Hi marmam friends,

Below please find a posting for the latest IUCN opening for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer. Please note that this position is based in the US office in Washington DC and that the original deadline has only been been extended to June 25th 2007.

Contact Debbie Good for further information or to submit your application (dgood@iucnus.org).


Kind regards,

Jen

Jennifer L. Palmer
Marine Program Officer, Global Marine Program
IUCN - The World Conservation Union
1630 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC  20009-1053
Tel: 202.518.2070
Fax: 202.387.4823
Email: jpalmer@iucnus.org

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http://www.iucn.org/en/about/vacancies/2007_06_wcpa_marine_dc.pdf

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Position: Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer, IUCN World Commission
on Protected Areas – Marine (WCPA-Marine)

Location IUCN-USA Multilateral Office, Washington, D.C.;

Duration: 2 years fixed term, with possibility of extension

Reporting to: WCPA-Marine Vice Chair on technical issues, Executive Director, USA
Multilateral Office, on administrative issues.

Background
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and through the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), the nations of the world set a goal of establishing a global system
of effective marine protected area (MPA) networks by 2012. Many countries have made
specific commitments to expand their marine areas under effective management and to
establish networks of MPAs. Major international non-governmental conservation
organizations have committed to assist nations in achieving their targets. But much more
needs to be done to translate these commitments into more and better managed MPA
networks.
WCPA – Marine is the world's premier network of Marine Protected Area (MPA) expertise. Its
mission is to promote the establishment of a global, representative system of effectively
managed and lasting networks of MPAs. WCPA-Marine works in partnership with other
programs and Commissions within IUCN, IUCN members, and a wide range of partners in
many of the countries of the world that border an ocean or sea.
WCPA-Marine provides a framework within which both nations and NGOs, and individuals,
can contribute their expertise and capacity to accelerate progress toward meeting the global
2012 goal. WCPA-Marine has recently agreed on a Plan of Action that includes a number of
specific activities on which it will focus its efforts over the next several years, with a focus on
ramping up global efforts to meet 2012 MPA targets.
To help accelerate this global effort, Conservation International, IUCN – The World
Conservation Union, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund (US) have agreed
jointly to support a Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer.
Scope of Work:
1. Support the implementation of country commitments to create and expand MPAs and
MPA networks by 2012 by catalyzing inputs by the 4 organizations—and other members of
the DC-based marine community (DCMC)—to the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action.
2. Develop and maintain a system for countries, NGOs and donors to track progress
towards achieving the 2012 goals by advancing the implementation of specific aspects of the
WCPA-Marine Plan of Action, e.g. web portal.
3. Raise awareness of progress and remaining challenges to meeting 2012 goals by
coordinating the inputs of the 4 organizations and the wider DCMC into key international
events over the next 2 years that have the potential to recognize and motivate governments
and their partners to accelerate and finance actions on the ground to create, expand, and
better manage MPA networks. These events include the 9th CBD Conference of the Parties
(COP9, June 2008), the World Parks Congress + 5 (2008), the 4th IUCN World Conservation
Congress (October 2008), and the proposed 2nd International MPA Congress (IMPAC2,
March 2009).

Specific Tasks
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with marine and policy leaders and staff
within the 4 organizations with a view to identifying, promoting, and coordinating
mutually-beneficial contributions to WCPA-Marine Plan of Action activities, and synergies
among the partner organizations’ work to help countries progress toward the 2012 marine
protected areas goal;
• Work closely with WCPA-Marine members and lead organizations/individuals for specific
activities within the Plan of Action to facilitate the delivery of specific outputs. This would
likely include improving and making more regularly accessible data on MPA coverage
and remaining gaps, and coordinating inputs to a joint web portal on MPA tools,
guidelines and case studies;
• Develop—in close collaboration with WCPA-Marine and the 4 organizations—and
coordinate the implementation of a strategic plan for highlighting successes and
challenges of developing MPA networks at key international events, with a view to using
these as platforms for encouraging and supporting strong commitments by countries,
NGOs, donor organizations, and others;
• Work closely with the WCPA-Marine Vice Chair and marine staff from the 4 organizations
on a regular basis to serve as a focal point for WCPA-Marine MPA-related work in the
United States, primarily in the DC area;
• Develop and maintain a tracking system of commitments from US-based organizations
and individuals to the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action;
• Assist in US-based fundraising efforts to support the implementation of the WCPA-Marine
Plan of Action; and
• Develop and implement annual work plans, in line with the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action,
and in close collaboration with WCPA-Marine and the four organizations, and organize
and facilitate, every six months, a meeting of the four partners to assess progress in
implementing this plan.
Skills and qualifications
  A master’s degree in marine science, public policy, international development or
related field.
  A minimum of five years of relevant work experience; experience in the Washington,
D.C. area, overseas, and on MPA issues highly desirable.
  Strong interpersonal skills and a proven track record of effective collaboration among
NGOs and between NGOs and government agencies.
  A strong aptitude and ability to communicate both informally (interpersonal skills) and
formally (presentations).
  Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  Basic IT skills required and skills in web-based communication an advantage.
  Experience working in a cross-cultural environment.
  An ability to work to tight deadlines
  Fluent in English, and proficiency in Spanish or French a plus.

Interested persons should forward their curriculum vitae with the contact details of 3
references and a motivation letter to Debbie Good, IUCN-USA (dgood@iucnus.org) no later
than June 11, 2007.

Important note: the position of Marine Program Officer advertised recently has been filled.
The unsuccessful applications for that position will not be automatically considered for this
new MPA Coordination Officer position. All interested persons must apply specifically to this
position.
The deadline for receipt of applications for this position has been extended until
June 25, 2007