Senior Programme Officer, Business & Nature

Vacancy #: 7445 Unit: South America - Brazil Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Brazil Country Office, Brasilia - DF, Brazil Reporting to: Coordinador Regional de Programa Work percentage: 100% Grade: P2 Expected start date: 01 January 2026 Type of contract: Fixed-term (up to 12 months with possibility of renewal) Closing date: 25 November 2025 BACKGROUND The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global Union of over 1,400 members, primarily government and civil society organizations, supported by more than 18,000 experts. Headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, with offices worldwide, IUCN is recognized as the leading authority on the status of nature and the actions needed to protect it.

As a trusted source of conservation data, analysis, and standards, IUCN provides a neutral platform where governments, NGOs, businesses, Indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders collaborate to advance sustainable development. Its global projects blend scientific innovation with local knowledge to restore ecosystems, halt habitat loss, and enhance human well-being.

The Business & Nature Global Team drives the adoption of nature-positive business practices by leveraging IUCN’s tools, metrics, and partnerships across corporate, sectoral, and regulatory levels. This work is delivered through collaborations with IUCN’s regional offices, members, and partners worldwide.

In South America, IUCN’s Regional Office (IUCN SUR) has operated from Quito, Ecuador, since 1992, with a National Office in Brasília, Brazil, since 2010. In Brazil, IUCN implements regional and global initiatives on protected areas, the Green List, Nature-based Solutions, Forest Landscape Restoration, and other Nature 2030 priorities. Partners include federal and state agencies, academia, NGOs (24 members), and growing private-sector collaborations. IUCN is also engaged in strategic collaborations with leading private sector actors and intends to expand this portfolio with this position.

This position is based in São Paulo, Brazil. The person will be contracted according to the Brazilian law (CLT), and it will include medical and life insurance JOB DESCRIPTION OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY

The Senior Programme Officer in Business & Nature is responsible for the technical management, implementation and development of a portfolio of collaborative partnerships with companies and public actors in sectors in Brazil with important impacts on biodiversity (including but not limited to the metals and mining, aggregates, paper & pulp, chemicals industries, nature-based industries and agrifood) to support the delivery of measurable Nature Positive outcomes aligned with IUCN Programme targets, whilst generating high quality knowledge and learning. In doing so, s/he will be expected to collaborate with the IUCN Business & Nature Global team, IUCN Regional Office for South America (IUCN SUR), the Brazilian Country Office, the Brazilian National Committee of IUCN members, IUCN thematic Teams, as well as with IUCN Commissions as necessary to ensure that recommendations and lessons learnt are integrated into the programmes policy and knowledge work.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Regional Programme Coordinator and close coordination of the Business and Nature Senior Programme Manager, the main duties and responsibilities include:

1. Portfolio technical implementation and development
• Develop private sector use and application of IUCN standards, metrics, and tools, such as the IUCN RHINO approach (Rapid High-Integrity Nature-positive Outcomes), Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric, NbS Standard, and the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) while promoting the application of the mitigation hierarchy and IUCN’s relevant policies in Brazil;
• Collaborate with companies and sectoral bodies in Brazil to refine IUCN tools, providing technical feedback to IUCN global teams to strengthen knowledge and best practices on nature-positive approaches, and increase their relevance and uptake in the business sector;
• Explore ways to combine IUCN tools (e.g., STAR) with other approaches, such as Life Cycle Assessments, to enhance their relevance and use across sectors;
• Facilitate Independent Scientific and Technical Advisory Panels in Brazil, providing strategic expertise to address complex and controversial issues and build trust amongst stakeholders;
• Help identify opportunities and support the development of technical proposals to the private sector in Brazil, that use IUCN’s data, tools, and expertise to deliver Nature Positive results;
• Develop concepts and funding proposals to donors for projects that strengthen enabling conditions—such as policies and regulations—supporting the sectoral transition toward Nature Positive outcomes;
• Support the regional team in establishing and strengthening collaborations with the private sector in the region and in preparing high-quality technical proposals.

