Under the direct supervision of the Executive Secretary IOC (Assistant Director-General of UNESCO – ADG/IOC), the incumbent is responsible for the direct supervision of the Decade Coordination Unit (DCU), providing strategic and operational leadership to the implementation of the Ocean Decade. He/she will guide the implementation of regional programmes through IOC Sub-Commissions, in collaboration with IOC Sections, to strengthen synergies and improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of the overall IOC programme and budget. This includes leading and overseeing the implementation of activities and projects; assessing performance and guiding horizontal workflows; developing coordinated and cross-cutting strategies in response to the evolving ocean policy landscape; implementing and managing change; directing the mobilization of extra-budgetary resources and establishing key partnerships, including with the private sector, civil society, and other UN agencies. The incumbent will foster intersectoral cooperation within UNESCO and promote intersectoral initiatives related to the ocean as follows:

Decade Coordination:

• Acting as Director of the UN Decade Coordination Unit, overseeing the development and implementation of the Ocean Decade goals and objectives, including a result-based approach, translating the vision of the Ocean Decade into an ecosystem of Decade actions and coordination structures that are delivering effectively.
• Advising and engaging Member States in the implementation of the Decade, including intergovernmental oversight, establishment of national coordination mechanisms, participation in Decade Programmes, and regular review of the Decade’s strategic ambitions as defined through the Vision 2030 process.
• Guiding the tracking of Decade progress through effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and facilitating reporting to IOC, UNESCO Governing Bodies, and other relevant UN entities (e.g., UN General Assembly).
• Elevating the IOC Decade coordination function and steering the implementation of the Decade in collaboration with relevant UN entities through mechanisms such as UN-Oceans.
• Enhancing cooperation and communication between stakeholders, including the private sector, and developing partnerships aimed at fast-tracking ocean knowledge generation and updates at policy and societal levels, ensuring optimal contributions from IOC programmes wherever relevant.

Regions and Programmatic Design:

• Coordinating the involvement of regions in the overall IOC programmatic design (IOC Medium Term Strategy and Programme and Budget) and delivery in synergy with global programmes, ensuring coherence while addressing local priorities and ensuring ownership by all Member States and stakeholders.
• Monitoring the implementation of regional programmes and coordinating reporting from IOC Sub-Commissions to IOC governing bodies, promoting participation of IOC Sub-Commissions’ Secretariats in extra-budgetary project development and implementation.
• Steering the collaboration of IOC Sub-Commissions towards enhanced science/policy relevance and delivery towards relevant regional ocean policy and management frameworks.

Policy Development and Strategic Issues:

• Providing strategic input on ocean policy development and coordinating the contribution of IOC to relevant UN inter-agency processes such as UN-Oceans, the World Ocean Assessment, the SG report on Ocean, and UN-ICP, ensuring higher visibility of IOC’s work at the UN.
• Identifying focus areas for collaborative work between Member States, aligned with the overall IOC Medium Term Strategy and global ocean agenda (Agenda 2030, UNOC, Sendai Framework, UNFCCC, CBD Global Biodiversity Framework, and UNCLOS/BBNJ), supporting science-based approaches to the sustainable ocean economy.
• Recommending programme and project approaches, expansions, and changes; developing and proposing policy-relevant activities for approval by IOC governing bodies; and coordinating the development of IOC Policy Briefs as part of the overall IOC Communication strategy.
• Remaining aware of technical advancements in ocean management and science-based applications, tracking marine policy requirements from UN frameworks. Establishing and expanding research and policy partnerships with academia, intergovernmental organizations, government bodies, private sector, media leaders, civil society organizations, UNESCO Chairs, Category 2 Centres, Decade Collaborative Centres, and other relevant bodies.
• Guiding the development of IOC’s work on Sustainable Ocean Planning (SOP), overseeing the Decade SOP programme, establishing institutional partnerships, and ensuring strong Member State buy-in for SOP resources at the national level.
• Acting as focal point within IOC for the development of UNESCO inter-sectoral ocean activities, promoting collaboration with other sectors, and leading reporting to UNESCO Governing Bodies.

Resource Mobilization:

• Developing a resource mobilization framework, identifying and creating opportunities for resource mobilization, and actively raising voluntary contributions from multilateral and bilateral donors.
• Guiding and proposing partnerships with Member States, private sector, and civil society organizations, building alliances to enhance and support IOC and the Decade’s work, providing guidance to staff members, and encouraging and advising Member States to take specific actions to support IOC activities.

Other Duties:

• Representing UNESCO in high-level internal and external meetings and conferences.
• Participating in senior management mechanisms within IOC and other UNESCO structures.
• Leading efforts to engage in interdisciplinary work within IOC and with other UNESCO sectors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of Ocean Sciences, Marine Sciences, or related fields.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 15 years of progressive, relevant professional experience, with a focus on Marine Sciences or related fields, including at least five years at the international level.
• Strong experience in trends, demands, and challenges in ocean sciences and management, including in developing countries.
• A proven track record of establishing and maintaining partnerships at global, local, and community levels.
• Proven capacity to connect with leading institutions related to Marine Sciences and strong knowledge of state-of-the-art research in ocean strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in advocacy and resource mobilization.
• A strong and proven record of innovative applied research.

Skills and Competencies:

• Commitment to the Organization’s mandate, vision, strategic direction, and priorities.
• Capacity for institutional leadership, objectivity, professional integrity, diplomacy, tact, and political astuteness.
• Ability to provide intellectual leadership to guide staff, build trust, manage, lead, and motivate a diverse team in a multicultural environment, and oversee training and staff development.
• Ability to identify strategic issues, opportunities, and associated risks.
• Demonstrated strategic planning and excellent management abilities, including the capacity to administer multiple programmes and projects, financial and human resources, while exercising appropriate supervision and controls.
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to establish, plan, and prioritize effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to manage relationships at all levels.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with demonstrated ability to interact with a wide range of high-level partners.

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience:

• Professional experience in the United Nations System and/or in an international multilateral organization setting.

Languages:

• Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish).