Senior Coordination Officer - UNEP Regional Seas Programme

About the role

The UNEP Regional Seas Programme, which unites 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans covering 146 countries, is recruiting a Senior Coordination Officer for the Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP-CAR/RCU) in Kingston, Jamaica. The unit is the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention, the first legally binding framework for the Wider Caribbean Region. The post is internationally recruited, under the direct supervision of the Chief of Regional Seas Branch, and reports to the United Nations Secretariat.

Key responsibilities

• Act as UNEP's focal point for the Caribbean Environment Programme and coordinate the activities of the CAR/RCU and the Cartagena Convention Secretariat, in line with the Convention, its Protocols and the Conference of the Parties decisions.
• Coordinate and supervise the preparation of meetings of the Contracting Parties, analyse COP decisions and turn them into action plans.
• Liaise with Parties, governments, donors, international organisations and institutions, and coordinate the CAR/RCU with the Regional Activity Centres.
• Coordinate host country relations with the Government of Jamaica and take part in UN Country Team meetings as required.
• Support the Regional Seas Programme and link the Cartagena Convention with other Regional Seas Conventions, multilateral environmental agreements and UNEP's marine and freshwater work.
• Supervise the administration of CAR/RCU, manage finances, guide Parties in their contributions to the Caribbean Trust Fund and facilitate fundraising strategies.
• Ensure effective delivery of GEF-funded projects and other subregional projects, and implement gender mainstreaming guidelines.
• Lead team members in collecting and analysing data so that trends can inform planning, decision-making and reporting.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in business administration, environmental management, environmental law and policy, development or a related field; a first-level degree plus two years of qualifying experience may be accepted instead.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in planning, implementing and managing marine and coastal programmes, policies and initiatives at national, regional or international level.
• At least five years in intergovernmental processes, including negotiations, governing bodies and conferences of the parties.
• At least five years managing large marine environment programmes and projects.
• At least three years in resource mobilisation.
• English and Spanish at UN Level III reading and writing, UN Level II listening and speaking.

Required skills

• Desirable: successful completion of a data analytics, business analytics or data science programme.
• Desirable: experience in data analytics or a related area.