Programme Management Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development. A key agreement opened for signature at Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal, Canada, and is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme. This post is located in the Convention on Biological Diversity, Office of the Executive Secretary (OES). Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Executive Secretary, Office and the direct supervision of the Head of Access and Benefit-Sharing Unit (ABS), the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities

Provides secretarial services for meetings under the Nagoya Protocol on ABS. including technical and logistical support:

• contributing to the preparation of meeting documents, including collecting, organizing, analyzing, and summarizing substantive information to draft documents (e.g. agendas. pre-session and in-session documents, recommendations, meeting reports, meeting minutes. official statements )
• assists with the overall logistical arrangements of the meetings.

Provides support for the implementation and management of the work programme on the Nagoya Protocol on ABS:

• drafting inputs for a wide range of correspondence and documents related to ABS. such as official notifications and letters for governments and partners as well as public requests for information;
• contributing to the preparation of project proposals and reports, including financial reporting and budget management;
• filing, storing and managing internal data and information relevant to ABS.

Provides support for capacity-building activities on ABS:

• assists with workshops and briefings held on ABS, including drafting preparatory documents and meeting reports, preparing PowerPoint presentations, taking notes during the discussions and helping with logistical arrangements
• liaising with colleagues in other divisions of the SCBD and external partners to organize the activities;
• on a few occasions, giving presentations on the Nagoya Protocol to stakeholders.

Contributes to the development of awareness-raising materials on ABS:

• drafting substantive inputs and coordinating the production of communications materials with consultants (translation, design and printing);
• maintaining and updating the Nagoya Protocol online portal and updating internal databases related to ABS.

Contributes to the recruitment and appointment of new staff members on ABS, including drafting terms of reference, reviewing applications received, summarizing qualifications of candidates, participating in selection committees. Executes any other duties as required by the supervisor.

Education

• Completion of secondary school education is required. Training courses in environmental, social or political sciences, business administration, public administration, environmental management or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven years of responsible working experience in the field of sustainable development or related environment programmes, environmental law, public administration and environmental conventions is required. The minimum year of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience with MEAs or any international organization is desirable. Work experience in applying UNEP/CBD policies and UN rules and regulations is desirable. Experience working for senior management is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN languages is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/238611?language=en