Wetlands International is the only NGO dedicated to the safeguarding and restoration of wetlands. At the heart of our vision is a plan to demonstrate whole landscape recovery in large wetland landscapes including mangroves, peatlands and freshwater wetlands across the world. These are landscapes which are among the top global biodiversity treasures, but which are also sources of much of the world’s land-based climate emissions and where people are most poor and vulnerable. To make a global difference we seek to inspire and mobilise society to act and to influence levers of change.

We have an exciting and rare opportunity for an Advocacy Officer, Climate. In this role, you will be at the heart of our work to inspire and mobilise society to safeguard and restore wetlands for people and nature.

About our work to reduce climate risk

Urgent action at scale is needed to address the combined challenges of climate change and ecosystem degradation. Healthy ecosystems – particularly wetlands - store vast amounts of carbon in their soils and biomass, but can become a source of emissions upon degradation. Wetlands also buffer climate change and enhance resilience. Despite the potential for nature-based solutions to deliver both the emission reductions and adaptation needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, investment has so far been limited. By helping countries to include wetlands in their NDCs we seek to leverage investments. A further opportunity for landscape recovery is the fast emerging carbon investment funds specifically targeting natural capital. Our new wetland carbon programme comprises a rapidly growing portfolio of projects and programmes, working to reduce climate risks across wetland landscapes all over the world and involving a range of sectors. The work is collaborative, done in and through strategic public and private partnerships and with cutting edge networks such as the Marrakech and NDC Partnerships.

Purpose of the role

The advocacy officer will lead our engagement in climate policy and the related landscape recovery dialogues on nature-based solutions, science-based emission reduction targets, responsible corporate climate action and climate finance. The role will contribute to efforts to strengthen the organization ensuring policy and content coherence and hence a stronger voice. The role sits within the Communications and Advocacy team, operating at a global level and is in close collaboration with the Programme Head Wetland Carbon and colleagues around the world, helping to build capacity where necessary.

Responsibilities and tasks

• Lead climate policy work and act as a focal point for the UNFCCC and NDC Partnership.
• Design and implement advocacy strategy in collaboration with the technical team and partners.
• Identify and advise on key opportunities and moments to influence and engage stakeholders, institutions and relevant actors across landscape restoration.
• Coordinate the regional policy efforts and support our offices in connecting to relevant global forums and policy processes.
• Promote our methodologies, knowledge, cases and examples.
• Participate in relevant strategic partnerships, partner networks, events and international forums.
• Help develop and produce reports and publications, position papers, policy briefings, presentations, write stories and define key messages for use across all channels.
• Participate in the relevant Community of Practice.

Working relations

INSIDE Wetlands International – Global Office and network offices:

Head of Communications and Advocacy, communications and advocacy team; Project Managers, Programme Heads, Heads of Offices and technical staff from network offices, Associate Experts and where appropriate, the CEO and Management Team.

OUTSIDE Wetlands International:

Strategic partners and related conservation and humanitarian organisations, private sector executives, other NGOs in the Netherlands and other countries, government officials and journalists, as well as contracts including designers, writers, editors, press agencies, printers.

Profile

The Advocacy Officer is a policy and stakeholder engagement professional, international in outlook and at home working in alliances in the not-for-profit sector. The ideal candidate will be strategic, pro-active, creative and collaborative, able to work in emerging and quick-changing contexts. They will have a strong track record in climate policy and will have demonstrated effectiveness in influencing coalitions, strategic partnerships and governments.

Education and experience

• Relevant Masters degree e.g. international development, international relations, public policy.
• Min. five years working experience in advocacy or strategic communications in the not-for-profit sector, ideally in conservation, climate change or sustainable development.
• Experience with UNFCCCC, other conventions an advantage e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar, UNCCD.
• Good technical knowledge of either climate change governance or climate finance highly desirable, both a distinct advantage.
• Passionate and skilled advocate or lobbyist.
• Strong writing essential, ideally journalistic skills.
• Familiarity with and willingness to contribute to social media and digital marketing activity
• International experience and outlook, with cultural sensitivity.
• Must be a fluent English speaker. Proficiency in additional languages, especially French, Spanish and Dutch advantageous.
• Must be eligible to work in the Netherlands.

Core competencies

• Influence - Gaining support from and convincing others to advance the objectives of the organization. Designs strategies that position and promote ideas and concepts to stakeholders. Builds coalitions, strategic relationships and networks.
• Communication - Communicates strategically to achieve specific objectives (e.g., considering such aspects as the optimal message to present, timing and forum of communication).
• Planning and Organizing - Develops strategic plans considering short-term requirements as well as long-term direction. Adapts to large, complex and/or frequent changes. Able to get things done under pressure (result oriented), while maintaining oversight and planning.
• Team Leadership - Facilitates collaboration across the organization and with other organizations to achieve a common goal.
• Organizational and Environmental Awareness - Operates successfully in a variety of social, political and cultural environments.

How to apply

To apply for this vacancy, please send us a resume and an application letter indicating your motivation to Jozefa van der Veen, HR Officer hr@wetlands.org. Please mark in the subject: “Application – Advocacy Officer, Climate. Questions about the vacancy and/or procedure can also be sent to this email address.

Deadline for the application is Sunday 9 May 2021.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 24 May 2021.

“Due to the high amount of applications, we can only contact short listed candidates.”