Overview

Location: Cambridge (UK) or Brussels (Belgium) | Duration: 1 year contract, with the potential to extend.

1.                   About the job

The Marine Coordinator will lead the development and effective implementation of the BirdLife European Marine Strategy and ensure its objectives and actions are well integrated with those outlined in BirdLife International Marine Programme. He/she also contributes to the planning, development, implementation and communication of the division’s overall strategy.

2.                   About you

Efficient, well-structured, and highly organized, you’re able to juggle many different projects at the same time. You are a proactive and inclusive team player who is not scared of stepping in to support your colleagues. You have knowledge of marine nature conservation and of the impact of EU policies on the marine environment. You have experience of working in international networks of non-profit organisations and in complex teams.

3.                   About BirdLife Europe and Central Asia

BirdLife Europe & Central Asia is the European Division of BirdLife International, BLI ECA, and is one of the six BirdLife regional offices around the world. BirdLife Europe leads and supports the European and Central Asia Partnership of BirdLife International, which consists of 48 independent, grassroots Civil Society Organisations with over 2 million members.

Together with BirdLife International, present in 121 countries through a Partnership of autonomous Civil Society Organisations, we protect wild birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, by working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. We are the global authority on the status of bird species, with unparalleled technical expertise in bird and biodiversity assessment, and capacity to link local conservation activities and groups to domestic and international policy and conservation work.

In BirdLife Europe you will join a dynamic team of professionals based in Brussels and Cambridge who together support the BirdLife Partnership in Europe and Central Asia to protect nature and birds, through policy, science, conservation measures, organisational support, helping them to increase the visibility of the BirdLife Partnership work and raise the needed funds.

4.                   Key responsibilities

The Marine Coordinator will support and coordinate BirdLife´s ECA marine work. The job holder’s main responsibilities will be to:

1. To lead on the implementation of the European Marine Strategy, monitoring its progress and proposing changes when needed, in close cooperation with the Marine policy staff and the European BirdLife partners.
2. To represent the European and Central Asian Division within BirdLife International Marine Programme, ensuring that science, conservation and policy activities/measures are equally taken into account
3. To coordinate and manage the implementation of 3 MAVA-funded marine conservation projects on seabird bycatch interactions and seabird ecology and knowledge gaps in the Mediterranean basin.
4. To act as BLI’s key contact for other marine conservation projects implemented in the region.
5. To support the European Marine Task Force and the Seabird Task Force and its regular meetings, in close cooperation with its coordinating BirdLife partners.
6. To foster collaboration on marine conservation issues amongst the BirdLife European and Central Asian Partners, including project writing when needed.
7. To work with relevant senior BirdLife staff to identify, clarify and evaluate strategic programme development needs and opportunities arising from BirdLife’s contacts with business and turn them into opportunities for implementation of marine conservation action.
8. To identity funding opportunities and help BirdLife European Partners and the European and Central Asian Division Office to submit funding applications to key donors
9. To represent BirdLife Europe with donor agencies, European institutions and in relevant European organisations and fora, with special emphasis on the Mediterranean, Baltic and Atlantic, together with country representatives.
10. To assist in planning institutional development in the region, including agreements with local partners, as made necessary by the European Marine Strategy.
11. Support the IBA, Invasive Alien Species (IAS) and Preventing Extinctions (PEP) Programmes of BirdLife International when needed through data provisioning or analysis.

Other tasks

1. To support the Conservation Unit by participating at relevant meetings, as required by his/her line manager
2. To participate, in collaboration with other colleagues, in joint conservation fundraising bids.
3. To help design and deliver successful campaigns, projects and publications aiming to achieve BirdLife’s conservation and policy objectives

5.                    Qualifications required:

Experience & Knowledge
1	Good general education – University Degree in relevant environmental subject: Biological Sciences and/or nature conservation.
2	Good knowledge of European seabird species and their preferred habitats (e.g. conservation status, distribution, abundance and ecology).
3	Good understanding of key threats affecting seabirds and the marine environment, and how to mitigate them.
4	Familiarity with international marine conservation issues, including relevant environmental EU and non-EU laws, conventions and instruments.
5	Proven experience of managing (or implementing at senior level) multiannual and international conservation projects is essential.
6	Proven experience of building rapport with, and acquiring information from, large/diverse/dispersed networks of collaborators and producing high quality reports while meeting deadlines.
7	Good knowledge about BirdLife work and structure
Skills & Abilities
8	Fluent in English (additional European languages are an asset)
9	Excellent written skills with the ability to produce technical nature conservation briefs, reports and publications
10	Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to build relationships with partners and stakeholders
11	Excellent capacity to work independently and  as part of a team of colleagues based in separate offices
12	High standard of computer literacy (Excel, Word, Power Point and Outlook and the Internet)
Approach to work
13	Accuracy and precision
14	Demonstrable ability to create and follow work plan and prioritise own workload with minimum supervision.
15	Flexibility and adaptability (multiple assignments, working under pressure, responsiveness to requests, follow-up of decisions)
16	Openness and inclusiveness: capacity to integrate new ideas and approaches
17	Ability and willingness to travel for work and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required
Personal disposition
18	Strong self motivation and curiosity and commitment to nature conservation
19	Problem solving attitude and capacity to resolve potential conflicts.
20	Assertiveness and confidence
21	Creativity both in thinking and in executing tasks

6.                   Employment conditions:

Location: Cambridge (UK) or Brussels (Belgium). Final decision on location will be based on the applicant´s profile.

Salary and benefits according to BirdLife standards and commensurate with experience.

7.                   How to apply:

Please submit your full CV  and a comprehensive cover letter (maximum two page, all in English) setting out your reasons for applying for the post and outlining the qualifications experience knowledge and skills that you feel you can bring to the role to: recruitment.europe@birdlife.org

Closing date:  8^th of October 2018 at midnight CET. Please consider that applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

8.                    Short listing and interviews:

Shortlisting is based on CV and cover letter. Successful candidates will be asked to attend face to face interviews and perform an additional test. Travel support or possibility of remote interview may be offered to candidates from abroad.

Please note that due to the large number of expected applications only successful candidates will be contacted.

Interview days: to be confirmed, but likely during week of the 15^th October.