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Senior Programme Officer, (BBNJ) Treaty
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BACKGROUND
THIS POSITION IS OPEN ONLY ON LOCAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
BACKGROUND:
The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and the Western Indian Ocean. The ESARO region is extremely rich in biodiversity with a high number of endemic species and the largest remaining populations of iconic wildlife left on the continent. ESARO’s Programme focuses on biodiversity conservation through a diverse portfolio of projects and programmatic initiatives ranging from activities at the level of individual protected areas to shaping regional policy on biodiversity conservation. ESARO defines and delivers on its programmatic priorities in collaboration with IUCN members, Commissions, and other strategic partners.
The Coastal and Ocean Resilience (COR) Programme is in charge of marine and coastal issues, including biodiversity conservation, development and management of marine protected areas, other effective conservation measures (OECMs) and their networks, blue economy, ecosystem & fisheries management, High Seas, blue carbon, marine spatial planning, marine pollution, integrated management and governance of coastal areas, adaptation to climate change and disasters risks reduction.
In order to accelerate and scale up efforts in the region towards coastal and ocean resilience, IUCN has been coordinating efforts, together with countries and partners, in developing the Great Blue Wall initiative. The Great Blue Wall is a Western Indian Ocean (WIO)-born, Africa-driven roadmap to achieve a nature positive world by 2030. It aims at unlocking unprecedented nature-based recovery efforts through the establishment of a transformational movement. Its goal is to dramatically accelerate and upscale ocean conservation actions while enhancing socio-ecological resilience and the development of a regenerative blue economy by catalyzing political leadership and financial support. This will be achieved by spearheading the establishment of a connected network of nature-people positive seascapes (or regenerative seascapes). This network of seascapes will be connected by a living blue wall that will act as a regional ecological corridor formed by conserved and restored critical blue ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and corals.
While the Great Blue Wall will act as a wall against climate change impacts and biodiversity loss, it will also shelter coastal communities and create the enabling conditions and necessary mechanisms to empower local stakeholders to become stewards of the ocean while accelerating the development of a regenerative blue economy. The Great Blue Wall is an action-focused and action-driven regional response to 3 interconnected crises, Biodiversity losses, Climate change impacts, Socioeconomic decline, with 3 clear objectives to be achieved by 2030:
Effectively and equitably conserve at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Conserve and restore critical blue ecosystems to achieve net-gain by 2030.
Unlock the development of a regenerative blue economy that directly benefits coastal communities while also delivering conservation outcomes.
To guide its development, implementation and in order to achieve its goals, the COR programme is based on the premises of IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa’s Blue Resilience Programme Framework, composed of 3 key pillars and one Transversal: Blue Planet, Blue Nature, Blue People and Blue Partnerships. The Blue Resilience Framework aims at structuring IUCN’s interventions in the region and build resilience at ocean and seascape level and can be described as follow:
3 Key Pillars:
• Blue Planet: As the world embarks on an ambitious journey of conservation and protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, it is of paramount importance to ensure that such a target is not only achieved on paper but more importantly on the ground by in particular empowering local stakeholders to become the stewards and managers of the ocean. This pillar therefore focuses on this effort by supporting the establishment of relevant governance frameworks at seascape level as well as the necessary enabling policy frameworks at national, regional, and international levels. It also focuses on increasing the effectiveness and equity of area-based conservation measures.
Blue Nature: Like any living organism, a seascape has its own critical features (or “organs”) that need to be protected and restored (or “healed”) if the rest of the seascape is to stay healthy. This pillar therefore focuses on securing the integrity of critical ecosystems by accelerating and upscaling critical blue ecosystems restoration and conservation efforts by driving the implementation at scale of Nature-based Solutions.
• Blue People: For a large-scale seascape to thrive and be effectively managed, it is of paramount importance that stakeholders directly benefit from these areas and from ocean conservation efforts. To achieve the scale of impact required, it is also crucial that economic activities are not only sustainable and produce socio-economic benefits but also contribute to the regeneration of our ocean. This pillar therefore focuses on unlocking the potential of our blue natural capital by supporting the development of a regenerative blue economy.
One transversal pillar:
Blue Partnerships: Because overcoming today’s challenges will require all parties to join forces, and for conservation efforts to be sustainable and impactful at scale, innovation and ambitious partnerships will be a critical piece of the solution. Setting-up such types of partnerships is in IUCN’s DNA. Areas of work include innovative finance, technology, and communication as well as broader ecosystem of partners, coalition building as well as knowledge and experience sharing.
BACKGROUND:
The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and the Western Indian Ocean. The ESARO region is extremely rich in biodiversity with a high number of endemic species and the largest remaining populations of iconic wildlife left on the continent. ESARO’s Programme focuses on biodiversity conservation through a diverse portfolio of projects and programmatic initiatives ranging from activities at the level of individual protected areas to shaping regional policy on biodiversity conservation. ESARO defines and delivers on its programmatic priorities in collaboration with IUCN members, Commissions, and other strategic partners.
