Mubadarat Officer – Mediterranean CSO Programme

Background

Are You Passionate About Nature Conservation and International Development? Ready to Make a Difference in the Mediterranean by Supporting Civil Society Organizations?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded in 1948 and brings together over 1,400 members (States, government agencies, NGOs, and affiliates) and more than 18,000 scientists and experts from over 160 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. Its mission is to influence, encourage, and assist societies worldwide to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. IUCN has approximately 1,000 staff, primarily located in its regional and country offices and at its Headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. IUCN is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applications from qualified women and men.

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN Med) was established in 2001 in Málaga, Spain, to bridge gaps between science, policy, management, and action to conserve nature and accelerate sustainable development across the Mediterranean. The Mubadarat initiative provides technical and financial support to civil society organizations (CSOs) in North Africa through programs such as PPI OSCAN (Programme de Petites Initiatives pour les Organisations de la Société Civile en Afrique du Nord) and TransCap, focused on sustainable livelihoods. For more information on current projects, visit mubadarat-uicn.org.

IUCN Med is developing a comprehensive strategy for the Mubadarat initiative to leverage its 10 years of achievements, aligning with regional priorities and the objectives of the new IUCN programmatic cycle (2026-2029). This initiative aims to broaden its impact and strengthen the CSO conservation community in the Mediterranean, with a particular focus on North Africa. The Mubadarat Officer, covering a temporary team leave, is expected to make a significant contribution in this new phase, with potential for renewal based on performance and funding availability.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health insurance covering employee, spouse and children.
• Flexible working hours: 39 hours per week (35 hours during July and August) there is flexibility on check- in and check-out as long as the core central hours from 09:30 to 16:00 are respected.
• Opportunities for international travel expanding your global experience.
• Teleworking Policy: Regular remote work is permitted for up to 50% of contractual hours with the requirement of working in the office for at least two days within that timeframe.

Job Description

Under the supervision of the Med CSO Programme Manager, the Mubadarat Officer will support the coordination of the Mubadarat community of CSOs and different work areas of the Mubadarat programme as detailed below. Duties and responsibilities will be adjusted according to the team’s and programme’s needs during the temporary cover.

• Contribute to the coordination of projects and/or assigned functional areas related to the Mubadarat programme, including the development of workplans and budgets, resource management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and reporting.
• Support the management of sub-granting activities, including the development of calls for projects, management of relationships with grantees, financial and technical monitoring of sub-grants or the supervision of county-based coordinators.
• Develop and implement a plan to build a strong CSO community for nature conservation in the Mediterranean, including IUCN NGO Members, with a focus on North Africa, in collaboration with the IUCN Med Membership Focal Point.
• Organize capacity-building activities for the Mubadarat CSO Community, IUCN members, and related stakeholders, including approaches for organizational development support to the Mubadarat community.
• Support and when necessary, lead, the planning and delivery of Mubadarat community communications, including both internal and external channels, and activities such as organizing events or drafting content, in coordination with IUCN-Med’s communications team.
• Promote IUCN knowledge products and standards, facilitating their uptake among the Mubadarat community and IUCN NGO members, and integrating them into the Mubadarat programme.
• Support the development and management of relationships and partnerships with relevant international and regional organizations, government agencies, and IUCN Commissions and National Committees.
• Assist with the development, gathering, and analysis of performance indicators to monitor and evaluate programme progress and success.
• Participate in fundraising efforts and identify opportunities with regional and international donors and organizations to increase investment in CSO capacity-building and sub-granting projects in the Mediterranean.
• Contribute to other tasks as requested by the Programme Manager, Regional Programme Coordinator, or the Director of IUCN-Med.

Requirements

• Postgraduate University degree in natural or social sciences, or other relevant disciplines related to nature conservation, development, and/or international cooperation.
• At least 5 years of experience in a similar role, with substantial experience in North Africa and preferably in an international context.
• Fluency in Arabic, with excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and/or French. Knowledge of Spanish or other Mediterranean languages is valued.
• Knowledge of global, Mediterranean, and North African environmental, socio-economic, and sustainability issues.
• Demonstrated experience in managing or supporting local or national NGOs in the region.
• Proven track record in managing international projects, including consultants and sub-grantees, as well as successful fundraising, proposal development, and grant management.
• Experience in designing and delivering capacity-building programs and activities for a wide range of stakeholders, including community-based organizations and organizational development programs.
• Excellent communication, networking, and community-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders effectively.
• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail and openness to learning and incorporating feedback.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment, adapting to shifting priorities.
• Ability to travel internationally regularly, especially to North Africa.
• The position is based in Málaga (Spain). All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, but priority will be given to candidates with working visa for Spain. Please do not apply if you are not able to relocate.

Salary

The minimum gross annual salary for this position is EUR 40’480. While this is an indicative amount effective as of the current date, changes may occur as per IUCN’s compensation practices without prior notice. The same applies to other organisations hosted by IUCN.

Applications

Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the “Apply” button.

Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.

Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN i