National Eco-Village Planner Specialist

FAO; Riyadh; On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization is seeking a National Eco-Village Planner Specialist in Riyadh. The role focuses on sustainable rural agricultural development, working closely with governmental bodies to enhance community well-being through innovative planning and management of natural resources. Candidates should possess an advanced degree and extensive experience in environmental policies.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in related fields.
• Working knowledge of both Arabic and English required.
• National of Saudi Arabia.

Responsibilities

• Define vision, goals, sustainability targets for Eco-Villages.
• Assess socio-economic factors for land use and community well-being.
• Develop objectives and a Concept Master Plan.

Skills

Desertification knowledge

Land degradation

Ecosystem monitoring

Education

Advanced university degree in natural resource management or related discipline

Job description

Job Description
National Eco-Village Planner Specialist
## Primary Location
:Saudi Arabia-Riyadh

Organizational Setting

The Programme Management Unit (PMU) of the FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme (2019-2025) facilitates, coordinates and manages all technical and advisory services to be provided by FAO to the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MoEWA). The project “UTF/SAU/051/SAU Strengthening MoEWA’s Capacity to Implement the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme” is the first project that has been approved within the framework of FAO-Saudi Technical Cooperation Programme (2019-2025). The project will provide technical and advisory assistance to the MoEWA in implementing its flagship Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development programme that has recently been approved within the context of the National Transformation Programme of the Saudi Vision 2030. The project expected results will be achieved through implementation of nine project components: 1) Development of coffee Arabica production, processing and marketing; 2) Development of beekeeping and honey production; 3) Development of rose production and trade; 4) Development of sub-tropical fruits production, processing and marketing; 5) Strengthening capacity of small-scale fishermen and fish farmers; 6) Strengthening capacity of small-scale livestock herders; 7) Development of rain-fed cereals production; 8) Enhancing value addition from smallholdings and rural activities; and 9) Strengthening MoEWA’s capacity in sustainable management of rangelands, forests and natural resources to support rural livelihoods.
An overall plan and budget are developed and approved, including activities and outputs that are expected to be accomplished under each component. Requirements for international technical expertise of each component have been identified. In order to ensure a coordinated, smooth, timely and successful implementation of the project, long-term competent international technical advisors will be appointed as Component Technical Advisors to each of the nine components. Each Component Technical Advisors will be supported by a team of international consultants and experts who are technical specialists in the subject matters of the various outputs and activities.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will report to the Land Degradation Control (LDC- National Professional Officer under the overall guidance of the FAO Programme Director in close collaboration with the Chief Technical Advisors and technical team in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Technical Focus

Contribute to the accomplishment of the project Outcome 2: “Innovative practices and technologies pilot tested and adopted to restore and conserve natural vegetation cover and sustainably manage vital natural resources”.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Define the vision, goals, sustainability targets, community values, and self-sufficiency level Target’s for Eco-Villages.
• Assess historical, environmental, and socio-economic factors relevant to sustainability, land use, and community well-being.
• Develop objectives and a Concept Master Plan based on these factors and validate it with communities and authorities.
• Identify required expertise (urban planning, landscape design, EIA, community engagement) for plan implementation.
• Outline development needs: housing, transport, utilities, green spaces, and infrastructure.
• Provide technical support and prepare outputs and budget for the master plan.
• Create a detailed schedule for site surveys, stakeholder consultations, data analysis, and plan compilation.
• Develop guidelines for implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Prepare awareness and training materials on sustainable living for residents.
• Define the way forward for execution, monitoring, and ongoing development of the eco-village
• Assist with the organization of workshops and meetings, including training of experts and stakeholders.
• Support developing of the related strategies and plans.
• Any other duties pertaining to this consultancy as may be determined by the FAO

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in natural resource management, environmental policy, development economics or related discipline.
• A minimum of 10 years of working experience related to the above disciplines, including in-depth knowledge in monitoring sand encroachment stations, good practices, including sand dunes fixation and reducing sand encroachment related issues and sustainable land/water management and restoration policies, programs
• Working knowledge of Arabic and English
• National of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge on desertification, land degradation, ecosystem monitoring, sand encroachment particularly modelling, mapping and Geo-informatics.
• Solid knowledge of the UNCCD, related UN and intergovernmental processes.
• In-depth knowledge of climate change, arid ecosystem and desertification and land degradation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing) Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

•To apply, visit the recruitment website at and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
•Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
•Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
•Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
•Incomplete applications will not be considered
•Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
•Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
•Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance:
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