GIAHS Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Organizational Context
The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) addresses challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. It coordinates on these issues, acts as a focal point for major environmental agreements, and assists members with food security, climate change, and environmental financing. OCB hosts the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, which provides guidance and technical support to FAO members for developing and implementing GIAHS proposals and activities at designated sites. The GIAHS Secretariat is the operational unit.
Job Purpose
The GIAHS Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist will support the GIAHS Programme Secretariat in developing a specialized Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework. This framework is essential for effectively monitoring, assessing, and reporting on the activities, progress, and results achieved across all designated GIAHS sites. The role aims to enhance the program's ability to track its impact and demonstrate its effectiveness in preserving globally important agricultural heritage systems.
Responsibilities
Conduct a comprehensive desk review and situational analysis of M&E approaches relevant to GIAHS. Collect, analyze, and process data on existing M&E practices at GIAHS sites to inform the framework's development. Liaise with FAO units and international organizations (e.g., UNESCO, IUCN) to review their M&E frameworks and identify best practices. Propose and pilot-test a draft GIAHS M&E framework in at least 10 sites, documenting lessons learned and recommending improvements. Develop a user-friendly digital data collection, monitoring, and reporting tool for local stakeholders. Support the organization of an international expert meeting on M&E for GIAHS and present the proposed framework and digital tool for validation. Represent FAO at relevant meetings and perform other duties as required.
Work Experience
One to ten years of relevant professional experience in developing substantive contributions and achievements related to Monitoring and Evaluation, depending on the candidate category (C, B, or A). Experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field-based positions, is desirable.
Skills
Proficiency in Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing. Demonstrated experience in M&E, project evaluation, and digital reporting. Strong skills in collecting, processing, and analyzing technical data for M&E frameworks, including guidelines, criteria, and action plans. Experience developing user-friendly digital reporting tools for actionable field-level data collection and impact measurement. Ability to design, implement, and refine M&E frameworks. Experience working with national institutions and local communities in relevant sectors is beneficial. Strong analytical and report-writing skills. Ability to work effectively in multicultural environments. Familiarity with FAO's GIAHS Programme is an asset. Working knowledge of French or Spanish is an asset.