National Policy Specialist – Invasive Alien Species (IAS)

<p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Organizational Setting</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FAO has secured funding from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) to implement the project UNJP/SRL/009/UNJ “Prevention and Control of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) for Enhanced Biosecurity in Sri Lanka.” The project aims to drive transformational change by addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss associated with IAS. Its primary objective is to establish a comprehensive and institutionalized national biosecurity framework that prevents future invasions, mitigates existing impacts, and enhances ecosystem resilience. This will be achieved through updates to policy, legal, operational, and institutional mechanisms for effective IAS management, thereby accelerating Sri Lanka’s implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) with scalable, sustainable solutions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To support this work, FAO Sri Lanka is recruiting a National Policy Specialist – IAS Management, tasked with providing technical and expert guidance to strengthen Sri Lanka’s national policy, institutional, and biosecurity frameworks for the prevention and management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS). The Specialist will assist the Government of Sri Lanka and FAO in establishing a robust, coherent, and operational IAS biosecurity system that prevents new introductions, mitigates existing impacts, and enhances long-term ecosystem resilience. This includes ensuring that national policies and institutional mandates are updated, harmonized, and aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), international standards, and national priorities.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Reporting Lines</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The National Policy Specialist – IAS Management will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme). The Specialist will work in close coordination with the Project Management Unit (PMU), IAS Monitoring & Reporting Specialist, and IAS Management Specialist, and will receive overall technical supervision from the Environment and Climate Change Specialist and the Lead Technical Officer.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Technical Focus</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    IAS policy strengthening</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Biosecurity system enhancement</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Institutional coordination and governance</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Alignment with international IAS standards</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Integration of cross-cutting considerations (gender, resilience, stakeholders)</span></p><p><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Tasks and responsibilities</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Conduct a comprehensive review of existing national policies and institutional mandates related to Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in comparison with the International/ Regional policies.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Review and analyze existing national biodiversity, plant protection, and biosecurity policies related to IAS prevention and management.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Identify policy gaps, overlaps, and areas requiring updates, harmonization, or new instruments to strengthen the effective implementation of plant quarantine and phytosanitary measures.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Provide technical support to FAO to draft, revise, and harmonize IAS-related policies guidelines in consultation with stakeholders.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Support the development of standard operating procedures and protocols for IAS prevention, monitoring, and rapid response.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Provide technical and operational support to FAO to liaise with government agencies in strengthening institutional coordination and governance for IAS management.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Support organizing and facilitating workshops and consultation meetings for stakeholders.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Provide technical advice on the implementation of IAS risk assessments and border biosecurity measures.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Support the development of guidance documents, manuals, and templates to support consistent application of IAS policies.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Assist the PMU to monitor and report progress on policy updates, providing recommendations for improvements.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Assist the project on the integration of cross-cutting issues, such as gender, community engagement, and ecosystem resilience, into IAS management.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Assist FAO to contribute to regional and international knowledge sharing, ensuring national policies align with the best global practices and frameworks.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Promote awareness on policy compliance and the importance of biodiversity protection through effective plant quarantine measures.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Work in close coordination with LTO of the project and obtain clearance as necessary. </span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Undertake any other tasks as requested by the FAOR / AFAOR (Programme).</span></p><p><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING</strong></span></p><p><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Minimum Requirements </strong> </span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Advanced degree (master’s or higher) in Environmental Science, Biodiversity, Biosecurity, or a related field.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Minimum of 7 years of experience in policy or biosecurity management.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Strong knowledge on national and international policy related to invasive alien species (IAS) and biosecurity systems.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Working knowledge of English and fluency in Sinhala and/or Tamil.   </span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    National of Sri Lanka or resident of the country with valid work permit</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>FAO Core Competencies</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Results Focus</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Teamwork</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Communication</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Building Effective Relationships</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Technical/Functional Skills</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Strong expertise in IAS management, biosecurity systems, and relevant national and international policy frameworks.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Proficient in reviewing, analyzing, and harmonizing policies and institutional mandates.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to identify gaps and propose actionable policy solutions.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to work independently and coordinate effectively with government agencies and stakeholders.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Selection Criteria</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Proven experience in developing and implementing IAS or biodiversity-related policies and programs at the national or regional level.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Proven expertise in reviewing, drafting, and harmonizing IAS-related policies and institutional mandates.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Experience in strengthening biosecurity systems, governance frameworks, and coordinating effectively with government agencies and stakeholders.</span><br><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">•    Familiarity with the UN System and /or development sector will be considered an asset. </span><br> </p>

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