Vacancy announcement -- Ramsar Convention Secretariat

Position Vacancy: Project Officer

Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Gland, Switzerland

BACKGROUND
The Convention on Wetlands, also known as the "Ramsar Convention" from the name of the city in Iran where it was signed in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of wetland biodiversity and services. It was the first of the modern global multilateral environmental agreements and remains the only one devoted to a specific critical ecosystem.

The Ramsar Convention Secretariat, hosted by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, provides the secretariat services to the Convention's Contracting Parties (signatory countries) for the operations and implementation of the Convention. The small Secretariat supports the Parties in their efforts to implement the Convention in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Oceania and Europe. Two of the 19 Secretariat staff work specifically in the fields of communication, education, participation and awareness.

Providing substance to the operational objective (15.1.12) of Ramsar's Strategic Plan "to pursue the involvement of the private sector in wetland conservation and to seek opportunities for private sector funding of wetland projects under Ramsar", the Secretariat has entered, since 1998, into an innovative partnership with the Danone Group and its Evian Mineral Waters Ltd company in France. Based on the encouraging results of this partnership, in summer 2007 Danone and Evian signed an additional agreement with Ramsar to support an international programme focusing on the wise use of water resources ("Ecole de protection de l'eau") and promoting the hands-on approach by local players involved in maintaining or restoring wetlands, promoting the well-being and active involvement of local communities living near wetlands and providing them with fair access to natural resources.

In order to be able to cope with the increasing needs of administration, communication and coordination of the activities of field projects supported by the programme (currently in Argentina, Nepal and Thailand) and the Danone/Evian supported outreach programme of the Convention (including activities related to World Wetlands Day), the Ramsar Secretariat seeks to hire a Project Officer to be based at the Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland.

DUTIES
The main focus of the work of the Project Officer is to assure regular contact, coordination and best possible implementation of the partnership programme between the Ramsar Convention and Danone Evian, as outlined in the protocol 2007-2010 of the "Fonds Danone Evian pour l'eau" and the "Ecole de protection de l'eau".

The Project Officer will have the following responsibilities:

1. Assure and maintain regular contact between the Ramsar Secretariat and the Danone Group (Paris) and Evian Mineral Waters Ltd. (Evian) in order to keep all parties informed about progress of the partnership programme.

2. Administer and manage the programme and assure the administrative and financial management of field projects (notably those financed through the programme "Ecole de protection de l'eau") in cooperation with the beneficiaries. Assure regular reporting (technical and financial) of these activities to the Steering Group of the partnership.

3. Prepare information briefs, promotion and awareness texts for the needs of the partnership.

4. Contribute to the preparation of World Wetlands Day materials by the Ramsar Secretariat and to the administration of the preparation and funding of specific products (posters, CDs, etc.).

5. Support the communication and outreach activities of the Ramsar Secretariat according to actual needs. Prepare information updates for the Ramsar web site, and undertake such updates in coordination with the Ramsar webmaster.

6. Undertake other duties, notably supporting Secretariat staff in their communication and outreach tasks, according to the requirements expressed by the Secretary General.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND QUALIFICATIONS
1. The principal qualities required are enthusiasm and a commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development issues, including issues related to wetlands and water management. A friendly, communicative and outreaching personality.

2. A professional diploma in a subject relevant to project management, accounting, and office management.

3. Excellent formulating, writing and editorial skills in English and French, and fluent spoken French and English.

4. Experience in project, programme and office management, administration and accounting, including software applications.

5. A minimum of 5 years' professional experience in the fields of communication, promotion, project administration, or ideally a combination of these. Experience in environmental conservation, at international level, would be an advantage.

POST DURATION
This post is offered in the first instance as a fixed term position until 31 December 2008, with a probationary period of three months. A position evaluation will take place after this period. It is anticipated that the contract would be extended, following the renewed partnership agreement between Danone Evian and the Ramsar Secretariat that provides the funding for this position.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
While the Convention on Wetlands is fully recognized by the international community as an intergovernmental treaty, its Secretariat is currently under the special circumstance of being administered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and shares the premises provided to both IUCN and the Convention by the Government of Switzerland, located in Gland. However, the Ramsar Secretariat is under the authority of the Standing Committee of the Convention and ultimately of its Conference of the Contracting Parties.

Legally, Ramsar Secretariat staff are IUCN employees, and their contracts are governed by the IUCN Global Human Resources Policy, Guidelines and Procedures for Expatriates, Conditions of Service in Switzerland, and Swiss labour law. IUCN does not have the status of an intergovernmental organization under a host country agreement in Switzerland: consequently, IUCN must obtain a Swiss work permit for non-Swiss staff. IUCN and Ramsar staff do not have diplomatic immunity or international civil servant (UN) status.

SALARY
This position has been classified in the Profession (P1) function group of the IUCN position classification system. The gross annual salary will be in the range of CHF 80,640 to CHF 100,800, subject to deductions for social security contributions and second-pillar pension, and before tax.

APPLICATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE:
a) An application letter in English of no more than two pages, briefly describing the suitability of the candidate for the post in relation to each of the selection criteria and qualifications listed above.

b) A maximum one-page statement in French on the main Ramsar communications issues connected to this project. (See the Ramsar Web site www.ramsar.org and the Evian Web site www.evian-ecolesdeleau.fr )

c) A complete curriculum vitae.

d) The names and contact details (including e-mail and telephone) of three referees, including one recent employer.

Applications, and supporting documents, should be sent by e-mail only to the following address before 14 December 2007 : jobapplications@iucn.org

All applications will be acknowledged.