The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and of wetland biodiversity and services. It is the first of the modern global multilateral environmental agreements and remains the only one devoted to a specific critical ecosystem.

The Convention Secretariat has its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, where the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) provides some administrative services for the Convention.

The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty which brings together 168 National Governments with a shared commitment to the wise use of all freshwater, brackish, inland saltwater, and coastal ecosystems, otherwise known as ‘wetlands’. As part of their commitment, 2187 Ramsar ‘Sites’ have been designated, one of the largest global network of protected areas and covering a surface area about the size of Mexico.
The Convention now seeks to significantly increase actions across sectors that prevent, stop and reverse the loss of wetlands. A ‘Global Partnership for Wetlands Restoration’ has therefore been initiated to focus on reversing the loss of wetlands, and seeks to establish a coherent strategy for delivering restoration at a global scale. The Global Partnership will bring together a cross-sector alliance for wetlands restoration, the scientific and technical guidance necessary for effective implementation, a network of actors to carry out projects, and the financing mechanisms required for making it happen.

A new position for a Manager, Investing in Natural Infrastructure, has therefore been created which will focus on the goals outlined below.

• Leverage and engage with Ramsar Convention’s extensive global networks, in order to identify and build high quality wetlands restoration projects, with a strong emphasis towards increasing ecosystem services for people living in cities.

• Strategically engage with partners that are involved in projects, in order to strengthen proposals and alignment of work to be done with the overall goals of a Global Partnership for Wetlands Restoration.

• Based on clear two-way communication with implementing partners, monitor and report on activities and outcomes achieved, and the relationship between funding and activities within individual projects.

• Develop progress reports both at an individual project level and a project portfolio level, including details on budget management, current and expected future needs and opportunities, as well as lessons learned, so that at any moment in time it is possible to fully understand the current situation.

• Ensure that funder requirements, and IUCN policies to which Ramsar adheres, are followed at all times - including on anti-corruption, budget management, gender issues where appropriate, so that the highest standards of accountability and transparency are met at all times.

• Develop and share expertise on financing restoration activities, in order to help develop and contribute to the success of the overall Global Partnership for Wetlands Restoration and its relevance within the post-2015 development agenda.

• Develop and maintain an ‘investing in wetlands platform’, an internal database to store project data, act as a reference point and tool for guiding projects in the ‘pipeline’, as well as to help match high quality projects with the specific interests of (existing or potential) funders.

• Contribute towards a teamwork spirit within the Ramsar Convention, by working closely with colleagues within the Secretariat as well as through frequent interactions with Regional Initiatives, Contracting Parties, and other bodies such as the Communications, Engagement Participation and Awareness, and Scientific and Technical Panel.

SALARY

The gross annual salary for this position is in the range from CHF 96'160 to CHF 120'200, subject to deductions for social security contributions and second-pillar pension, and before tax.