Organizational Setting
FAO’s Land and Water Division (NSL) foresees a future whereby governments, development partners, civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector and farmers, all work together to ensure that land, soil, and water resources are wisely used, conserved, and restored for sustainable and resilient agri-food systems that support food security, nutrition, and human wellbeing. NSL provides policy guidance, technical and financial assistance to member countries in developing policies, programmes, best practices and management tools for ensuring productive and efficient use of land, soil and water resources to meet present and future demands for agricultural products, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of these resources. It promotes equitable access to and sustainable management of these natural resources with a view to enhancing productivity, livelihoods, equity, health and ecosystem services.
Under the new Strategy, NSL will work towards a core set of five integrated and strategic Objectives and Action Areas that have been elaborated to cut across the thematic areas of land, water, soils, and geospatial areas of work of the Division: (1) Good Governance; (2) Wise use and restoration; (3) Mitigation and resilience; (4) Integrated solutions; (5) Data, digitalization, technology and innovation.
The post is located in the Land and Water Division (NSL) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Senior Land and Water Officer (Project Manager) reports to the Director, Land and Water Division.

Technical Focus
Bring expertise and experience on sustainable soil and land resources management, including soil survey and classification, assessment, digital soil mapping and information systems, capacity building, soil fertility and sustainable fertilization, soil conservation and restoration, soil policy and governance into NSL; coordinate, manage and implement the NSL project on ‘Soil mapping for resilient agri-food systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa’.

Key Results
Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of cross-divisional Programmes of Work, projects, products, services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions
•    Plans, manages or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams, leads, coordinates, and/or participates on Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams, and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies;
•    Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies;
•    Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence based strategies, and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks;
•    Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis’ activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services;
•    Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes;
•    Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning, on-line tools;
•    Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders;
•    Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions
•    Provides effective leadership for the overall project management and implementation and ensures that the project timely completes the activities and outputs defined the project result framework and is implemented in accordance with (i) the project documents and agreement with the donor; and (ii) the FAO Strategic Framework;
•    Develops detailed project work plans and budget outlining activities, timelines, and resources, updates them as needed;
•    Leads the development of the project monitoring and evaluation (M-E) framework and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases, to support the planning, implementation and delivery of the project activities; leads the project technical reporting on regular basis and supports project financial monitoring and reporting;
•    Manages project risks and challenges through a systemic approach from identification, evaluation to management actions;
•    Develops and implements project quality assurance processes and ensures compliance with FAO rules, regulations, standards, donor requirements;
•    Oversees the delivery of project results, monitors timely project progress against its work plans and budget, develops and implements adaptive project management measures to address performance gaps as well as to seize emerging new opportunities to support project implementation;
•    Coordinates project implementation with other FAO technical units and Decentralized Offices in related countries; manages key relationships with project stakeholders and facilitates communication, collaboration and coordination with multiple external partners and in-country teams;
•    Supports the resource mobilization efforts for the project and scales up the project in other countries;
•    Contributes to policy directives and visibility of the project, and disseminates project results and facilitates knowledge exchange among projects teams in different countries and regions;
•    Performs other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•    Advanced university degree in agricultural soil science, digital soil mapping, agriculture and natural resources management, or related field.
•    Ten years of relevant experience in agricultural soil science, digital soil mapping, agriculture and natural resources management, or related field.
•    Working knowledge of English (proficient – level C) and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
•    Results Focus
•    Leading, Engaging and Empowering
•    Communication
•    Partnering and Advocating
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
•    Strategic Thinking

Technical/Functional Skills
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
•    Extensive knowledge of soil resources assessment/management tools and methods.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in analysing land/soil and water management and soil mapping related issues.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in leading and ensuring the coherence and effectively overseeing the planning and implementation of dynamic and multidisciplinary programmes of work.
•    Demonstrated results-based management capabilities with an ability to manage complex programmes, budgets and human resources efficiently under shifting priorities.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary work and in facilitating collaboration and managing diverse partnerships.
•    Demonstrated ability in organizing and leading international meetings, seminars, workshops and training courses.
•    Knowledge of soil resources assessment/management tools and methods.
•    Ability to mobilize resources and partnerships for delivering programmatic initiatives at scale.
•    Demonstrated experience in dealing with senior government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
•    Demonstrated capacity to write comprehensive technical reports in English.