Senior Programme Officer, Business & Nature

BACKGROUND

IUCN’s Business & Nature Global Team is responsible for developing and delivering a
coherent and impactful programme of work that leverages IUCN’s knowledge, tools, metrics, and
approaches to accelerate the adoption by companies of practices that deliver nature positive
outcomes and societal benefits. This programme is delivered primarily through the development
of private sector and public partnerships and action at the corporate, sectoral, supply chain,
and regulatory levels. It is centred around three key work areas: (1) data, metrics and
knowledge products for effective private sector deployment; (2) innovative investment pipeline
development; and, (3) technical support & analytics. All of which is implemented through a
diverse project portfolio delivered in collaboration with IUCN’s Regional and Country Offices,
thematic teams, and members.

JOB DESCRIPTION

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The Senior Programme Officer, Business & Nature is responsible for the development, management
and technical implementation of a portfolio of collaborative partnerships with global companies and
public actors in sectors with important impacts on biodiversity (including but not limited to the
metals and mining, aggregates, paper & pulp, or chemicals industries) to support the delivery
of measurable Nature Positive outcomes aligned with IUCN Programme targets, whilst generating high
quality knowledge and learning. In doing so, s/he will be expected to collaborate with IUCN
thematic Teams, IUCN’s Regional and Country Offices, as well as with Commissions, and members as
necessary and to ensure that lessons learnt are integrated into the programmes policy and knowledge
work.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Senior Programme Coordinator, Business & Nature and in close coordination with the team and its Head, the main duties and responsibilities include:

1. Portfolio development and implementation

• Lead the development and implementation of technical proposals to the private sector that
  leverage IUCN’s data, metrics and knowledge products as well as IUCN’s technical support &
  analytics to deliver Nature Positive outcomes;
• Develop private sector use and application of IUCN standards, metrics, and tools, such as
  the IUCN’s approach to measuring nature positive, Species Threat Abatement and Restoration
  (STAR) metric, NbS Standard, and the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) while
  promoting the application of the mitigation hierarchy and the implementation of IUCN’s relevant
  policies;
• Leverage partnerships with individual companies and sectoral bodies to support the
  refinement of IUCN’s tools & knowledge, providing technical feedback to the relevant
  thematic teams, with a particular focus on tools and approaches related to Nature Positive
  measurement and approaches;
• Explore the possible complementarity and combination of IUCN tools (such as STAR) with
  approaches supported by other actors or in other context (such as, for instance, Life Cycle
  Assessments) to increase the relevance of IUCN tools in different sectors and extend their
  outreach;
• Facilitate Independent Scientific and Technical Advisory Panels, providing strategic
  expertise to address complex and controversial issues and build trust amongst stakeholders;
• Develop and submit concepts and funding proposals to donors for projects related to
  enabling conditions (regulatory…) that could accelerate the sectoral transition to Nature
  Positive.

2. Project portfolio management, delivery, and quality assurance

• Ensure the provision of technical assistance, capacity building, and contribute to sectoral
  transformation as part of IUCN’s collaborative efforts with the private sector;
• Ensure high quality delivery of projects and initiatives associated to each partnership
  with the private sector according to the priorities defined in the annual workplans;
• Ensure effective, efficient, and adaptive management of resources (financial, human, and
  intellectual) for each project in accordance with IUCN project management standards;
• Coordinate with project teams across the IUCN offices on joint implementation and delivery,
  including through internal agreements;
• Engage and manage consultants and external project counterparts where need for portfolio
  delivery is required;
• Work with colleagues to ensure effective implementation of monitoring, evaluation and
  learning frameworks for the business lines and project portfolio.

3. Capacity building, Knowledge generation and Communication

• Ensure key results and lessons learnt are communicated in insightful knowledge products and
  promoted through various media channels and networks, to reach both external and an internal
  audiences;
• Strengthen IUCN’s capacity, influence and external visibility on work with the private
  sector, including by developing new training programmes to promote IUCN’s tools and approaches
  for the private sector and support their uptake (in collaboration with the IUCN Academy);
• Participate in meetings, conferences, and platforms of relevance to the work program
  described above, to advance and showcase IUCN technical and thought leadership to drive
  sector-wide transformation, and to influence and mobilize new networks, partners, and
  stakeholders.
• Collaborate and engage IUCN global programmes, regions, IUCN members, and commissions on
  IUCN flagship initiatives and crosscutting issues.
• Nurture working relationships with existing partners and establish new partnerships,
  including resource mobilization.

The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However,
in a small organization 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 

• Master’s degree in Biodiversity, Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources Management,
  Environmental Policy, Sustainability Management, or another relevant field required. Strong
  grounding in biodiversity, conservation, sustainable development and social science concepts
  and theory, beyond immediate field of expertise.

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience, and minimum 5 required in engaging and working with the
  private sector on biodiversity themes, with a preference for experience on the ground
  (environmental and/or biodiversity assessments, biodiversity net gain reviews or monitoring,
  certifications…).

• Technical understanding of IUCN key standards, tools and metrics (in particular IUCN Red
  Lists of Threatened Species and of Ecosystems, Nature-based Solutions global standard, STAR
  metrics, IBAT) or other scientifically reputable equivalents. Some experience with Life Cycle
  Assessments would be an asset.

• Proven experience in developing, managing and coordinating projects, including planning,
  execution, monitoring & evaluation, technical and financial management and reporting.

• Experience in supervising staff and coordinating consultants.

• Proven ability to operationalise concepts, from idea to ground implementation and to
  socialise and mainstream scientific concepts and approaches in order to encourage their
  appropriation by non-specialist stakeholders.

• Experience in planning and developing messaging in terms of effective knowledge uptake,
  understands and can adapt to target audience.

• Ability to take initiative, exercise good judgment, think laterally and resolve complex
  issues in a dynamic and changing environment.

• Works well under pressure, with the ability to prioritise and successfully optimise the
  allocation of time, people, and other resources.

• Skilfully prioritizes, manages, and balances operational task flows and can identify,
  anticipate and address critical operational dependencies. Successfully manages competing
  demands and deadlines.

• Professionalism and diplomacy in communicating cross-culturally and with diverse audiences.

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with meticulous attention to detail.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Proficiency in written and spoken.
  French and/or Spanish is desirable.

• Candidates must have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom