Programme Officer – Wildlife Use and Trade

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global union of governments and
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dedicated to influencing, encouraging and assisting
societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to
ensuring that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The
sustainable use and trade issues that IUCN works on include assessing the impacts of trade on
the status of wild species, assisting TRAFFIC on a range of wildlife trade projects as well as
contributing to key issues within The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species
of Fauna and Flora (CITES) through providing scientific evidence to support sustainable trade.

A growing area of IUCN’s work includes the development, application, and promotion of wildlife
use and trade indicators at global, regional, and national levels, to improve the monitoring,
communication, and understanding of the sustainability and impacts of wildlife trade. These
indicators will be designed to improve the communication of complex data, support more informed
decision-making, and foster a better understanding of the sustainability of wildlife trade
activities. They will be essential tools for policymakers, conservation practitioners, and
stakeholders to assess trends, identify risks, and formulate effective conservation strategies.
These indicators will support decision-making processes under Multilateral Environmental
Agreements (MEAs) such as CITES and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as
national biodiversity strategies and action plans. By providing standardised, scientifically
sound metrics, these indicators will help align conservation efforts with international
commitments and national priorities, enhancing transparency and accountability.

This role will play a critical part in shaping and influencing global policy on sustainable
wildlife trade by ensuring that IUCN’s scientific contributions will be rigorous, but also
timely and directly relevant to policy making, enabling stakeholders to make evidence-based
decisions that will benefit both conservation and sustainable development.

The salary range for this position is between £34,891 to £40,000 p.a.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Major Responsibilities

The Wildlife Use and Trade (WUT) Programme Officer will support the execution of the portfolio
of projects through the Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team. A key responsibility will
be overseeing the delivery and supporting the implementation of a GEF-funded project on
developing wildlife use and trade indicators, alongside algorithms for data mobilisation and
analysis. This will be implemented jointly with peer conservation science-related institutions
and networks, both among the IUCN Membership and beyond it (e.g., the Global Environment
Facility). The Programme Officer will work closely these project partners and various
stakeholders including MEA Secretariats, government agencies, international organisations, to
ensure effective implementation and achievement of the project’s overarching objectives, such
as increasing access to robust sustainability indicators and digital data for decision-making.

The WUT Programme Officer will be responsible for managing the delivery of multiple work
streams, such as identifying priority indicators and relevant data sources, and developing new
methodologies and technical guidance to fill critical gaps in MEA frameworks and national
biodiversity strategies. The Programme Officer will also serve a substantial role in supporting
the coordination of new work on implementing CITES projects. The WUT Programme Officer will
support project design and management involving tracking and reporting on the WUT project
portfolio, and liaison with the finance team for budget management aspects.

Specific Duties

GEF Wildlife Use and Trade Indicator and Data Mobilisation project (primary role):

• Support the Wildlife Use and Trade Senior Programme Officer in oversight and delivery of
  all GEF project outcomes and activities, ensuring all outputs meet quality standards, are
  completed on time, and effectively contribute to the achievement of project objectives.
• Assist in the coordination and liaison with implementing partner focal points to facilitate
  effective and timely implementation and delivery of all project outputs.
• Maintaining effective communication channels with key stakeholders, including governments,
  international organisations, and partners. In collaboration with the Senior Programme Officer,
  facilitate stakeholder engagement, especially with international conventions such as CBD,
  CITES, CMS, and SDGs, ensuring their active participation aligns with project goals.
• Support the development, dissemination, and uptake of wildlife trade indicators and data
  mobilisation algorithms, working with partners and stakeholders to improve data collection,
  analysis, and accessibility, and to ensure their relevance across cultural, gender, and policy
  contexts.
• Contribute to the explore and integrate innovative technologies (e.g., AI) to enhance
  wildlife trade monitoring and indicator development.

Support International wildlife trade policy:

• Support the coordination of IUCN (Secretariat and Commission Member) input into CITES
  meetings and intersessional activities.
• Link species use and trade with global strategies (e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity)
  and priorities (e.g. climate change, emerging zoonotic diseases).
• Support IUCN representation on the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife
  Management (CPW), coordinating IUCN’s input and liaising with its Commissions as needed, in
  particular The IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi).
• Support IUCN representation IUCN on the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Global Wildlife
  Program (GWP) Steering Committee, coordinating IUCN’s input and liaising with relevant parts of
  IUCN and its Regions and Commissions.

Other responsibilities:

• Support work with IUCN Commissions, particularly the Species Survival, and IUCN Regional
  Offices to support conservation work on sustainable use and trade (e.g. research,
  communications, working with local and national governments/ communities, policy and
  legislation).
• Support project portfolio development, and fundraising initiatives, especially regarding
  wildlife use and trade indicators.
• Develop and secure funding for projects focused on addressing illegal and unsustainable
  trade in fauna and flora.
• Contribute to risk assessments related to wildlife trade, including zoonotic disease
  emergence and biosecurity concerns.

REQUIREMENTS

• A relevant university degree and preferably a post-graduate qualification in conservation
  science or a related discipline.
• At least five years of work experience relevant to wildlife use and trade.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and experience in biodiversity indicator frameworks, for example
  CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets and indicators, UN Sustainable
  Development Goals (specifically Goal 14 & 15), CITES Strategic Vision: 2021-2030.
• Strong technical experience in data collection, management and analysis.
• Proficiency in analytical tools such as R, Python or GIS software, and experience with
  biodiversity/trade databases (e.g., Species+, CITES Trade Database) is desirable.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, including facilitation of workshops and
  capacity-building activities to co-develop or disseminate biodiversity indicators.
• Knowledge of inclusive and participatory approaches to indicator development, is an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience translating complex
  scientific data into policy-relevant outputs.
• Project Management experience an advantage.
• Ability to work co-operatively and diplomatically with others, with respect for and
  sensitivity to diverse cultures and viewpoints.
• A willingness to travel internationally and to work to strict deadlines.
• Familiarity with
  standard word processing, data management, and presentations software.
• Fluency in English with the ability to work in Spanish and/or French an advantage.
• Passion for conservation essential

The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position.
However, in an organization such as the IUCN Secretariat, 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.

All candidates must have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Proof of
eligibility will be required prior to employment. We are unable to sponsor work visas for this
position.