The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent Canadian think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our staff of more than 230 people come from across the globe and are engaged in work that affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

IISD’s Resilience Program is a multidisciplinary team of policy researchers and project managers who work with governments, civil society, communities, and businesses to help them manage climate- and conflict-related risks. Its work focuses on planning, people, and nature—preparing for a different or uncertain future, making sure different genders and social groups influence and benefit from investments in resilience, and harnessing the role of ecosystems to help communities manage risks. The Resilience Program undertakes this work in countries around the world.

The Position

The policy advisor will support the Resilience team’s work related to climate change adaptation in the Global South. In collaboration with other members of the Resilience team, the successful candidate will:

• Design, conduct, analyze, and present policy research.

• Lead and support projects’ design, development, implementation, and reporting.
• Work with country partners, including governments, civil society organizations, and academia in the Global South.

• Contribute to outreach, engagement, and fundraising activities of the Resilience Program.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate’s key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to the following areas, with an estimated general indication of time allocation:

Research (~45%)

• Lead and support the delivery of the primary and secondary research required for the successful completion of projects, working with other team members, partners, and contractors as required.
• Deliver research and other project outputs to the required standard, including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports.

• Participate in public panels and discussions to directly communicate advice drawn from completed research to decision-makers and practitioners.
• Follow issues, news, and events pertaining to climate change adaptation at the national and international levels.
• Support the development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the Resilience Program’s research strategy.

Project coordination and implementation (~25%)

• Plan and organize the delivery of key activities and oversee day-to-day operations related to ongoing projects in collaboration with IISD staff and consultants, as well as partners in government, civil society, and non-governmental organizations.
• Convene, facilitate, and contribute to virtual and face-to-face workshops, meetings, and other events of various sizes.
• Contribute to the preparation of narrative and financial reports to funders.
• Recruit and oversee locally engaged and international contractors, working in close collaboration with IISD project managers.
• Provide updates internally and externally about project progress, potential barriers, and proposed solutions.

Communications (~15%)

• Work with members of the Resilience Program’s communications team to ensure the development of relevant materials to communicate key messages and findings to specific audiences.

• Share research and project results through in-person and virtual forums, workshops, conferences, and other events, as well as via social media.

• Represent the Resilience Program at national and international forums.

Engagement and networking (~10%)

• Establish and actively maintain a network of individuals working on climate change adaptation in areas that align with the focus and objectives of the Resilience Program.
• Liaise with governments, regional bodies, and civil society organizations that collaborate with the Resilience Program.

Business Development (~5%)

• Support other IISD personnel with the development of new project ideas and proposals on climate change adaptation, including their conceptual framing and methodology.

• Identify business development opportunities that will build on the program’s existing work or enable the exploration of new ideas.

Experience

The experience and qualifications listed below indicate what is needed to succeed in the position. We understand that candidates may not have all the experience and qualifications identified. If you possess 75% or more of the qualifications listed as “Essential,” then we encourage you to apply.

Please note that our Resilience team works across multiple time zones. We are looking for someone with a “can-do” work attitude who can work autonomously while proactively engaging with other team members.

Qualifications (Essential)

• A master’s degree or equivalent in international development, political science, human geography, environmental economics, or another similar area.
• Availability to periodically travel internationally.

• Must be currently eligible to work in Switzerland.

Experience and knowledge (Essential):

• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience in climate change adaptation policy research and project implementation.
  • Desirable: Specific experience or knowledge related to national adaptation plan processes, climate change adaptation and trade policy linkages, behavioural change, and/or climate change and security.
• Understanding of and practical experience in climate change adaptation, particularly in the Global South.
  • Desirable: Relevant experience in sub-Saharan Africa and/or Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of—and experience applying—tools and approaches for integrating climate change adaptation in policies, projects, and programs.
• Knowledge of international development and experience working in developing countries.

Skills (Essential)

• Strong research and analytical skills and the ability to become familiar with new topics quickly.
• Strong coordination skills with an ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and liaise with multiple stakeholders.

• Confident and engaging written and oral communication skills; ability to synthesize information in plain language and tailor communications approaches to different audiences via different platforms.

• Strong analytical capacity and interpersonal and networking skills.

• Fluent in English.
  • Desirable: The ability to work in French or Spanish is a strong asset.

Behavioural competencies (Essential)

• Results-focused; able to work quickly and accurately to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of the results.
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work comfortably across different cultures and be inclusive, positive, and a good communicator.
• Curious and committed to learning and working to understand the people, concepts, and issues that drive our work. Asks questions and seeks answers.

Location:  Geneva

Term: Full-time/indefinite

Salary: CHF 91,500 - 98,000 (based on experience)

Start date: ASAP

Closing date: July 24, 2023

All submissions must be in English.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR.

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A one-page letter of motivation

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Switzerland.

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted.  Resumes will be kept on file for one year.