Legal Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specifically, FAO Country Offices:

(i)    advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate.
(ii)    provide technical assistance and deliver core services. 
(iii)    assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation. 
(iv)    position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation. 
(v)    ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme is an ambitious and innovative multi-year initiative, which began in 2017 and is funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) and the French Development Agency (AFD). The initiative is implemented through a partnership led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

In 2024, the SWM Programme expanded its presence in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region, which had previously only included Papua New Guinea. The region’s exceptional biodiversity, coupled with rising population pressure, habitat degradation, and wildlife trade, including demand for wild meat, makes it a hotspot for zoonotic disease emergence. The SWM AP Project (2024–26) addresses these challenges by launching activities in countries with a history of rural wild meat consumption and zoonotic risk. The project identifies gaps and proposes targeted interventions. In addition to Nepal, the SWM Programme has recently extended its operations to Vietnam and Lao PDR.

In Nepal, the SWM Programme aims to strengthen policy and legal frameworks for sustainable wildlife management and related agri-food systems. To achieve this, it will assess the existing legal and institutional frameworks around key sectors relevant to the sustainable management of wildlife and related agrifood systems in Nepal. To frame this analysis, the SWM Programme has developed diagnostic tools on 18 policy areas: tenure systems, wildlife management, hunting, wildlife tourism, inland fisheries, timber forest products, terrestrial animal production, aquaculture, veterinary medical products, animal feed, pesticides, management of ecosystems and habitats, non-timber forest products, waste management, animal health, animal welfare, food safety and genetic resources. This process includes conducting a legal analysis of priority sectors identified by the government and making them available to the public through the SWM Legal Hub. The analysis will highlight strengths and weaknesses of the applicable legal framework and provide actionable recommendations for legal reform and improvement.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Nepal, the Legal Specialist will report to one or more professional staff and receives guidance from Legal Officer from FAO Headquarter. He/she acts independently in routine matters. Supervision received is focused on the quality of the work performed and provides for on-the-job learning.

Technical Focus

The incumbent plays a lead role in the overall provision of the implementation of SWM project. He/ she plays a lead role in the provision of technical support services for successful achievement of the organizational unit's mandate.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Support the preparation of a stakeholder map to help organize and lead a multi-stakeholder meeting/workshop with key stakeholders involved in sustainable wildlife management and related agri-food systems (from wildlife management and harvesting to animal production and food safety) in Nepal. 
•     Support in shaping agenda and discussing legal components and objectives of the legal analysis and help document key discussion points in the multistakeholder meeting. Based on this, the Legal Specialist assists in drafting a roadmap to inform future participatory reform processes. 
•     Conduct a desk review of existing studies/analyses on the national legal and institutional framework carried out over the last 10 years related to the identified focus areas of the legal analysis. The Legal specialist helps identify appropriate documents and policy papers by supporting desk research. 
•     Assist in coordinating and exchanging information with key stakeholders by supporting the organization of bilateral meetings and documenting contextual details and analysis.
•     Identify and collect existing policies and corresponding legislation/regulations across the sectors relevant to the sustainable management of wildlife and related areas. 
•     Based on the overall methodology provided by the SWM Legal team, fill up the data entry backend using the relevant Legal Diagnostic Tools consisting of a list of thematic questions, and further develop per each of them brief “summaries” on the enabling legal and regulatory framework for sustainable wildlife management. 
•     Support the organization and facilitation of a validation workshop with relevant stakeholders, notably from line ministries and key stakeholders involved under Activity 3 above, to review and validate the results of the legal analysis prior to their publication on the SWM Legal Hub. 
•     Support and facilitate discussions with government partners on the need/wish for future policy reform processes and FAO’s proposed role. 
•     Conduct a desk review of studies and analyses on customary norms and practices for sustainable wildlife management in Nepal. Support in organizing the validation workshops and validation of the findings through regular consultations and bilateral meetings.
•     Support the documentation of evidence of the successful integration of customary practices into the legal framework and the drafting of a structured analytical note.   
•     Draft a structured analytical note (10–15 pages) summarizing findings, including: Overview of customary norms; Case studies or examples from Nepal; Recommendations for strengthening these practices within the legal framework.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     A Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Wildlife Management, Conservation Biology, Natural Resource Management, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences or Ecology. 
•     A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in wildlife management, conservation biology or natural resource management. (Master’s Degree with 5 years’ experience can also be considered). 
•     Working knowledge of English and Nepali languages 
•     National of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal or resident of the country with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Excellent written and verbal communication, facilitation and presentation skills.
•     Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including Ms word, excel, power point and outlook and can independently prepare work report and power point presentations
•     Excellent coordination and organizational skills. 
•     Experience working with government ministry and departments (Ministry of Forest and Environment, and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management) is highly desirable. 
•     Excellent report writing and documentation skills
•     Possess excellent knowledge and understanding about the regulatory frameworks and legal policies related to wildlife management and conservation.

Selection Criteria

•     Good knowledge of computer operation of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment
•     Extent of technical and practical experience on the day-to-day operational activities of the project or programmes.
•     Communication, writing and presentation skills in English and Nepali.
•     Ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.