Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Programme Associate
Salary not disclosedPosted 3 weeks ago
Closes in 2 days
About the company
UNESCO is the United Nations agency that promotes peace through international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication. In the Pacific, UNESCO works through its Regional Office for the Pacific States and its Suva presence, supporting member states and partners on ocean knowledge, disaster preparedness and evidence-informed decision-making. The organisation also runs the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), which coordinates ocean science and tsunami preparedness work across the region.
About the role
This role sits within UNESCO's Suva team, supporting IOC-related work across the Pacific, including ocean science, tsunami preparedness and Ocean Decade initiatives. It reports to the UNESCO Programme Specialist responsible for IOC work in the Pacific, in close coordination with the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States and IOC colleagues. The assignment is developmental and includes structured supervision, mentoring and regular feedback, with a workplan, key outputs and learning objectives agreed with the supervisor during the first month. Work involves background research, stakeholder mapping, meeting organisation, documentation, programme monitoring, knowledge management and communication products. The associate will engage with government counterparts, National Commissions, scientific institutions, regional organisations, UN entities, universities and community partners.
Key responsibilities
- Support background research and concise analysis on Pacific Ocean priorities, including ocean observations and data, coastal resilience, ocean-climate linkages, marine hazards, tsunami preparedness, ocean literacy and Ocean Decade initiatives.
- Assist in mapping relevant national and regional stakeholders, initiatives, events, technical resources and potential partnerships related to IOC's mandate in the Pacific.
- Contribute to the organization of meetings, preparation of briefing notes, meeting summaries, presentations, concept notes, talking points, correspondence and other programme materials.
- Support the organization and documentation of consultations, workshops, training activities and partner meetings, including agendas, participant coordination, logistical follow-up, minutes and action trackers.
- Assist with programme monitoring by maintaining activity records, simple workplans, contact lists, calendars, document repositories and follow-up matrices.
- Contribute to knowledge management by organizing and updating reference materials, country information and examples of Pacific good practice in accessible formats.
- Support communication and outreach products, including short web stories, social-media inputs and human-centred summaries of results, in line with applicable communication and consent requirements.
- Participate in team meetings and learning activities, and contribute to collaboration across UNESCO programme sectors where ocean issues intersect with climate action, Indigenous and local knowledge, education, culture and communication.
About the successful candidate
- Accountability, professionalism and integrity in carrying out assigned tasks.
- Strong communication skills and ability to share knowledge clearly.
- Adaptability, flexibility and commitment to continuous learning.
- Good planning and organizing skills with attention to follow-through.
- Ability to work effectively in teams and build trust with colleagues and partners.
- Respect for diversity and sound judgement in decision-making.
- Client orientation and motivation to support programme goals.