Senior Adviser, World Heritage
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BACKGROUND
This position offers an exceptional opportunity to contribute, at a senior level, to the future of World Heritage sites globally, through the work of IUCN. The Senior Adviser, World Heritage is a new project-driven post which will play a key role in the strategic development of the IUCN World Heritage Programme (WHP) providing leadership for collaboration with donors and partners, globally and regionally. A key task of the post will be leadership in relation to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, in particular to ensure alignment of procedures and standards with The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas through and establish partnerships and increase resources available to strengthen the conservation responses to secure better management and protection of natural World Heritage sites. The incumbent will deputise for the Director of the World Heritage Programme when required. The post is part of a decentralised team, currently of c.10 staff working on conservation, knowledge management (including with GIS), operations and communications, based in Switzerland, UK and Bahrain and supported by regional focal points, as well as a large network of consultants. The WHP works very closely with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM, as well as a range of partners. Part of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group, the WHP also collaborates with IUCN thematic programmes and commissions.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest environmental organisation, uniquely composed of government and civil society members. It was one of the two organisations that drafted the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Convention is a prestigious intergovernmental agreement which aims to conserve the world’s natural and cultural places of “outstanding universal value”. Natural World Heritage sites are considered as nature's “crown jewels” and include emblematic sites such as the Galapagos Islands, the Serengeti, and the Great Barrier Reef. World Heritage sites play a key leadership role in terms of demonstrating high standards in quality and effectiveness in protected area governance and management, as exemplary sites for capacity building and as a “litmus test” for the wider success of global conservation efforts. These iconic sites should demonstrate successful integration of cultural and natural heritage conservation, and securing good governance, including the respect for rights and realisation of equitable benefit-sharing for communities.
World Heritage is one of IUCN’s ‘heartland’ Programmes and a fundamental part of IUCN’s work since 1972. The World Heritage Programme leads and coordinates a series of initiatives within the overall IUCN Programme to promote excellence and leadership through the World Heritage Convention. IUCN also has a crucial statutory role in the World Heritage Convention as the Advisory Body for natural sites (incl. “mixed” sites classified as both natural and cultural). This role involves four main functions: (1) evaluating new natural and mixed sites which are proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List; (2) monitoring the state of conservation of existing natural and mixed World Heritage sites; (3) promoting training and capacity development initiatives; and (4) providing guidance on the strategic implementation of the Convention.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest environmental organisation, uniquely composed of government and civil society members. It was one of the two organisations that drafted the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Convention is a prestigious intergovernmental agreement which aims to conserve the world’s natural and cultural places of “outstanding universal value”. Natural World Heritage sites are considered as nature's “crown jewels” and include emblematic sites such as the Galapagos Islands, the Serengeti, and the Great Barrier Reef. World Heritage sites play a key leadership role in terms of demonstrating high standards in quality and effectiveness in protected area governance and management, as exemplary sites for capacity building and as a “litmus test” for the wider success of global conservation efforts. These iconic sites should demonstrate successful integration of cultural and natural heritage conservation, and securing good governance, including the respect for rights and realisation of equitable benefit-sharing for communities.
World Heritage is one of IUCN’s ‘heartland’ Programmes and a fundamental part of IUCN’s work since 1972. The World Heritage Programme leads and coordinates a series of initiatives within the overall IUCN Programme to promote excellence and leadership through the World Heritage Convention. IUCN also has a crucial statutory role in the World Heritage Convention as the Advisory Body for natural sites (incl. “mixed” sites classified as both natural and cultural). This role involves four main functions: (1) evaluating new natural and mixed sites which are proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List; (2) monitoring the state of conservation of existing natural and mixed World Heritage sites; (3) promoting training and capacity development initiatives; and (4) providing guidance on the strategic implementation of the Convention.
