Natural Sciences Liaison Officer

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Position Title: Natural Sciences Liaison Officer
Location: Brussels
Country: Belgium
Deadline Date: 19-NOV-2024

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established in 1945 with the mission to contribute to peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. UNESCO operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. The organization focuses on fostering dialogue among civilizations, cultures, and peoples, based on respect for commonly shared values. Its work encompasses a wide range of areas including education, natural sciences, social sciences, culture, communication, and information.

Job Overview:
The Natural Sciences Liaison Officer will play a pivotal role in enhancing UNESCO's collaboration with the European Union (EU) in the domain of natural sciences. This position involves engaging with EU institutions to promote UNESCO's initiatives in areas such as Science Diplomacy, Freshwater, Biodiversity, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), Open Science, and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy. The incumbent will be responsible for fostering policy dialogue, identifying partnership opportunities, facilitating project implementation, and coordinating outreach and advocacy efforts. The role requires a proactive approach to monitoring policy developments and providing strategic advice to stakeholders, ensuring alignment with international goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. The officer will also contribute to interdisciplinary approaches and collaborate with various teams within UNESCO to enhance the organization's impact in the natural sciences sector.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute to policy dialogue between UNESCO and the EU by monitoring relevant developments and providing strategic advice on policy alignment with international goals.
• Identify and monitor cooperation opportunities with the EU in natural sciences, facilitating partnership negotiations and contributing to the formulation of extrabudgetary programmes.
• Facilitate the implementation of EU-funded projects by ensuring effective liaison between EU counterparts and UNESCO's teams.
• Design and coordinate outreach and advocacy events in Brussels to promote UNESCO's natural sciences activities.
• Foster interaction between the EU and UNESCO's scientific networks to enhance knowledge-sharing and cooperation.
• Contribute to the development of interdisciplinary approaches in UNESCO’s partnership with the EU and participate in relevant UN working groups.
• Prepare inputs for Programme and Budget documents and cooperate with other Programme Sectors to report on UNESCO's activities.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced University degree (Master's or equivalent) in natural sciences or engineering.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in natural sciences, with at least 2 years at the international level.
• Professional experience in international scientific cooperation, including programme and project development.
• Working knowledge of EU institutions and experience in fundraising and resource mobilization for international science programmes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to advocate for UNESCO’s priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Environment, Ecology, Hydrology, Earth Sciences, or Basic Sciences. A Ph.D. degree or equivalent in these fields is considered desirable.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of four years of progressively responsible and relevant professional experience in the field of natural sciences. This experience should include at least two years acquired at the international level, demonstrating a strong background in international scientific cooperation and project development.

Languages:
Excellent knowledge of English is mandatory. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is a fixed-term contract for a duration of 2 years, with the possibility of renewal. The role is open to both internal and external candidates. The approximate annual starting salary for this position is 97,528 USD, and benefits may include 30 days of annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, and a pension plan. UNESCO emphasizes the importance of diversity and encourages applications from under-represented groups, including individuals from minority and indigenous groups, as well as persons with disabilities.