United States of America: Programme Officer, Economics
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 06 Sep 2013
IUCN’s Global Economics Programme (GEP) aims to help people identify and capture the economic opportunities provided by biodiversity. Increasingly, environmental economic arguments in favour of conservation consist of identifying opportunities and guiding incentives such that pro-biodiversity behaviour is economically attractive. IUCN Economics aims to build a bridge between environment and development through nature-based solutions to local and global development challenges. By increasing our knowledge of the economic value of ecosystems and ensuring that this information is appropriately guiding related policy processes, IUCN Economics aims to anchor nature at the heart of a green global economy.
Consistent with the new IUCN Business Model the GEP is positioned with a cluster of IUCN Programmes that support the delivery of nature-based solutions – the Nature Based Solutions Group (NBSG) – in order to improve programmatic coherence, enhance project-based delivery, optimise staffing efficiency and generally strengthen quality assurance. Within the NBSG IUCN’s Global Forest and Climate Change Programme (GFCCP) has a number of new projects being initiated in 2013, which has created a need for greater capacity in packaging Forest Landscape Restoration as an economic and investment opportunity based on national and sub-national assessments of restoration potential. It is within this context that the GEP is strengthening its collaboration with the GFCCP to provide targeted economic support. This position will enhance the GEP’s capacity to deliver quality outcomes within that collaboration.
Overall responsibility
The Programme Officer will provide technical capacity and expertise on environmental economics with a special emphasis on Forest Landscape Restoration, with an initial, but not exclusive, focus on:
• Developing the economic components of the methodology to undertake national and sub-national assessments of restoration potential;
• Developing sub-national, national and global economic analysis for Forest Landscape Restoration.
In doing so, the Programme Officer will be expected to maintain close working relations with the GFCCP team, especially senior thematic advisors, to ensure synergies are made between GFCCP / GEP projects and other initiatives, and that lessons learnt and outcomes are integrated into the programme’s policy and knowledge work.
Specific responsibilities
A. Global Economics Programme
• Provide technical assistance and research on various topics at the intersection of economics, development, policy and the environment.
• Apply economic tools and analysis (including ecosystem valuation, cost benefit analysis, opportunity cost analysis) to inform decision-making in a variety of contexts e.g. conservation and restoration, land use change, poverty alleviation, etc.
• Develop and evaluate economic incentives and financing mechanism for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, such as payments for ecosystem services, carbon and biodiversity offsets, certification and fiscal instruments.
B. Forest Landscape Restoration
• Design, implement and continuously write up an approach for economic appraisal, including carbon mitigation potential and the packaging of landscape restoration as an economic/investment opportunity, within national and sub-national assessments of restoration potential.
• Participate in national assessment processes, providing economics expertise and ensuring that all of the steps and key content of the full assessment methodology are captured.
• Further develop the economic framework and study reference for the KNOW-FOR programme.
• Further develop the study on the degree to which different forms of restoration affect carbon sequestration for the KNOW-FOR programme.
• Further develop the global economic analysis of forest landscape restoration.
C. Nature-based solutions
• Contribute to the development of flagship knowledge products, particularly the Human Dependence on Nature Framework.
D. Other
• Provide support to key partners, such as World Resources Institute (WRI), as agreed.
• Work based on a detailed six month work plan as agreed with GEP and GFCCP.
• Participate in weekly calls between GEP and GFCCP to update on progress on assigned tasks and related issues.
• Be available for significant travel to project countries, with up to 100 days per year.
Salary:
Annual gross salary starting from USD 60,000 per year, commensurate with experience, education level, and position responsibilities. IUCN offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Requirements
• Masters Degree in a relevant discipline (agricultural or natural resource economics, natural resource management, environment or climate change);
• A demonstrated experience and understanding of Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) economics and national FLR assessments, including current assessment methodologies;
• A demonstrated experience and understanding of FLR implementation and policies at national and international level;
• At least 3-5 years of relevant professional work experience including field experience in Africa, Asia or Latin America;
• Ability to work effectively within a large decentralized workforce of professionals of different nationalities and to mobilize it towards common goals;
• Organizational experience, including a proven ability to work on a variety of tasks simultaneously, and to perform well under pressure;
• Proven ability to work in an interdisciplinary organization, both independently and in a team setting;
• Fluent English. Knowledge of Spanish and/or French is an asset;
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, especially within multi-stakeholder contexts;
• Good knowledge of web-based and information technology (GIS systems);
• Effective communicator to a wide range of audiences;
• Well developed writing skills;
• Available for significant travel.
How to apply:
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by going to https://hrms.iucn.org/iresy/index.cfm?event=vac.show&vacId=627
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST).
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: http://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
