Details

Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the 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.
UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental au-thority 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. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Ecosystems Division is supports countries in conserving, restoring and sustainably managing their terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the biodiversity they contain and the products and services they provide for human well-being and prosperity. It addresses the environmental causes and consequences of disasters and conflicts. It helps countries reduce pollution from land-based activities, increase resilience to climate change and reflect linkages between poverty and the environment in their development planning. The position is located in the Ecosystems Division of UNEP under Ecosystems Integration Branch, Regional Seas Unit.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of Programme Management Officer, Regional Seas Unit, Ecosystems Integration Branch, Ecosystems Division the International UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
Programme Management support – 70%
•Support the Project Manager for the Regional Seas Coordination Project to monitor progress on implementation and to perform regular progress reporting in the Integrated Planning, Management and Reporting (IPMR) solution.
•Support to keep track of correspondences, reporting requests, briefing notes and various written inputs on topical issues, missions, meetings, and events including on-going global processes such as the Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee on Plastics, marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), Intergovernmental Panel on Chemicals and Waste, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, etc.
•Support implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Regional Seas Strategic Directions 2022- 2025, and the RSP Coordination project.
•Assist in facilitating exchanges and information sharing of experiences between the UNEP administered Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans and the non-UNEP administered Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans,
•Contributes to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g., draft background pa-pers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
•Support to organize meetings, trainings, and conferences of the Ecosystems Integration Branch such as proposing agenda topics, identifying and proposed participants, preparing meeting documents and presentations, handling logistics, etc.
•Assist to compile input for the Division Director’s reports from UNEP-administered Regional Seas Programme, including providing relevant updates on time.
Communication support 30%
•Support to develop a communication strategy for the Regional Seas Programme.
•Assist to draft web stories, policy briefs, news articles, social media messages.
•Compile news articles and disseminate the Regional Seas Programme weekly newsletter.
•Regularly update the Regional Seas website and produce any communication material that is decided upon.
•Support to liaise on outreach and advocacy activities within the Ecosystems Integration Branch, Marine and Freshwater Branch and Communications Division on marine and coastal related issues.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
•Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
•Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
•Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
•Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
•Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
•Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.