JOB DESCRIPTION
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Programme development and resource mobilisation
• Lead the design and development of an ambitious programme portfolio to establish and support partnerships and projects that will secure the ongoing effectiveness and sustainability of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook. This will focus on developing, in full alignment with The IUCN Green List of Protected and other Conserved Areas (and ensuring maintenance, promotion and communication of) World Heritage Outlook to engage fully with the stakeholders in natural World Heritage sites, in order to secure strengthened conservation responses that respond to the findings of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook.
• Work to align the data management systems of IUCN World Heritage Outlook with the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, including via IUCN’s flagship Knowledge Product on protected areas: “Protected Planet”.
• Lead implementation of global initiatives within the WHP portfolio through close and effective collaboration within the World Heritage Programme team, Biodiversity Conservation Group (BCG), Regional Programmes, and IUCN State and NGO Members and Commissions as appropriate, including project management and reporting.
• Support the preparation and delivery of strategic communications for events and activities on World Heritage, as required, working with WHP and corporate communications officers as required.
• Provide effective line management, support and/or supervision, as required to staff within the World Heritage Programme team, and provide mentoring and professional development support to Programme staff as appropriate.
• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of the delivery, quality and results from global initiatives in the WHP portfolio, by ensuring an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system is in place and effective delegation of project information management and processing to staff in the WHP team.
• Assure coordination of tasks within IUCN’s portfolio of projects related to Protected Areas (and other relevant projects in the BCG portfolio that relate to WH) to ensure specific World Heritage deliverables, in coordination with relevant BCG colleagues.
• Lead fundraising efforts for the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, and, as necessary, the wider WH portfolio in IUCN.
• Develop and maintain a network of donor agency contacts, ensuring donor coordination with other component programmes of IUCN (BCG, relevant global thematic programmes, and Regional Programmes), and the IUCN Strategic Partnerships team.
• Advise IUCN Regional Programmes on proposal formulation and donor liaison in support of the development and roll-out of global initiatives related to World Heritage, and build relationships with the wider portfolio of BCG related to protected areas and site-based conservation. Coordinate portfolio management arrangements for multi-region activities that mobilise action across different IUCN regional offices, through effective liaison with Programme staff globally and in regions.
World Heritage Advice and Technical Support
• Represent IUCN at international policy and scientific meetings related to World Heritage, and deputise, where required, for the Director, WHP in the delivery of IUCN’s statutory role in the World Heritage Convention, including in relation to the statutory evaluation and monitoring roles of IUCN.
• Assure, in coordination with the Director of the World Heritage Programme, IUCN’s overall working relationship with the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, and the development of effective partnership based extra-budgetary fundraising initiatives.
• Support and develop IUCN influence on global and national policies for World Heritage, including where necessary handling discussions at all levels (including at the highest levels) with the State Party signatories to the World Heritage Convention, including in relation to site level matters regarding current or potential natural World Heritage sites.
• Lead targeted policy initiatives, addressed to agreed priorities of the IUCN World Heritage Programme, including by making use of demonstration results and lessons to develop tools, policy guidance and communications outputs.
The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organisation such as 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 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.
Programme development and resource mobilisation
• Lead the design and development of an ambitious programme portfolio to establish and support partnerships and projects that will secure the ongoing effectiveness and sustainability of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook. This will focus on developing, in full alignment with The IUCN Green List of Protected and other Conserved Areas (and ensuring maintenance, promotion and communication of) World Heritage Outlook to engage fully with the stakeholders in natural World Heritage sites, in order to secure strengthened conservation responses that respond to the findings of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook.
• Work to align the data management systems of IUCN World Heritage Outlook with the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, including via IUCN’s flagship Knowledge Product on protected areas: “Protected Planet”.
• Lead implementation of global initiatives within the WHP portfolio through close and effective collaboration within the World Heritage Programme team, Biodiversity Conservation Group (BCG), Regional Programmes, and IUCN State and NGO Members and Commissions as appropriate, including project management and reporting.