2.Project portfolio management, delivery, and quality assurance
• Provide technical assistance and capacity building to private sector partners, contributing to sectoral transformation and high-quality project outcomes;
• Ensure timely and effective delivery of projects and initiatives in line with annual workplans and IUCN standards;
• Manage project resources—including financial, human, and intellectual—efficiently and adaptively, in accordance with IUCN project management guidelines;
• Engage and oversee consultants and external project counterparts to maintain technical quality and support project delivery;
• Lead coordination with internal teams, external partners, and IUCN units—including HQ, Regional, and Country Offices—to ensure smooth, joint implementation and delivery of projects;
• Work with regional (and national) colleagues to ensure effective implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks for the business lines and project portfolio.
• Manage project planning, budgeting, reporting, and documentation following IUCN’s tools and policies (e.g., Smartsheet, project portal, risk management);
• Support the organization of workshops, meetings, and other events that strengthen project implementation and stakeholder engagement.

3.Capacity building, Knowledge generation and Communication
• Ensure key results and lessons learnt are communicated in insightful knowledge products and promoted through various media channels and networks, to reach both external and internal audiences. Coordinate with national, regional and global communication focal points for this purpose.
• Strengthen IUCN's capacity, influence and external visibility on work with the private sector, including by developing new training programmes to promote IUCN’s tools and approaches for the private sector and support their uptake (in collaboration with the IUCN Academy);
• Participate in meetings, conferences, and platforms of relevance to the work program described above, to advance and showcase IUCN technical and thought leadership to drive sector-wide transformation, and to influence and mobilize new networks, partners, and stakeholders.
• Nurture working relationships with existing partners and establish new partnerships in Brazil and in the region, including resource mobilization.

4.Collaborative Work with IUCN SUR, Brazil Team and IUCN Business & Nature team
• Participate in events and meetings, with a special focus on (but not limited to) strengthening relationships with the private sector, while also engaging with other key stakeholders as needed.
• Collaborate with the IUCN Regional team and the one in Brazil on a periodic basis on relevant projects, communicating with members and partners in Brazil and the region.
• Attend technical meetings with the IUCN Business & Nature team and/or the Centre for Science and Knowledge and other global technical Teams to stay abreast of new tools development relevant to the position.
• Provide technical input to other projects, products and deliverables, including reviewing and reference.
• Contribute to the review of communications materials and translations.

The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organization such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them, but which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of an employee's responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the employee and the Human Resources Management Group. REQUIREMENTS • Master’s degree in Biodiversity, Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Policy, Sustainability Management, or another relevant field required. Strong grounding in biodiversity, conservation, sustainable development and social science concepts and theory, beyond immediate field of expertise.

• Minimum 8 - 10 years of experience, and minimum 5 required in engaging and working with the private sector on biodiversity themes, for instance as a consultant, with a preference for experience on the ground in Brazil (environmental and/or biodiversity assessments, biodiversity net gain reviews or monitoring, certifications…).

• Technical understanding of IUCN key standards, tools and metrics (in particular IUCN Red Lists of Threatened Species and of Ecosystems, Nature-based Solutions global standard, STAR metrics, IBAT) or other scientifically reputable equivalents. Some experience with Life Cycle Assessments would be an asset.

• • Minimum 7 years of experience in developing, managing and coordinating projects, including planning, execution, monitoring & evaluation, technical and financial management and reporting.

• Experience in supervising staff and coordinating consultants.

• Proven ability to operationalise concepts, from idea to ground implementation and to socialise and mainstream scientific concepts and approaches in order to encourage their appropriation by non-specialist stakeholders.

• Experience in planning and developing messaging in terms of effective knowledge uptake, understands and can adapt to target audience.

• Ability to take initiative, exercise good judgment, think laterally and resolve complex issues in a dynamic and changing environment.

• Demonstrates professionalism and diplomacy in cross-cultural communication, respects diverse perspectives, handles sensitive information appropriately, and works effectively as a team player with audiences ranging from high-level management to community-based teams.

• Works effectively under pressure, demonstrating strong organizational skills to prioritize and balance operational tasks, manage multiple deadlines, optimize the use of time, people, and resources, and anticipate and address critical dependencies

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with meticulous attention to detail.

• Fluency in written and spoken Portuguese and English is required. Proficiency in written and spoken. Spanish is desirable.

• Relevant IT skills, in particular with online communication platforms for video conferencing and other collaboration;

• Availability for some travel required in Brazil, in South America and perhaps internationally.

• This position will be based in São Paulo, Brazil. SALARY The minimum gross annual salary for this position is BRL 200'146. 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 implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

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