Natural Resources Management Specialist

Organizational Setting
FAO is the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which leads the international effort for a world free of hunger and malnutrition in which food and agriculture contribute to improving the living standards of all its inhabitants, especially the poorest, in an economically sustainable way. social and environmental. We work to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and its global goals by fostering sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems for better production, nutrition, environment and life.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) works in Rwanda to support the country in eradicating hunger, malnutrition, and rural poverty. It works alongside the national government, local authorities, and other partners to develop public policies, programs, and projects focused on sustainable agri-food systems, food and nutrition security, inclusive rural development, and the sustainable management of natural resources, with a territorial, gender-sensitive, and differentiated approach.
Rwanda’s national strategies prioritize climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable land use, and ecosystem restoration, but challenges like climate variability, land degradation, and declining soil fertility continue to weaken productivity and rural resilience. Agriculture, the backbone of the economy, is increasingly affected by shocks such as erratic rainfall, droughts, floods, and landslides, compounded by unsustainable land practices and ecosystem fragmentation.
To address this, FAO’s integrated programs focus on improving soil health and landscape management through interventions like agroforestry, climate-smart farming, and watershed restoration, supported by strong spatial analysis and land-use planning. In this context, FAO aims to recruit a Natural Resources Specialist to lead technical work in land and soil analysis, support climate-resilient agricultural interventions, and contribute to evidence-based planning and funding proposals for mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of the Assistant Representative (Programme), in close collaboration with FAO technical officers, Better Leads, and other technical officers in Head Quarters, RAF, SFE, the incumbent will support to lead technical work in land and soil analysis, support climate-resilient agricultural interventions, and contribute to evidence-based planning and funding proposals for mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Technical Focus
Tasks And Responsibilities
Leveraging spatial analysis, geospatial tools, and land and soil suitability assessments, the incumbent will support the promotion of sustainable landscape management and climate-resilient agrifood systems. The role will contribute to evidence-based planning, targeting, and investment decision-making for ecosystem restoration, natural resource management, and climate-smart agriculture interventions. In this context, the incumbent will undertake the following tasks:

• Review harmonize and assess existing datasets, including soil maps, land degradation and soil erosions assessments, agro-ecological zoning (AEZ) frameworks, climate risks profile, land use/ land cover, and crop suitability classifications relevant to AO’s targeted interventions.
• Conduct integrated landscape diagnosis, including soil fertility assessments, soil characteristics, terrain, climate variability.
• Identify, map, and characterize land degradation and restoration hotspots, including hillsides, watersheds, and marshland interfaces, with focus on biophysical constraints and ecosystem resilience potential.
• Develop and/or update climate-responsive agro-ecological zoning (AEZ) systems integrating soil, climate variability, terrain, hydrology, and land-use dynamics.
• Design and implement land suitability analyses for priority production systems, including for staple and high-value field crops, fruit tree and tree-based systems (orchards, agroforestry), and climate-smart fodder and forage production.
• Develop and validate site and AEZ suitability classifications for priority value chains, including crop, fruit tree, and fodder production, tailored to agro-ecological zones and site-specific conditions, integrating soil fertility, slope, rainfall variability, temperature, and water availability.
• Support the identification of optimal land-use combinations under climate change scenarios, including trade-offs between productivity, restoration, and ecosystem services.
• Support spatial zoning and targeting for practical land use and investment planning for sustainable intensification, diversification agroforestry expansion, and landscape restoration interventions, including Food Basket Sites (FOBASI), agri-hub corridors, and urban and peri-urban interfaces.
• Conduct targeted soil fertility assessments and diagnostics to inform soil health interventions and develop costed soil and land restoration packages and technical guidelines tailored to agro-ecological zones, including soil and water conservation, agroforestry, fodder and other nature-based solutions.
• Prepare technical guidelines and intervention choice matrix for soil, water and land management practices to agriculture productivity, resilience, and environmental benefits.
• Where needed, produce high quality GIS-based land/crop suitability maps and spatial analysis to guide targeting of interventions within Food Basket Sites (FOBASI) and agri-hub corridors.
• Develop practical AEZ-specific planning and land-use guidelines, including recommended soil and water management practices, sustainable intensification options, and restoration interventions.
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations, technical working groups, and validation workshops with national institutions, private sector actors, and development partners to ensure alignment and ownership.
• Support the preparation of concept notes and full project proposals targeting climate finance mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF-9), and the Adaptation Fund, including Baseline and problem analysis, Spatial targeting and justification of intervention areas, Land degradation neutrality, adaptation, and mitigation co-benefits, and quantitative estimates for areas restored, beneficiaries reached, and ecosystem services.
• Where required, facilitate technical consultations and validation workshops with government institutions, research organizations, private sector actors, and development partners.
• Contribute to knowledge management by documenting methodologies, lessons learned, and best practices to support the scale up.
• Perform any other related duties as may be requested by the supervisor.
  

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements

• An Advanced degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Agricultural Science, GIS, Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, Natural Resources Evaluation or other relevant field of Natural Resources Science; or the equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in applications of soil sciences, remote sensing for monitoring agricultural processes and/or agro-ecological zones shifts and intensification, land resources evaluation and/or other natural resources studies.
• Working knowledge of English language (C1).
• National of Rwanda
  

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Geospatial analysis and GIS mapping for land use, soil, and crop suitability
• Agro-ecological zoning (AEZ) development and climate-resilient spatial planning
• Soil science, including soil fertility assessment and soil degradation diagnostics
• Land degradation assessment and ecosystem restoration analysis
• Climate risk and climate variability analysis in agricultural systems
• Land suitability modelling for crops, agroforestry, and fodder systems
• Integrated landscape assessment (soil, terrain, hydrology, land cover)
• Technical report writing, guidelines, and land-use planning documents
• Development of project concepts and funding proposals (GCF, GEF, Adaptation Fund)
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation of technical consultations/workshops
• Cross-sector coordination with government, research institutions, and development partners
• Demonstrated experience working with farmer organizations, cooperatives, and MSMEs.
• Climate Finance and Resource Mobilization: Knowledge of climate finance mechanisms (e.g., GCF, GEF, Adaptation Fund) and experience in developing concept notes and funding proposals is desirable.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
• Prior experience working with FAO or similar TA projects is an asset.
  

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 http://www.whed.net/
• 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.
  

Job Posting
20/May/2026
Closure Date
04/Jun/2026, 12:59:00 AM
Organizational Unit
FRRWA
Job Type
Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition
NPP (National Project Personnel)
Grade Level
N/A
Primary Location
Rwanda-Kigali
Duration
12 monts
Post Number
N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
  

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
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