National Professional Officer (Natural Sciences)

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for the Natural Sciences’ Sector (ADG/SC), the functional authority and direct supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Office in Montevideo, the incumbent will be responsible for designing, coordinating and implementing activities in the fields covered by the UNESCO Medium Term Strategy (C/4) and the approved Programme and Budget (C/5) under the Major Programme II – Natural Sciences, in the countries served by the UNESCO Montevideo Office (Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay), specifically in the domains of the Divisions of Ecological and Earth Sciences, and Science Policy and Capacity Building.

H/she will be responsible for programme and project work, advice, research and knowledge management, networking, partnerships and financial resource mobilisation, in close coordination with the Senior Programme Specialist(s) in Natural Sciences in the office and other offices in the region. S/he will contribute to internationally agreed goals such as those in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as national targets in their development plans, while also contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) of the countries served by the UNESCO Montevideo Office.

The incumbent shall work as part of the interdisciplinary team in the UNESCO Office in Montevideo, collaborating with relevant stakeholders and receiving technical guidance from Natural Sciences Programme Divisions at UNESCO Headquarters.

In particular, the incumbent will:

• Coordinate and oversee programme and project development, implementation, and evaluation in the Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO in the countries served by the Montevideo Office, covering Ecological and Earth Sciences, Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Capacity building, and Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS), in close cooperation with the Regional Programme Specialist for the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).
• Participate in Regular Programme (C/5) work plans, policy formulation discussions, and other sector-related strategy formulation activities.
• Contribute to the UNESCO Montevideo office’s interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary efforts, including the formulation of concept notes and project development for extra-budgetary funding, through participation in intersectoral programmes and activities in the areas of science and technology policy, basic sciences, environment, biodiversity, climate change, disaster risk reduction, science education, education for sustainable development, local and indigenous knowledge systems, as well as areas related to world heritage, artificial intelligence, science journalism, among others.
• Participate in UNESCO’s involvement in joint programming exercises within the framework of the UN Reform, such as Common Country Assessments (CCAs) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF), in the countries served by the UNESCO Montevideo Office.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with other UN Agencies and Multilateral and Bilateral Development partners in collaboration with colleagues from UNESCO Headquarters, Field Offices, and Category I and Category II Centres and Institutes in Natural Sciences to foster opportunities for joint programming activities related to the Natural Sciences Sector.
• Contribute to the formulation and implementation of the Office’s resource mobilisation strategy, identify and liaise with funding partners.
• Prepare and submit work plans, establish budgets, monitor the budgetary and financial status of the projects, and ensure financial accountability.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in one of the relevant fields of the natural sciences related disciplines (Environment, Earth Sciences, Hydrology, Basic Sciences, Science Policy).

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 4 (four) years of relevant professional experience in the fields of natural sciences, such as Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy, Environment, or Water Resources.
• Proven experience in coordination and programme management, designing and implementing programmes/projects, in fields related to the Natural Sciences programmes, and demonstrated expertise in science, technology and innovation policy.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge of English and Spanish.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Montevideo-National-Professional-Officer-%28Natural-Sciences%29/790759802/