WWF DANUBE-CARPATHIAN PROGRAMME, VIENNA POSITION DESCRIPTION

Transcription

1 WWF DANUBE-CARPATHIAN PROGRAMME, VIENNA POSITION DESCRIPTION Position Title: Reports to: Supervises: WWF DCP Senior Policy Officer / Campaigner Freshwater Team Leader, DCPO Consultants and if needed other policy / campaign staff temporarily employed according to project activities. The Senior Policy Officer works in the most international river basin on the globe and in one of the world s most valuable freshwater biodiversity regions. S/he ensures the continuation and further development of WWF policy and campaign activities throughout the entire Danube basin and with key international and European institutions, e.g. the European Parliament (EP), European Commission (EC) and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). S/he influences ecologically sound implementation of European and national environmental legislation. I. Major Functions: S/he coordinates WWF s Policy and Campaign work on integrated river basin management within the entire Danube basin, focusing on the successful implementation of the European Water Framework Directive, climate change adaptation, floodplain/wetland restoration, inland navigation, protection of Danube sturgeon, and water stewardship programmes. S/he coordinates the visioning process, development, funding and implementation of WWF s Policy and Campaign Programme in the Danube basin and establishes a network for European Policy Works through interaction with WWF DCPO offices in Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine, other national WWF offices (e.g. in Germany, Austria and Hungary), with WWF s European Policy office in Brussels and, external partners and donor organizations. S/he ensures that capacity and resources exist and are successful in delivering results and monitoring the impact of WWF s policy and campaign activities along the Danube.

2 II. Major Duties and Responsibilities 1. Strategic leadership, coordination and management of WWF s policy /campaign work in the Danube River Basin: - Works with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader, and the Head of Communications to ensure successful continuation of WWF s policy work and to identify priorities for future policy and campaign activities. - Produces annual work plans to be submitted to and agreed with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader, Head of Communication, and Head of Finance. - Manages DCPO policy / campaign projects (project planning, design & budgets, project implementation, monitoring & evaluation) and provides regular project information to the communication and finance team. - Coordinates subcontracting parties. - Provides high quality donor reports according to donor s timetable to be submitted to and agreed with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader and Head of Communication, and the finance team. - Develops new policy /campaign proposals for the DCPO to be submitted to and agreed with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader and Head of Communication, and the finance team. - Fundraises for approved projects in coordination with WWF DCPO, WWF National Organizations, and appropriate units at WWF International. - Identifies new sources of funding and pursues relationships with new donors. - Communicates project success within the DCPO family, WWF network and externally. 2. Policy lobby work: - Represents WWF in regular ICPDR meetings and - if needed - in meetings of the European Parliament, European Commission and national expert or working groups meetings. Represents WWF particularly in ICPDR meetings: The Ordinary Meeting (OM), The Standing Working Group (StWG), the River Basin Management Expert Group (RBM EG), the Sturgeon Task Group, the Task Group on Hydromorphology and the Task Group on Economics.

3 - Lobbies for WWF s conservation goals and targets as the official WWF observer at different ICPDR meetings: provides a regular analysis of important background and meeting documents, produces minutes of the expert or working group meetings and shares this information with DCP and European freshwater teams. Coordinates European freshwater activities related with the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in close cooperation with WWF s European Policy Office (EPO). - Cooperates, whenever possible, and opposes, whenever needed, European and national governments and authorities to support WWF conservation goals on successful implementation of the European Water Framework Directive, on sustainable climate change adaptation in the Danube basin, on improved floodplain and wetland protection and restoration, on sustainable inland navigation, on the protection of Danube sturgeon, and on water stewardship issues. - Drafts a yearly work plan to build up a WWF based platform for European Water Policy work to influence European and national policy issues related with freshwater activities in the Danube region and agree on priorities with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader, and Head of Communication. - Maintains this network of key stakeholders (national and regional governments & authorities, private business, relevant NGOs, individuals). - Identifies necessary actions which are required to secure partnerships with relevant internal and external stakeholders. - Ensures close contact with the WWF European Policy Office and is updated about European regulatory impacts for the Danube River Basin. - Lobby for an environmentally sound implementation of European legislation related to relevant freshwater issues (e.g. WFD, TEN-T, NAIADES) and crosscutting issues (CAP reform, Flood Directive, landuse planning). - Provides regular updates on progress of the Danube lobby work for distribution to internal stakeholders. - Monitors the impact of WWF s policy activities along the Danube - Communicates project success within the DCPO family, WWF network and externally.

