The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Through its unique membership of governments and civil society organisations, IUCN provides knowledge, standards and policy guidance that support effective conservation and sustainable development.
ORO works with IUCN Oceania’s Members, Constituents and partners -- including governments, regional organisations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, civil society and development partners -- to support biodiversity and area-based conservation, ecosystem resilience and sustainable livelihoods in the region.
The position contributes directly to the ORO’s delivery of the IUCN Programme 2026–2029, supporting biodiversity conservation and effective area-based conservation across marine, coastal, island, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. An immediate major component of the role is to coordinate implementation of the multi-country project Communities, Local Outcomes and Regional Science (COLOURS), funded by the European Commission and in partnership with regional and national institutions.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Regional Coordinator leads the development and implementation of ORO’s portfolio on biodiversity conservation and effective area-based conservation for the region’s priority critical ecosystems.

The position provides strategic technical leadership, supports programme development and partnerships, and ensures the effective implementation of regional projects. The role promotes the application of IUCN knowledge products and standards and strengthens regional collaboration and capacity building on biodiversity and area-based conservation. He/she enables ORO to provide policy and technical advice to Members and stakeholders of key multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), particularly the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF).

The Regional Coordinator serves as ORO focal person for the: i) Asia-Oceania Regional Hub programme team, ii) Centre for Conservation Action (CCA) and other relevant IUCN global programmes, and iii) IUCN Commissions as assigned.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

1. Programme leadership
• Lead the development and implementation of IUCN Oceania’s programme agenda and portfolio for biodiversity conservation and area-based conservation portfolio across marine, coastal, island, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
• Provide strategic advice to the Regional Director and programme teams on biodiversity conservation, governance of protected and conserved areas and conservation policy.
• Coordinate and support the expansion and implementation of IUCN Green List Standard for Protected and Conserved Areas, and tools such as METT, OECM implementation, and othersfor Oceania. [SW1.1] Docusign Envelope ID: 1C8DF30A-170B-420F-A737-C9008652398F
• Engage within region to provide strategic advice and capacity building on the UNESCO World Heritage Programme, in view of IUCN’s advisory role to UNESCO.
• Ensure ORO programme agenda’s alignment with and contribution to the IUCN Programme 2026–2029 covering key transformational areas, target outputs and catalytic roles relevant to the region.
• Serve as the focal point for collaboration between the Oceania Regional Office and relevant global programmes of IUCN, including the Centre for Conservation Action (CCA).
• Serve as ORO focal person for collaboration with IUCN Secretariat’s key global and inter-regional units, and with Commissions and other Union Constituents.
2. Portfolio management
• Provide overall management of assigned project portfolio’s operational efficiency, technical quality assurance, and compliance with IUCN and donor requirements.
• Ensure effective portfolio planning, monitoring, reporting and adaptive management.
• Coordinate development of grant-project proposals and resource mobilisation initiatives.
• Provide technical input to ORO’s general portfolio throughout the project cycle, including for multilateral finance and novel funding schemes.
• Identify and develop sustainable financing options for priority biodiversity programmes and partnerships in the region such as the Coral Triangle
• Supervise team of assigned project managers, staff and consultants.
3. Project oversight and implementation
• Lead priority project implementation and coordination in the Pacific region.
• Support COLOURS project in i) establishment and operation of a regional collaborative Centre of Excellence for biodiversity conservation, and ii) enhancement of regional knowledge platforms and information systems on biodiversity and protected and conserved areas.
• Facilitate activities for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ inclusion related to rights-based approaches, community-centred conservation governance, and traditional customary resource-use arrangements.
• Ensure effective project management, delivery of outputs and reporting to the global project team and donor.
4. Policy engagement and partnership development
• Facilitate ORO’s technical and policy guidance to members, governments, regional organisations, Oceania CBD Subregional TSC Centre and IUCN Constituents on biodiversity conservation and effective area-based conservation; support regional engagement in MEAs and other global biodiversity policy processes.
• Promote the use of IUCN standards, tools and knowledge products among the key policy, programme and investment decision-makers in the region.
• Identify and develop partnerships and programme opportunities that strengthen IUCN’s strategic positioning as trusted technical partner on biodiversity conservation in the region.
• Represent ORO in multi-stakeholder partnership platforms, and events and contribute to external communication and advocacy initiatives.
• Strengthen and maintain strategic partnership engagement with the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI-CFF) and related regional platforms, including identifying opportunities for joint programming, technical collaboration, knowledge exchange and policy alignment relevant to Oceania.
• Other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Regional Director.