Vacancy announcement -- Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Re-advertisement of post
POSITION
VACANCY: Senior Regional Advisor for Asia/Oceania
Ramsar
Convention Secretariat
Gland, Switzerland
DUTIES
The Senior Regional Advisor for Asia/Oceania (formerly entitled Senior
Regional Advisor for Asia/Pacific) 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
Asia and Oceania regions.
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 of the Convention 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 Asia/Oceania region, the Senior Regional Advisor is responsible for maintaining a high and professional profile with governments in the region, partners, donors and other stakeholders.
Furthermore, the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention will be held in Changwon, Republic of Korea from 28 October to 4 November 2008, which will bring Asia and its wetlands into the global spotlight and require dynamic leadership from the Asia team at the Secretariat.
The Senior Regional Advisor has line management responsibility for the Assistant Regional Advisor for Asia/Oceania and works closely with subregional initiatives in the region.
SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Postgraduate qualification in an aspect of natural or social science
related to wetland conservation and wise use.
2. A minimum of 12 years' professional experience in environmental conservation
and sustainable use / sustainable development issues, preferably related
to wetland ecosystems, of which at least 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.
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, with demonstrated ability to understand
and operate within multicultural environments, and with the range of cultures
within the region.
11. Extensive work and living experience, preferably in different parts
of the Asia/Oceania region.
CONDITIONS OF
SERVICE
While the Convention on Wetlands is fully recognized by the international
community as an intergovernmental agreement, its secretariat is 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 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 for Switzerland, and Swiss labor 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.
The incumbent will be offered an initial 3-year contract, subject to a three-month probation period.
The following additional benefits are provided: full accident insurance and a fixed contribution for health insurance (for the employee only, not his/her family); a salary entitlement in case of illness or accident; a family allowance if applicable. Expatriate entitlements include the possibility of an education allowance; a home leave travel allowance; and installation and repatriation costs. These entitlements are governed by the Guidelines and Procedures for Expatriates.
INTERVIEWS: it is anticipated that short-listed candidates would be interviewed in early to mid March 2008.
STARTING DATE: as soon as possible.
SALARY
This position has been classified in the Management (M) function group
of the IUCN position classification system. The gross annual starting
salary will be a minimum of CHF 138,080, 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
eleven criteria stated above.
b) A maximum one-page statement on the applicant's interpretation
of the main challenges facing the Convention in the Asia/Oceania Region.
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 7 January 2008:
jobapplications@iucn.org
For
further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact
the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28,
CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169,
e-mail 
).
Posted 26 November 2007, Sandra Hails, Ramsar.
