Ramsar Convention Secretariat Secretary General

Expected start date:	15 July 2013
Type of contract:	Max-term (until 14 July 2016)
Closing date:	15 January 2013

BACKGROUND

The Secretary General position is funded from the Convention’s core budget. He/she is answerable to the Standing Committee of the Convention and ultimately to the Conference of the Parties. The position is currently occupied by Mr Anada Tiéga, whose contract finishes in July 2013.

The schedule for the selection process is as follows:

15 January 2013: deadline for applications;
March 2013: calls for interview of shortlisted candidates;
April 2013: interviews immediately prior to the 46th meeting of the Ramsar Standing Committee (8-12 April), followed by Standing Committee selection at its meeting of the new Secretary General.

Letters of motivation must be written in English.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

The Convention on Wetlands is fully recognized by the international community as an intergovernmental agreement and its Secretariat is administered by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Secretariat shares the premises provided by the Government of Switzerland to both IUCN and the Convention, located in Gland. The Ramsar Secretariat is under the authority of the Standing Committee of the Convention and ultimately of its Conference of the Parties.

Legally, Ramsar Secretariat staff, including the Secretary General, are IUCN employees and their contracts are governed by the IUCN Global Human Resources Policy, Expatriate Policy, the Conditions of Service for Switzerland, and Swiss labour law. IUCN does not have the status of an intergovernmental organization under a host country agreement in Switzerland: consequently, IUCN must obtain a Swiss work permit for non-Swiss staff. IUCN and Ramsar staff do not have diplomatic immunity or international civil servant (UN) status.

The incumbent will be offered an initial three-year contract, subject to a three-month probation period.

This position is graded at level S in the IUCN Position Evaluation System. Depending upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate, the remuneration will be a gross salary between CHF184,800 and a maximum of CHF231,000 per annum before withholding tax and deductions for statutory social security schemes in Switzerland.

A competitive salary and benefits package is offered, including full accident insurance and a fixed contribution for health insurance (for the staff member only, not his/her family); a salary entitlement in case of illness or accident; a family allowance if applicable.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Secretary General is the most senior position in the 22-member Ramsar Convention Secretariat which was established pursuant to Article 8 of the Convention. The principal responsibilities of the Secretary General are to:

1. Manage and lead the Ramsar Convention with purpose and vision for effective programmes and policies.
2. Represent the Convention in international fora and intergovernmental meetings, conferences and UN processes, and act as the Convention’s principal spokesperson.
3. Ensure all decisions of the Conference of the Parties and the Standing Committee are implemented. Lead the Ramsar Secretariat in implementing those decisions of the Conference of the Parties and the Standing Committee that are the responsibility of the Secretary General/Ramsar Secretariat, and thus lead the development and implementation of the Secretariat’s work programme.
4. Provide strong leadership to the Convention Secretariat in the formulation and execution of annual work plans and priorities, and initiate and supervise the work required to achieve specific results.
5. Lead and execute the preparation of annual meetings of the Standing Committee and the triennial meetings of the Conference of the Parties.
6. Oversee and ensure effective management of the Ramsar Secretariat budget and Secretariat personnel.
7. Lead voluntary fundraising efforts for the stated priorities of the Convention.
8. Provide leadership for the further implementation of the Convention by all Contracting Parties. Drive the collaborative development of the 2015-2021 Strategic Plan for the Convention.
9. Promote and ensure effective cooperation with other entities, including intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations and the private sector, in order to realize the goals of the Convention. Nurture synergies with the Biodiversity Liaison Group and environment-related treaties.

REQUIREMENTS

• Enthusiastic commitment and vision, characterized by:
- A commitment to nature conservation and sustainable use.
- Ability to provide inspiration and strategic direction.

• Proven communication skills, characterized by:
- Ability to negotiate mutually acceptable solutions, especially on sensitive issues, and understand the perspective of Ramsar Contracting Parties, the Standing Committee and Ramsar Partners.
- A clear, inspiring and authoritative speaker with high-level English skills who has the ability to deliver clear messages and retain the attention and interest of any given audience. Ability to make presentations in French and/or Spanish would be a benefit for this post.
- Facility and speed in written English.
- High-level representational skills in an international context.
- Demonstrated openness in sharing information and encouraging dialogue both internally and externally.

• Leadership abilities and experience, maturity and management skills, characterized by:
- Demonstrated ability to manage and lead the work of a Secretariat with diverse skills, personalities, and backgrounds.
- Proven ability to effectively delegate, empower and motivate staff and others.
- Experience in developing teams and individuals and effectively leading improvement and change.
- Demonstrated ability to both plan and take action, keeping the staff focused on priorities.

• Senior management experience, characterized by:
- Demonstrated experience and achievements in organizational, financial and personnel management, and in decision-making.

• Professionalism competencies, characterized by:
- Good understanding of world affairs and experience with the workings of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and governmental and non-governmental institutions.
- Ability and commitment to act in accordance with the core values of integrity, respect for diversity and professionalism as spelled out in IUCN’s Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics.

• Judgement/decision making, characterized by:
- Experience in identifying key issues in a complex situation, and consulting, gathering, and analyzing relevant information before proposing and implementing decisive actions or recommendations.
- Well-organized and logical in thought and action.
- Ability to foresee and manage risk.

• Educational requirement:
Applicants should have a university post-graduate degree or an equivalent combination of experience and education in a subject relevant to wetland conservation and sustainable use, such as geography, biology, hydrology, marine sciences, natural resources management, land-use planning, and socio-economic aspects of sustainable development. In addition, an MBA would be advantageous.

• Experience requirement:
Extensive work experience and evidence of achievements in the area of nature conservation and/or sustainable use issues, and a minimum of ten years' experience in senior positions, are indispensable. Experience and evidence of achievements in the areas of policy development, financial and people management, and programme administration within intergovernmental organizations or government agencies will be an advantage.

• Languages:
The Ramsar Secretariat’s working languages are English, French, and Spanish. The ability to work independently in English is essential and knowledge of at least one of the other two languages will be beneficial. An ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing is essential.

• Travel:
Applicants must be prepared to travel extensively to all parts of the world, noting that the class of travel offered is economy.

• Other requirements:
Applicants need to have a solid awareness and understanding of cultural diversity and gender issues and be committed to incorporate these in the management of the Ramsar Secretariat and in their relations with the Ramsar constituency. Applicants must possess a well-developed, independent working style, be fully computer literate and be able and prepared to perform the duties of the position with limited assistance from support staff.  

SALARY

The gross annual salary for this position is in the range from CHF 184'800 to CHF 231'000, subject to deductions for social security contributions and second-pillar pension, and before tax.

APPLICATIONS

Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.

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/