The Programme Assistant, Conservation Action is part of the Species Conservation Action (SCA) Unit within the IUCN Global Species Programme. The SCA Unit facilitates species conservation action through the provision of resources, and advice based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and other knowledge products such as Key Biodiversity Areas. The SCA Unit engages closely with the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) in all aspects of the work.
The SCA Unit has established grant making initiatives such as Save Our Species (SOS), a Programme to improve the conservation status of globally threatened species, and a dedicated initiative focusing on tiger habitats. These initiatives support species conservation action on the ground by providing grants for conservation of threatened species globally. SOS activities and investments are guided by species conservation priorities identified through the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and IUCN SSC Species Conservation Plans. By strategically focusing on species conservation priorities identified by the SSC and by providing rapid action funding that can be mobilised quickly during crises, IUCN provides critically-needed resources where and when they matter most.
These grant making initiatives are executed through IUCN, with a secretariat in the IUCN Global Species Programme. The Head of Species Conservation Action oversees the management of grant making initiatives.
The Programme Assistant, Conservation Action, will play a key role in supporting the daily management of the SCA initiatives, in particular the overall smooth running of the SOS Secretariat. The position requires good communication as well as excellent organisation to ensure that the projects are implemented and managed according to best practices.
The Programme Assistant will liaise with the rest of the Conservation Action team, in particular with the Species Conservation Grants Coordinator, and other relevant staff at IUCN Headquarters as well as with grantees.

1. Support Coordinators of grant making initiatives with project tracking and facilitate provision of regular updates on status of project and sub-project budgets. The position will initially focus on supporting SOS and may evolve to cover the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme and possible new initiatives;
2. Conduct third party screening of potential grantees;
3. Monitor project and sub-project budgets to keep track of resource utilisation rates in collaboration with the Global Programme Operations Unit (GPOU);
4. Liaise with GPOU to ensure timely and efficient processing of routine payments, grant and consultant contracts, expense claims, audits and financial reports;
5. Support procurement of goods and services for the team ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures;
6. Enter information and ensure the maintenance of the different project databases; liaise with grantees as and when necessary; run analytic extracts as requested;
7. Support all phases of the different calls for proposals launched under the re-granting initiatives (including preparation of documents and templates, support during applications’ process, filing of applications, review of applications, complete applicants risk assessments, ensure efficient and timely sign-off of grant agreements);
8. Liaise with external reviewers and technical advisors during the review process of applications;
9. Provide clerical services and organise meetings and travel for the team members when required;
10. Carry out other tasks as reasonably required by the Head of Species Conservation Action and the Species Conservation Grants Coordinator.