Young Professional

Vacancy #:

- 7069
- Unit:

- Food and Agricultural Systems
- Organisation:

- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- Location:

- Headquarters, Gland, Switzerland
- Reporting to:

- Senior Programme Coordinator, Agriculture Supply Chains (Multinational Companies and Farmer Producer Organisations)
- Work percentage:

- 100%
- Grade:

- YP
- Expected start date:

- 01 January 2025
- Type of contract:

- Max-term (24 months with possibility of renewal)
- Closing date:

- 04 December 2024

BACKGROUND

The Agriculture programme of work is centered around: sectoral engagement and technical support with regulatory bodies and public financing mechanisms; engagement and action with farmer organisations and Indigenous Peoples groups; transforming multinational supply chains at company level and in productive landscapes; and, developing tools and knowledge products for effective deployment in the agricultural sector, for which the Head will ensure is supported by a sustainable project portfolio.

The Agriculture Team works in close collaboration with IUCN’s Enterprise and Investment Team and Business Engagement Unit, and across IUCN’s programmatic centres (such as the multi-lateral finance team), regional offices, members and commissions to ensure an aligned thematic programme of activities.

The Food and Agricultural Systems Team (FAST) in the IUCN Centre for Societal Transformation is based at the IUCN Headquarters and its work is structured around three streams of work: Policy, Knowledge & Capacity, and Landscape & Value Chain Action.

FAST works in close collaboration with other teams in the Center for Societal Transformation (and in particular the Climate Change and Human Rights teams) and across IUCN’s programmatic centres (such as the Business & Nature team or the multi-lateral finance team), regional offices, members and commissions to ensure an aligned thematic programme of activities.

The Landscape & Value Chain Action stream of FAST’s portfolio focuses on Indigenous People’s engagement, private sector engagement, including producers and their organisations, agri-businesses corporates and Financial Institutions to motivate and implement place-based forest & landscape restoration, sustainable land management and regenerative agriculture around the world.

FAST engages with multinational companies to help them frame their nature-positive actions along their supply chains. FAST is developing and piloting tools to assess and implement restoration interventions in international agribusiness supply chains while building a bigger momentum for private investment in restoration and sustainable land management. In working alongside multinational companies, there is a strong focus on forest and farm producers’ organisations and developing innovative financing mechanisms for those organisations and SMEs, such as for restorative action and agroecological practices. Forest and farm producer organisations are small business entities with a wide and varied membership, making them excellent vectors of change for a nature-positive production system.

The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) is a programme launched in 2012 dedicated to empowering forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs), including women, youth and indigenous peoples, as primary change agents for climate resilient landscapes and improved livelihoods. The FFF operates through a unique partnership structure, bringing together the expertise of four key organizations:

- FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations): Leads the management and in-country operations of the FFF, ensuring its effective implementation on the ground
- IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development): Focuses on knowledge generation, monitoring, and learning activities. They play a crucial role in capturing and disseminating best practices within the FFF
- Agricord: Provides vital organizational support to FFPOs, helping them improve their structures and operational efficiency
- IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Leverages its global network to engage regional and global FFPOs and facilitate their active participation and consultation in international policy fora such as the UNFCCC and CBD COPs. IUCN promotes the participation of FFPOs in broader dialogues on sustainable landscapes and climate change and strengthens the communications and advocacy capacities of FFPOs.

The FFF equips FFPOs with the tools and resources they need to secure their rights and manage their resources sustainably, develop strong business models and improve market access for their products, contribute to climate-resilient landscapes and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. These terms of reference aim to secure the services of a Young Professional who will support the ongoing implementation of the FFF program.

The primary purpose of the assignment is to work closely with regional and global Forest and Farm Producer Organizations