There are 34 European Union (EU) Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) - or Europe overseas, for short - that are linked to 6 EU Member States: Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Found in every ocean, from the poles to the tropics, they are home to a unique diversity of species and ecosystems of global significance. Being mostly islands, they are highly vulnerable to human impacts and increasingly the impacts of climate change. Overseas countries and territories are comprised of: Anguilla, Aruba, the Azores, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Antarctic Territory, British Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF), Greenland, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Portugal, Reunion Island, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Eustatius, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Sint Maarten, Wallis and Futuna

In 2008, IUCN, the Government of France and the Council of Reunion Island convened the conference “The European Union and its Overseas Entities: Strategies to Counter Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss” bringing together governments, the European Commission, experts and Civil society. The conference adopted the “Message from Reunion Island” which provides a road map for addressing biodiversity challenges in the face of climate change.

The IUCN EU overseas programme, started in 2010 and funded through the France-IUCN framework agreement (2009-2012) and now co-funded by a European Commission BEST grant, aims to advance the recommendations of the Message of Reunion Island. The programme key objectives are: to facilitate dialogue and information sharing between EU overseas actors, raise awareness of and advocate for consideration of EU overseas biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change with EU and international institutions; undertake strategic/thematic analyses to inform policy and guide regional activities; and foster regional collaboration and capacity building in biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change, in collaboration with IUCN members, Commissions and programmes.

The EU Overseas Project Officer will perform the following duties:

1)IUCN Representation
a. Act as the lead and be responsible for the engagement of IUCN on EU overseas entities matters in consultation with relevant IUCN Global and Regional Programmes.

2)Partnership building and liaison
a. Convene and provide secretariat support to the EU overseas Roundtable (and working groups) on Biodiversity and Climate Change
b. Liaise with:
•EU Member States, European Parliament, European Commission, Donors, and the EU Representations of the involved states);
•institutional networks for the EU Outermost Regions & Overseas Countries and Territories in relation with the European Commission, OCTA, and others;
•IUCN National Committees in Denmark, France, Netherlands, Spain and UK and IUCN Commission experts as relevant
•European and national civil society organisations including UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum, Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and others;
•IUCN Regional Offices in Africa, the Americas and the Pacific;
•Relevant regional and global institutions and small Islands developing states.

3) Communication and advocacy
a.Build strategic alliances in support of EU overseas with national, European and international institutions
b.Organise events and activities to promote EU overseas biodiversity and climate change in EU and international fora
c.Oversee the communication activities of the programme including:
•The maintenance of web based EU overseas forum, and IUCN EU overseas website;
•Sourcing and disseminating information on EU regional and international policies and programmes of relevance to EU overseas biodiversity and climate change;
•Preparation of articles, communication products and other media communication in consultation with IUCN media teams.
d.Prepare technical papers, reports and presentations and other communication products for a range of audiences in support of EU overseas biodiversity and climate change adaptation.

4) Programme coordination
Oversee the implementation of the EU overseas programme including:
a.Prepare annual workplans and design and manage project activities according to agreed workplans and timelines
b.Prepare, monitor and revise project budgets to ensure effective programme delivery;
c.Prepare and submit all required project technical and activity reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by Donors and IUCN Finance Unit;
d.Prepare Terms of Reference, recruit (with support from Human Resources and Finance staff) and supervise consultants and other programme staff that may be required;
e.Plan and develop new activities, including the preparation of funding proposals, to further the objectives of IUCN initiative on biodiversity and climate change in EU outermost regions and overseas countries and territories, in consultation with IUCN Global and Regional Programmes, IUCN National Committees, IUCN Commission experts and EU ORs and OCTs actors;
f.Liaise with donors for fundraising opportunities and identify sources of funding;
g.Provide input into IUCN global programmes on to EU overseas as needed.

5) Perform any other related duties as may be required.
The above job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of this position. However, in an organization such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that from time to time may be reasonably be allocated to them but 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.