The Coastal and Ocean Resilience (COR) Programme is in charge of marine and coastal issues, including biodiversity conservation, development and management of marine protected areas, other effective conservation measures (OECMs) and their networks, blue economy, ecosystem & fisheries management, High Seas, blue carbon, marine spatial planning, marine pollution, integrated management and governance of coastal areas, adaptation to climate change and disasters risks reduction.
In order to accelerate and scale up efforts in the region towards coastal and ocean resilience, IUCN has been coordinating efforts, together with countries and partners, in developing the Great Blue Wall initiative. The Great Blue Wall is a Western Indian Ocean (WIO)-born, Africa-driven roadmap to achieve a nature positive world by 2030. It aims at unlocking unprecedented nature-based recovery efforts through the establishment of a transformational movement. Its goal is to dramatically accelerate and upscale ocean conservation actions while enhancing socio-ecological resilience and the development of a regenerative blue economy by catalyzing political leadership and financial support. This will be achieved by spearheading the establishment of a connected network of nature-people positive seascapes (or regenerative seascapes). This network of seascapes will be connected by a living blue wall that will act as a regional ecological corridor formed by conserved and restored critical blue ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and corals.
While the Great Blue Wall will act as a wall against climate change impacts and biodiversity loss, it will also shelter coastal communities and create the enabling conditions and necessary mechanisms to empower local stakeholders to become stewards of the ocean while accelerating the development of a regenerative blue economy. The Great Blue Wall is an action-focused and action-driven regional response to 3 interconnected crises, Biodiversity losses, Climate change impacts, Socioeconomic decline, with 3 clear objectives to be achieved by 2030:
Effectively and equitably conserve at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
Conserve and restore critical blue ecosystems to achieve net-gain by 2030.
Unlock the development of a regenerative blue economy that directly benefits coastal communities while also delivering conservation outcomes.
To guide its development, implementation and in order to achieve its goals, the COR programme is based on the premises of IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa’s Blue Resilience Programme Framework, composed of 3 key pillars and one Transversal: Blue Planet, Blue Nature, Blue People and Blue Partnerships. The Blue Resilience Framework aims at structuring IUCN’s interventions in the region and build resilience at ocean and seascape level and can be described as follow:
3 Key Pillars:
• Blue Planet: As the world embarks on an ambitious journey of conservation and protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, it is of paramount importance to ensure that such a target is not only achieved on paper but more importantly on the ground by in particular empowering local stakeholders to become the stewards and managers of the ocean. This pillar therefore focuses on this effort by supporting the establishment of relevant governance frameworks at seascape level as well as the necessary enabling policy frameworks at national, regional, and international levels. It also focuses on increasing the effectiveness and equity of area-based conservation measures.
Blue Nature: Like any living organism, a seascape has its own critical features (or “organs”) that need to be protected and restored (or “healed”) if the rest of the seascape is to stay healthy. This pillar therefore focuses on securing the integrity of critical ecosystems by accelerating and upscaling critical blue ecosystems restoration and conservation efforts by driving the implementation at scale of Nature-based Solutions.
• Blue People: For a large-scale seascape to thrive and be effectively managed, it is of paramount importance that stakeholders directly benefit from these areas and from ocean conservation efforts. To achieve the scale of impact required, it is also crucial that economic activities are not only sustainable and produce socio-economic benefits but also contribute to the regeneration of our ocean. This pillar therefore focuses on unlocking the potential of our blue natural capital by supporting the development of a regenerative blue economy.
One transversal pillar:
Blue Partnerships: Because overcoming today’s challenges will require all parties to join forces, and for conservation efforts to be sustainable and impactful at scale, innovation and ambitious partnerships will be a critical piece of the solution. Setting-up such types of partnerships is in IUCN’s DNA. Areas of work include innovative finance, technology, and communication as well as broader ecosystem of partners, coalition building as well as knowledge and experience sharing.
JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION SUMMARY:
IUCN is looking for a deeply motivated expert to support the process of accelerating the uptake of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (referred to as “BBNJ Treaty” hereafter for brevity).
The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will play a critical role in coordinating and advancing the IUCN's objectives within the Great Blue Wall initiative, focusing on the conservation of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) in the Western Indian Ocean region. The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will facilitate regional cooperation, spearhead advocacy efforts, and drive the implementation of conservation strategies and policies.
IUCN has been deeply engaged in the BBNJ process, and ocean conservation more broadly. To support the countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), and under IUCN-ESARO’s mandate more broadly, in their understanding of the BBNJ Treaty, IUCN ESARO is leading an initiative to Accelerate the Ratification and Implementation of the BBNJ Treaty in the Western Indian Ocean region. The objective of this initiative is to close the knowledge gap on the BBNJ Treaty and accelerate its ratification and uptake in the region, underpinned by a broader understanding of the African continent’s engagement with BBNJ.
This position will report to the Regional Regenerative Blue Economy Manager and functionally to the Regional Head, COR. S/he will serve as a key member of the regional coastal and ocean program that helps set strategic directions and define priorities for IUCN engagement on marine and coastal issues in the region.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will lead and/or support the following roles within the COR programme:
Coordination;
Coordinate the delivery and execution of the initiative to accelerate the ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Treaty in the region.
