real estate, or land governance. Experience in working on land law. Demonstrated team supervision experience. Experience in managing and supervising project teams. Experience working in multi-disciplinary teams and large-scale projects is an asset.

Skills

Strong knowledge of legal frameworks related to land governance, property rights, and land tenure systems. Experience in legal analysis, drafting, and review of legislation, regulations, and operational procedures. Ability to conduct legal and institutional assessments and provide practical recommendations. Experience in developing and aligning legal inputs to national strategies and policy documents. Ability to provide legal advice on land-related disputes and regulatory issues. Strong understanding of public administration and institutional coordination mechanisms. Ability to liaise and coordinate with government authorities and multiple stakeholders. Experience in designing and delivering legal aspects of capacity-building and training programmes. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and drafting skills. Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills. Good understanding of Georgia’s National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), data protection requirements, and relevant government policies. Experience working with rural communities and farmers is an asset. Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.

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