• Support the preparation and delivery of strategic communications for events and activities on World Heritage, as required, working with WHP and corporate communications officers as required.
• Provide effective line management, support and/or supervision, as required to staff within the World Heritage Programme team, and provide mentoring and professional development support to Programme staff as appropriate.
• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of the delivery, quality and results from global initiatives in the WHP portfolio, by ensuring an appropriate monitoring and evaluation system is in place and effective delegation of project information management and processing to staff in the WHP team.
• Assure coordination of tasks within IUCN’s portfolio of projects related to Protected Areas (and other relevant projects in the BCG portfolio that relate to WH) to ensure specific World Heritage deliverables, in coordination with relevant BCG colleagues.
• Lead fundraising efforts for the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, and, as necessary, the wider WH portfolio in IUCN.
• Develop and maintain a network of donor agency contacts, ensuring donor coordination with other component programmes of IUCN (BCG, relevant global thematic programmes, and Regional Programmes), and the IUCN Strategic Partnerships team.
• Advise IUCN Regional Programmes on proposal formulation and donor liaison in support of the development and roll-out of global initiatives related to World Heritage, and build relationships with the wider portfolio of BCG related to protected areas and site-based conservation. Coordinate portfolio management arrangements for multi-region activities that mobilise action across different IUCN regional offices, through effective liaison with Programme staff globally and in regions.
World Heritage Advice and Technical Support
• Represent IUCN at international policy and scientific meetings related to World Heritage, and deputise, where required, for the Director, WHP in the delivery of IUCN’s statutory role in the World Heritage Convention, including in relation to the statutory evaluation and monitoring roles of IUCN.
• Assure, in coordination with the Director of the World Heritage Programme, IUCN’s overall working relationship with the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, and the development of effective partnership based extra-budgetary fundraising initiatives.
• Support and develop IUCN influence on global and national policies for World Heritage, including where necessary handling discussions at all levels (including at the highest levels) with the State Party signatories to the World Heritage Convention, including in relation to site level matters regarding current or potential natural World Heritage sites.
• Lead targeted policy initiatives, addressed to agreed priorities of the IUCN World Heritage Programme, including by making use of demonstration results and lessons to develop tools, policy guidance and communications outputs.
The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organisation such as 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 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.
REQUIREMENTS
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• Degree in conservation or related field, together with demonstrable relevant postgraduate technical and management qualifications and/or experience; • At least 10 years of proven experience in project development and resource mobilisation; • At least 10 years of proven experience in facilitation and development of strategic and operational plans, including monitoring, evaluation; • Proven leadership and people management experience including supervision of staff, consultants and coordination of programme/projects teams in an multi-disciplinary environment; • Proven professional experience in project design and proposals preparation. Advanced project management skills are essential; • Demonstrated experience in developing and managing strategic partnerships with government and influential institutions; • Demonstrated knowledge of donor programme/project management practices and modalities; • Excellent understanding IUCN’s World Heritage mission in the context of its work with UNESCO • Ability to work with or understand different cultures, especially if they are going to handle relationships with states parties, and to work diplomatically and effectively with State Party representatives, and diverse stakeholders in World Heritage Sites at all levels; • Fluency in English, both written and verbal, with excellent presentation skills. Working ability in French is a distinct advantage, as the second working language of the World Heritage Convention. Knowledge of Spanish, and other UN, and other, languages, is an added advantage; • Must be able to write and coordinate the preparation of complex project and programme reports, write successful proposals and synthesise results from different thematic areas; • Must be willing and able to travel frequently; • Must be a hands-on, highly motivated, results driven and resourceful individual. |
SALARY
The gross annual salary for this position is between CHF 123'265 and CHF 154'081, subject to deductions for social security contributions and second-pillar pension, and before tax. While this is an indicative amount effective as of the current date, changes may occur as per IUCN's compensation practices without prior notice. The same applies to other organisations hosted by IUCN.
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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