IOC Programme Associate
Salary not disclosedPosted 3 weeks ago
Closes tomorrow
About the company
UNESCO is the United Nations agency for Education, Science, Culture and Communication, working to build peace through international cooperation. Through its Regional Office for the Pacific States and its Suva presence, UNESCO supports Pacific Member States and partners to strengthen ocean knowledge, disaster preparedness and evidence-informed decision-making.
About the role
This UN Volunteer assignment sits within UNESCO's Suva team and supports IOC-related ocean science work across the Pacific, reporting to the UNESCO Programme Specialist responsible for IOC-related work in the region. The Associate works alongside government counterparts, National Commissions, scientific institutions, regional organisations, UN entities, universities and community partners. The work covers practical programme support, research, information management, coordination, outreach and knowledge products linked to ocean science, tsunami preparedness and the Ocean Decade. The assignment is structured as developmental, with an agreed workplan, learning objectives and regular check-ins finalised in the first month, plus ongoing supervision, mentoring and feedback. Tasks also include background research on Pacific Ocean priorities such as coastal resilience, ocean-climate linkages, marine hazards and ocean literacy, as well as supporting meetings, workshops and training events. The role also contributes to communication and outreach products such as web stories and social-media inputs, in coordination with UNESCO colleagues.
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 coordination with responsible UNESCO colleagues.
- 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
- Able to demonstrate accountability, adaptability and flexibility in a developmental role.
- Shows commitment and motivation along with a commitment to continuous learning.
- Strong communication skills, including preparing briefing notes, presentations and summaries.
- Client orientation and ability to build trust with stakeholders and partners.
- Good planning and organizing skills to maintain workplans, records and follow-up matrices.
- Respect for diversity and ability to work effectively in teams.
- Judgement and decision-making ability, with professionalism and integrity.
- Technological awareness to support knowledge management and outreach products.