Programme Management Assistant

he United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development. One of the key agreements opened for signature at Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Convention has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.

This position is based at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), within the Science, Society and Sustainable Futures Division (SSSF), in Montreal, Canada. Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Biodiversity Science, Policy and Governance Unit (BSPG) and the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer (Marine, Coastal and Island Biodiversity), the incumbent will perform the following functions:

1. Organization of Workshops, Meetings, and Webinars

2. Assists in planning, logistical arrangements, and follow-up for workshops, expert meetings (in-person and virtual), and webinars across all phases (pre-event, event, and post-event), in consultation with supervisors.

3. Supports logistical coordination to ensure compliance with organizational requirements and assists in resolving operational challenges.
4. Liaises with internal and external stakeholders at various levels to initiate and follow up on actions such as recruitment and deployment of technical personnel, travel arrangements, procurement, fund disbursement, small-scale funding agreements, and host country agreements, ensuring compliance with policies and timelines.
5. Provides logistical and secretariat support during meetings, including real-time problem-solving, coordination with service providers to ensure service delivery standards, document distribution, and substantive contributions to meeting reports, information notes, and related materials.

6. Independently coordinates side events for major meetings (e.g. Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), Conference of the Parties (COP), and meetings of other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)), as required.

7. Administrative Management for Protected Areas and Marine/Islands Work

8. Assists with the preparation, processing, and monitoring of contracts and consultancies, and supports related reporting requirements.

9. Supports recruitment processes for staff and consultants.
10. Provides support on financial matters related to these work areas, including coordination with the Administration Division.

11. Maintains an up-to-date tracking spreadsheet of external funds (e.g. project funds or grants), including disbursements, grant numbers, and related agreements.

12. Coordination with Parties, Governments, and Partner Organizations

13. Prepares draft correspondence, including notifications and official letters, for review and clearance by supervisors.

14. Supports communication with workshop participants, governments, and partner organizations to ensure timely dissemination of information, responses to queries, and follow-up on reporting obligations under cooperation agreements.
15. Assists in the development of project proposals for submission to donors and partner organizations, ensuring compliance with required templates and deadlines.

16. Coordinates and monitors the timely submission, processing, and publication of workshop-related documentation from Parties and stakeholders, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established procedures.

17. Documentation and Information Management

18. Reviews documentation for formatting, clarity, and consistency with UN editorial standards to ensure readiness for publication, under supervisor guidance.

19. Conducts background research using publicly available sources to support substantive planning, as needed.
20. Assists in drafting and formatting workshop and meeting reports, information notes, and awareness-raising materials, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
21. Supports data collection and analysis, and assists in preparing data presentations and reports for information sharing, knowledge management, planning, and decision-making.

22. Assists with the development of visual materials and updates to information products such as web pages and brochures.

23. Other Duties

24. Performs additional tasks as required.

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent (required).

Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in programme or project administration, technical cooperation, or a related field.
• The minimum experience requirement is reduced to five (5) years for candidates holding a first-level university degree.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in environment or sustainable development.
• Experience working with Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), international organizations, or the United Nations.
• Experience supporting biodiversity and/or environmental programmes, projects, or organizations.
• Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Experience applying UNEP and CBD policies.
• One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related areas.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For this position, English is required.

Duty Station and Level

• Duty station: Montreal
• Grade: G-6