Vacancy announcement -- Ramsar Convention Secretariat

Position Vacancy: Senior Regional Advisor for the Americas

Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Gland, Switzerland

DUTIES

The Senior Regional Advisor for the Americas is the lead officer in the Ramsar Convention Secretariat responsible for advising on and supporting the strategic development and effective implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in the Americas region.

The main responsibility of the position is to provide expert and authoritative advice and assistance to Contracting Parties in the region on policy, technical, and scientific issues related to the implementation at the national and regional levels, in the context of global issues.

The Senior Regional Advisor must have a global and regional understanding of wetland-related issues and must develop, maintain and present a clear understanding of the Convention's operations and priorities, and of wetland-related issues and priorities in his/her region.

As the official representative of the Secretary General in the Americas region, the Senior Regional Advisor is responsible for maintaining a high and professional profile with governments in the region, partners, donors and other stakeholders.

The Senior Regional Advisor has line management responsibility for the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Americas and the Ramsar Regional Center in Panama (CREHO).

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Postgraduate qualifications, preferably a Ph.D. or equivalent qualification, in an aspect of natural or social science related to wetland conservation and wise use.

2. A minimum of 12 years' professional experience (and preferably more than 15 years') in environmental conservation and sustainable use / sustainable development issues, preferably related to wetland ecosystems, of which five years should be international experience in the relevant region.

3. Demonstrated capacity for innovative and strategic thinking and ability to provide leadership in dealing with complex issues.

4. Demonstrated fundraising, budgeting and programme planning ability.

5. Demonstrated ability to integrate the perspectives of the biological and social sciences and a commitment to working in interdisciplinary teams.

6. Exposure to and knowledge of major wetland conservation issues, both policy and field related.

7. Familiarity with the work of the main regional and global institutions, including NGOs, dealing with environment and development issues.

8. Demonstrated spoken and written fluency in English and in Spanish, and working knowledge of French would be an advantage.

9. Well-developed computer skills and ability and willingness to perform the duties of the position in a fairly independent manner, with limited assistance from support staff.

10. Strong inter-personal skills, including the ability to understand and operate within multi-cultural environments, and with the range of cultures within the region.

11. Citizenship of a country in the region.

STARTING DATE: as soon as possible after 1 March 2007.

APPLICATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE:

a) An application letter in English and Spanish of no more than two pages, briefly describing the suitability of the candidate for the post in relation to the criteria stated above.
b) A maximum one-page statement on the applicant's interpretation of the main challenges facing the Convention in the Western Hemisphere.
c) A curriculum vitae.
d) The names/contact details of three referees, including one recent employer.

E-mail applications are preferred. They should be sent only to the following address before 12 January 2007: jobapplications@iucn.org