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 1,600 Member organisations and around 18,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis.
IUCN's Programme 2026–2029 places digital transformation, data stewardship and technology-enabled collaboration at the heart of the organisation's ambition to remain the trusted, science-led voice for nature. The Union's global reach — spanning headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, multiple regional offices, six expert Commissions, and a distributed network of thousands of members and partners — demands a coherent, modern and secure digital infrastructure.
As part of this strategic commitment, IUCN is hiring its new Director, Global Information Systems to lead the organisation's Information Technology and Digital Transformation function. The role will serve as the principal technology executive, accountable to the Director General for defining and delivering an IT strategy that advances IUCN's conservation mission, enhances operational efficiency, and positions the Union as a digital-first organisation

The Director, GISG is responsible for setting and executing the strategic vision for information technology, data governance and digital innovation across the IUCN Secretariat. The role leads a global IT function covering systems architecture, cybersecurity, data management, digital platforms, and user-facing technology services — all in alignment with the IUCN Programme 2026–2029 and the broader Union's 20-year Strategic Vision.
The Director, GISG champions responsible and inclusive technology adoption, ensuring that digital solutions serve IUCN's conservation goals, contributes to organisational efficiency, strengthens connectivity with Members and Commissions, and respects IUCN's values of integrity, respect for diversity and professionalism as well as sustainable usage of resources. The Director, GISG works in close collaboration with programmatic Centres, Regional Offices, the Finance and Administration function, and external technology partners.

A. IT Strategy and Governance
1. Develop, maintain and implement a multi-year IT and Digital Transformation Strategy aligned with IUCN's Programme and 20-year Strategic Vision, subject to approval by the Executive Board and relevant governance bodies.
2. Establish and maintain effective IT governance frameworks, including policies, standards, risk management procedures and compliance mechanisms consistent with all applicable Swiss and local laws, GDPR and IUCN data-protection obligations.
3. Advise the Director General and the Executive Board on technology trends, emerging digital risks and opportunities relevant to international conservation organisations.
4. Lead the development of IUCN's data governance framework, ensuring the responsible collection, management, sharing and stewardship of conservation and organisational data assets.
5. Ensure alignment of the IT strategy with IUCN's financial planning cycle, contributing to the preparation of the annual IT budget and multi-year capital investment plans.

B. Infrastructure, Systems and Cybersecurity
1. Oversee the design, implementation and continuous improvement of IUCN's global IT infrastructure, including cloud services, networks, end-user computing, and hosted platforms used by headquarters and regional offices.
2. Lead the organisation's cybersecurity function, including threat detection, incident response planning, staff awareness and compliance with relevant security standards and frameworks.
3. Ensure resilience, integration, availability and performance of mission-critical systems including but not limited to Financial Systems, HR Systems, Project Portal, all IUCN Portals (Members, Commissions, Library), and the IUCN website.
4. Oversee the lifecycle management of enterprise applications, ensuring timely upgrades, vendor management and integration across systems.
5. Maintain a robust business continuity and disaster recovery plan for all critical IT systems.

C. Digital Transformation and Innovation
1. Provide technical leadership and oversight for Project Harmony and other organisation-wide transformation initiatives, ensuring robust systems architecture, integration, cybersecurity and data integrity. Support the executive sponsors and business owners in delivering the programme through strong IT governance, solution design and implementation.
2. Drive organisation-wide digital evolution, facilitating the adoption of modern collaboration tools, workflow automation and AI-enabled solutions that enhance operational efficiency and conservation impact.
3. Lead the development of innovative digital services that strengthen IUCN's engagement with its Union constituency, including Members, Commissions, donors and partners, building on platforms such as IUCN Engage and the Union Portal.
4. Champion the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence, machine learning and other emerging technologies in support of IUCN's scientific and programmatic work, including species assessments, biodiversity monitoring and global reporting.
5. Foster a culture of digital literacy and innovation across the Secretariat, designing and overseeing training and capacity-building programmes for staff at all levels.

D. Team Leadership and Management
1. Provide visionary and accountable leadership to the IT and Digital Transformation team, which includes staff at headquarters and in regional offices, ensuring clear roles, high performance standards and strong team cohesion.
2. Recruit, develop and retain a diverse, skilled technology workforce, promoting gender balance and geographic diversity in line with IUCN's human resources policies.
3. Establish clear objectives, performance indicators and appraisal processes for all IT staff, in accordance with IUCN's conditions of service.
4. Foster a collaborative and inclusive working environment, encouraging knowledge-sharing and cross-functional teamwork with programmatic, administrative and regional colleagues.

E. Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement
1. Develop and manage strategic relationships with technology vendors, cloud providers, open-source communities and digital innovation partners in the conservation and international development sectors.
2. Represent IUCN in relevant technology and data-governance forums, including inter-agency UN working groups on digital infrastructure and sustainability.
3. Collaborate with donor-funded technology projects, ensuring that IT requirements are integrated into project design, and that donor reporting obligations relating to digital deliverables are met.
4. Engage proactively with IUCN Membership and Commissions Unit and external partners to understand technology needs and co-develop digital tools and platforms that serve the broader Union constituency.

The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them, which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of an employee's responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the employee and the Human Resources Management Group.