4 2. Campaign activities - Drafts a yearly work plan to run Danube-wide and water related campaigns in close cooperation with national WWF offices along the Danube (WWF Germany, WWF Austria, WWF Hungary) and with other key stakeholders, and agrees on priorities with the DCPO Director, Freshwater Team Leader, and Head of Communication. - Builds up and maintains a network of key partners (e.g. national/regional governments & authorities, private business, relevant NGOs, individuals) to run campaigns (on floodplain/wetland restoration, sustainable navigation, sturgeon, water scarcities, floods etc.) - Identifies necessary actions which are required to secure partnerships with relevant internal and external stakeholders. - Identifies funding sources and prepares projects proposals to ensure the capacity and resources to run campaigns and deliver results. - Monitors the impact of WWF s campaign activities along the Danube. - Communicates project success within the DCPO family, WWF network and externally. III. Supervisory Responsibilities: 1. Supervises consultants working under WWF s Danube policy and campaign projects. 2. If needed and related to annual work plans: Supervises project assistants and project managers working under the WWF s Danube policy and campaign projects. IV. Working Relationships: 1. WWF Internal: The Senior Policy Officer / Campaigner will report directly to the Freshwater Team Leader. He/she will work very closely and maintain excellent communication with the Head of Communication and with the Policy Officer at WWF s European Policy Office. Close contact with important WWF National Offices are essential concerning basin-wide activities or when required by project donors.

5 2. External: Good and personal contact with key policy stakeholders (i.e. with representatives of the ICPDR secretariat) are essential to continue WWF s successful policy work and to develop synergy and linkages. All external contacts have to be very well coordinated and communicated with relevant contact persons within the WWF network, at least with the Freshwater Team Leader, national Freshwater Officers in Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine, with the Heads of Freshwater of WWF Germany, WWF Austria, and WWF Hungary, and with the EPO Policy Officer (when Brussels related issues are involved). The Senior Policy Officer / Campaigner will work with international and national governments and authorities and key stakeholders (DEF, science, private business, etc). S/he reports back regularly about important contacts to the Freshwater Team Leader and to the Head of Communication (weekly basis). V. Qualifications Required 1. Knowledge: A graduate degree in environmental science, natural resources management, environmental policy, environmental law, environmental economics, or related field, preferably within freshwater ecology. A sound knowledge of relevant international, European, and national conventions, regulatory frameworks, and funding sources relevant for freshwater conservation and management, i.e. the EU Water Framework Directive, TEN-T, NAIADES, cross cutting issues like CAP reform, Flood Directive, landuse planning and related EU funding mechanisms. Sound technical understanding of river ecology and floodplain related conservation issues is essential. 2. Experience: At least five years of experience in water related policy work, freshwater ecology, natural resources management, or a related field. Experience should include demonstrated success in policy and/or campaign work or in managing complex conservation projects. A proven record as a lobbyist with sound technical and exceptional communication skills, social skills, and adaptive, flexible capacity for intensive travel is also required. Account management of large scale funding with multiple donors a distinct advantage. Direct monitoring and evaluation experience is also a distinct advantage. 3. Skills and Abilities: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English is a prerequisite, sound German language skills would be a strong selection criterion and the knowledge of any other language of the Danube basin would be an asset. A valid working permit for EU countries desirable. Strong commitment to the mission, goals, and values of WWF is critical. Excellent team player skills are essential. Good working knowledge of computers and familiarity with the use of electronic media.

6 Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people of diverse cultures is essential. VI. Location: The position will be based in Vienna, Austria. It will involve coordination with, and travel to, countries within the Danube catchment and other places in Europe. Regular meetings with other DCPO offices in Bucharest, Sofia and Odessa are essential and require frequent travel. VII. WWF's Mission and Values: 1. It is part of every staff member's terms of reference to contribute to WWF's mission. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: - conserving the world's biological diversity - ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable - reducing pollution and wasteful consumption. 2. It is also part of every staff member's terms of reference to embody WWF's values, which are: Passionate & Optimistic, Challenging & Inspiring, Credible & Accountable, Persevering & Delivering Results. Prepared by Supervisor: Date: Accepted by Departmental Director: Date: Accepted by Staff member: Date: