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Project Manager, IUCN Academy
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BACKGROUND
Comprising over 1,400 Member organisations and harnessing the input of more than 17,000 experts, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. The IUCN Academy is a project that will channel the Union’s vast expertise into a unique academic institution, granting degrees, diplomas, as well as professional certifications in the field of nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. The successful candidate will take IUCN Academia from a funded vision to an institutional reality.
The position of Project Manager – IUCN Academy provides an exceptional opportunity for professional engagement and development. The successful candidate will ensure the newly-established IUCN Academy will provide best-in-class learning experiences for internal and external clients, utilising a broad and creative range of pedagogical methods. IUCN holds a great wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge on how society should sustainably use natural resources and biodiversity. The Academy will thus leverage IUCN’s knowledge to train and educate both professionals and graduates for the world of tomorrow.
The role requires a deeply resourceful individual with strong high-level expertise in business development, project management, and the field of education. The Project Manager will also need strong emotional intelligence, self-motivation, integrity, and strong analytical skills. They will also work closely with the IUCN Management Team, Secretariat, as well as with the broader membership, as appropriate.
The position of Project Manager – IUCN Academy provides an exceptional opportunity for professional engagement and development. The successful candidate will ensure the newly-established IUCN Academy will provide best-in-class learning experiences for internal and external clients, utilising a broad and creative range of pedagogical methods. IUCN holds a great wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge on how society should sustainably use natural resources and biodiversity. The Academy will thus leverage IUCN’s knowledge to train and educate both professionals and graduates for the world of tomorrow.
The role requires a deeply resourceful individual with strong high-level expertise in business development, project management, and the field of education. The Project Manager will also need strong emotional intelligence, self-motivation, integrity, and strong analytical skills. They will also work closely with the IUCN Management Team, Secretariat, as well as with the broader membership, as appropriate.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Business Development:
• Analyse the current offer and demand in capacity building and education from the professional to postgraduate level in IUCN’s fields of expertise;
• Identify potential niches for an IUCN offer based on the market situation, the knowhow of the Union as well as potential partners in specific sectors;
• Describe the potential business models for this Initiative, including a description of the marketplace, contents, clients, marketing strategies and delivery;
• Identify, analyse, plan, and implement some “products” to check and concretise the business plans
• As part of the business plans, create financial plans for the Initiative, including: upfront investments if needed, costs and income in the start-up phase and at maturity
• Describe developmental steps for the Academy, including the legal requirements for the institution;
Project Management:
• Lead project planning sessions to establish the IUCN Academy;
• Manage project progress and adapt work as required;
• Responsible for technical coordination and delivery of all aspects of the project;
• Ensure all activities meet deadlines;
• Create risk mitigation plan;
• Supervise and undertake where appropriate the preparation of training and presentation materials, and publications to support training;
• Ensure all activities, financial, and administrative requirements are effectively met, including the preparation of reports, budgets and workplans, as well as finance monitoring. Technical and financial reports must also be effectively produced in close coordination with the Global Finance Group and line manager.
• Analyse the current offer and demand in capacity building and education from the professional to postgraduate level in IUCN’s fields of expertise;
• Identify potential niches for an IUCN offer based on the market situation, the knowhow of the Union as well as potential partners in specific sectors;
• Describe the potential business models for this Initiative, including a description of the marketplace, contents, clients, marketing strategies and delivery;
• Identify, analyse, plan, and implement some “products” to check and concretise the business plans
• As part of the business plans, create financial plans for the Initiative, including: upfront investments if needed, costs and income in the start-up phase and at maturity
• Describe developmental steps for the Academy, including the legal requirements for the institution;
Project Management:
• Lead project planning sessions to establish the IUCN Academy;
• Manage project progress and adapt work as required;
• Responsible for technical coordination and delivery of all aspects of the project;
• Ensure all activities meet deadlines;
• Create risk mitigation plan;
• Supervise and undertake where appropriate the preparation of training and presentation materials, and publications to support training;
• Ensure all activities, financial, and administrative requirements are effectively met, including the preparation of reports, budgets and workplans, as well as finance monitoring. Technical and financial reports must also be effectively produced in close coordination with the Global Finance Group and line manager.
REQUIREMENTS
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• Competencies: • Project Management: Understands and can manage delivery according to intervention hierarchies. Rigorous in addressing safeguards, monitoring, learning, risk, and budget allocation including cost recovery. • Planning and organisational efficiency: Organises workflows to optimise time allocation, resources, people and other inputs for the effective and efficient delivery of tasks and initiatives at increasing levels of complexity. Displays the ability to prioritise, manage, and balance operational task flows and can identify, anticipate and address critical operational dependencies. • Conservation & Social Science Knowledge: Has a solid grounding in key conservation, sustainable development and social science concepts and theory beyond their immediate field of expertise. • Communications and Presentation skills: Can communicate clearly and succinctly; Plans and structures the argument/case; Provides just enough context to credibly convey key messages; Plans and frames messaging in terms of effective knowledge uptake; Understands and can adapt to the target audience. • Strategic and Innovative thinking: Can strategically position IUCN’s value-add with respect to new and emerging trends AND – critically – identify practical operational pathways to effectively and credibly position IUCN as a recognised player. • Business Development and Partnership: Can effectively build partnerships for collective programmatic delivery. Is clear and structured with the rationale for the collaboration. Can look after IUCN’s interests while maintaining the reputation of a good team player. • Stakeholder Engagement: Creates a sense of trust and can effectively bring disparate stakeholders to deliver expected results. Sensitive to stakeholder concerns and actively listens and responds. • Leadership: Takes responsibility for actions, assignments and advancing IUCN’s interests. • Ethics and Values: Strong “moral compass” guides professional actions and decisions. Never pursues opportunities for personal gain at the expense of institutional professional interests or the wellbeing of colleagues. Encourages others to act in a similar manner and is prepared to speak out when policies have been breached. • Drive for high quality, team-based results: Understands how their work, role and responsibilities fit into the strategic objectives of IUCN. Displays a strong results-orientated approach to delivery while working collaboratively with colleagues and respecting institutional quality assurance procedures and safeguards. Takes full responsibility for assigned tasks, shares recognition with all contributors, and respects the remit/ mandate others have been given. • Inclusiveness: Displays an open team-based attitude, harnessing the right skills and input for high-quality implementation (teams fit for purpose). Willingly involves others in new opportunities and does not hold information or knowledge to themselves. Actively pursues diversity in the workplace (including diversity of opinion). • Requirements: • A University degree (preferably a post-graduate degree) in a subject relevant to environmental, business, or project management; • Proven track record of launching and developing new academic and/or professional education programmes; • A minimum of 10 years' relevant professional experience in project management at the international level; • Proven high-level experience in business development and/or programme establishment; • Proven ability to work in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team environment with sound experience in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders that include government, NGOs, and the private sector; • Proven advisory and analytical skills, including strong organisational coordination, problem-solving and facilitation, and time management; • Experience in environmental conservation in the areas of capacity building and/or knowledge management would be an asset; • Full proficiency in English. The ability to work in French and/or Spanish would be a clear advantage. |
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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