Vacancy No. FO/186/09

Title Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department (FO)
Grade ADG
Number 0117846
Duty Station Location Rome, Italy
Department/Division The Forestry Department ensures the development of policies, strategies and guidelines and provides advisory and technical services to FAO Members; collects, analyses and disseminates information to FAO Members; and serves as a neutral forum for policy and technical dialogue between nations on matters related to forests.  The Department promotes the FAO mission in forestry, which is to enhance human well-being through support to member countries in the sustainable management of the world’s trees and forests.  The Department ensures an effective balance among the environmental and production aspects of forests; the economic aspects of forests; and the social and institutional aspects of forests.  The Department leads programme entities in sustainable forest management; the conservation of forests and fragile ecosystems; forest plantations and trees outside forests; forests and water; forests and climate change; forest resource assessments; forestry sector outlook studies; economic aspects of forests; forest products information; utilization of forest products and wood-based energy; strengthening national institutional capacities; forest policies and governance; forests, poverty alleviation and food security; participatory forestry and sustainable livelihoods; international forestry processes; and forestry information.
Summary of Functions

The Assistant Director-General specifically:

  • Advises the Director-General on matters of policy or subjects relating to the Department's mandate and activities.

  • Ensures the collection, analysis, dissemination of information and the development of policies, strategies and guidelines in the Department's field of competence.

  • Ensures liaison on forestry matters with FAO Members, the community of interest, including other UN agencies, development banks, regional private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in collaboration with the Assistant Director-General of the Technical Cooperation Department (TC)

  • Provides leadership and technical support to the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF).

  • Exercises overall management responsibility over all activities in the Department, under all programmes and sources of funds.

  • Ensures general coordination of the work of the Department.  Provides central planning budgetary and administrative services including recruitment and human resources management for the Department as a whole.

  • Ensures the development of coordinated and balanced programmes (medium and long-term) in the field of competence of the Department and submits the Department's Programme of Work and Budget proposals to the Director-General.

  • Ensures effective technical supervision and coordination of the activities of forestry officers assigned to the Department and to regional and sub-regional offices.  Provides supervision of programme development and its implementation.

  • Formulates strategies and objectives, and ensures effective implementation and monitoring, of the work carried out under the Strategic Objective: Sustainable Management of Forests and Trees.

  • Guides and supervises the preparation of working papers and reports on the Department's special subjects to the Council and Conference and to other FAO and outside bodies.

  • Promotes international dialogue and action on world and regional forestry problems through inter­governmental and non-governmental channels.

  • Cooperates with governments, donor agencies, NGOs and the private sector in the preparation, revision and implementation of national forest programmes, overseeing special activities such as the National Forest Programme Facility and the Partnership on Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions.

  • Ensures secretariat services to the forestry statutory bodies (e.g., Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the regional forestry commissions) and coordinates departmental inputs to governing and statutory bodies (Conference, Council, FAO regional conferences) and follow‑up action by the Department on decisions and recommenda­tions of these bodies.

  • Directs the preparation of UNASYLVA, the international quarterly journal of forestry and forest industries; and the biennial State of the World’s Forests.

  • Represents the Director-General at conferences and meetings as delegated.

General Requirements

  • Post graduate qualifications or equivalent post-graduate professional development in Forest sciences

  • Demonstrated professional competence and mastery of the relevant subject matters

  • Management and strategic leadership of a high order in relevant subject areas

  • Fluency in English, French or Spanish and a limited knowledge of one of the other two

  • Ability to lead and work effectively with a diverse team of people of different national and cultural backgrounds in an international setting

Managerial Requirements

 Strategic vision: Capacity to develop a vision, mission and strategies and to focus on the needs of Member Countries and to adjust strategies to take account of changing circumstances. Managing people: Fosters team spirit through building trust and commitment to common objectives and recognising team successes. Result Orientation: Demonstrates an ability to manage programmes and projects efficiently under shifting priorities, in order to achieve targets. Partnering: Negotiates effectively with partners to enable successful outcomes for all stakeholders and actively supports inter-disciplinarity across FAO. Strong Communication Skills: Demonstrates a high level of communication skills in promoting the Organization’s messages.
Remuneration Without dependents: USD 190,058
With dependents: USD 209,885
FAO adheres to the UN common system of salaries, allowances and benefits. General information regarding salaries and allowances can be found at the International Civil Service Commission Web site.
How to apply

Applications, including a full curriculum vitae and Personal History Form (available in MS Word (A4 and letter formats), should be submitted by 13 July 2009 to the Office of the Director, Human Resources Management Division (AFH), FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100, Rome, Italy or sent by e-mail to:
senior-vacancies@fao.org or faxed to Italy 06-5705 5131