Identify, engage, and coordinate with regional partners, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to promote the sustainable use and protection of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.
Ensure and foster coherence and alignment with relevant continental, regional and cross-regional bodies in BBNJ Ratification, including the African Union Commission, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, regional economic communities, and the Nairobi Convention secretariat, inter alia.
Support and/or lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategy for BBNJ and implement a comprehensive strategy for the conservation of BBNJ in the Western Indian Ocean region, aligned with the Great Blue Wall initiative's goals and objectives.
Knowledge Management;
Facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building among stakeholders to enhance understanding and implementation of effective BBNJ conservation practices.
Organize events, meetings, and workshops on BBNJ and related topics as required.
Develop reports, briefs and documents as required.
Advocacy;
Support and/or lead advocacy efforts on the BBNJ Treaty, marine conservation, and related topics in relevant fora at national, regional, and international level.
Project Delivery;
Ensure reporting of project progress to donors and stakeholders.
Conduct resource mobilisation for the implementation of the BBNJ Treaty.
IUCN is looking for a deeply motivated expert to support the process of accelerating the uptake of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (referred to as “BBNJ Treaty” hereafter for brevity).
The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will play a critical role in coordinating and advancing the IUCN's objectives within the Great Blue Wall initiative, focusing on the conservation of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) in the Western Indian Ocean region. The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will facilitate regional cooperation, spearhead advocacy efforts, and drive the implementation of conservation strategies and policies.
IUCN has been deeply engaged in the BBNJ process, and ocean conservation more broadly. To support the countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), and under IUCN-ESARO’s mandate more broadly, in their understanding of the BBNJ Treaty, IUCN ESARO is leading an initiative to Accelerate the Ratification and Implementation of the BBNJ Treaty in the Western Indian Ocean region. The objective of this initiative is to close the knowledge gap on the BBNJ Treaty and accelerate its ratification and uptake in the region, underpinned by a broader understanding of the African continent’s engagement with BBNJ.
This position will report to the Regional Regenerative Blue Economy Manager and functionally to the Regional Head, COR. S/he will serve as a key member of the regional coastal and ocean program that helps set strategic directions and define priorities for IUCN engagement on marine and coastal issues in the region.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty will lead and/or support the following roles within the COR programme:
Coordination;
Coordinate the delivery and execution of the initiative to accelerate the ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Treaty in the region.
Identify, engage, and coordinate with regional partners, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to promote the sustainable use and protection of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.
Ensure and foster coherence and alignment with relevant continental, regional and cross-regional bodies in BBNJ Ratification, including the African Union Commission, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, regional economic communities, and the Nairobi Convention secretariat, inter alia.
Support and/or lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategy for BBNJ and implement a comprehensive strategy for the conservation of BBNJ in the Western Indian Ocean region, aligned with the Great Blue Wall initiative's goals and objectives.
Knowledge Management;
Facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building among stakeholders to enhance understanding and implementation of effective BBNJ conservation practices.
Organize events, meetings, and workshops on BBNJ and related topics as required.
Develop reports, briefs and documents as required.
Advocacy;
Support and/or lead advocacy efforts on the BBNJ Treaty, marine conservation, and related topics in relevant fora at national, regional, and international level.
Project Delivery;
Ensure reporting of project progress to donors and stakeholders.
Conduct resource mobilisation for the implementation of the BBNJ Treaty.
REQUIREMENTS
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• POSITION REQUIREMENTS Education; Master’s degree or higher in international law, law of the sea, sustainable development, environment/ocean-based science, or related fields. At least seven years of relevant experience in project management, advocacy or policy development pertaining to marine conservation, maritime law, blue economy, or ocean governance, preferably with a focus on BBNJ. Strong understanding of the socio-economic, cultural, and political landscape of the Western Indian Ocean region and the African continent. Proven track record of successful stakeholder engagement and partnership building at multiple levels (local, national, regional, and international). Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a diverse team. Work Experience; A thorough understanding of the BBNJ Treaty, the law of the sea, international relations and policy making in Africa. Proven experience in ocean policy, conservation, or large-scale ocean projects. Understanding of policy cycles and processes, especially in a national and multilateral setting. Experience working with diverse partners, policy makers and stakeholders. Experience in managing large-scale programmes. Sound ability to see the big picture, think strategically, connect the dots and able to deal with complex situation and projects. Entrepreneurial character, solution-oriented and capacity to work autonomously required. Strong interpersonal, management and supervisory skills and experience, including working with remote implementing partners and teams. Strong stakeholder management skills, evidence of policy engagement is key. Language Proficiency; Excellent verbal and communication skills in English is essential, with ability to communicate in French and/or Portuguese as an added advantage. Core Competencies; Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team. Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Professionalism: Promote the organization’s interests, objectives, and values in a diligent and professional manner. Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN One Programme approach. |
APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
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