Job Description

Background

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is an intergovernmental partnership that provides trusted Earth Intelligence as a public good to support evidence-based decision-making. Hosted by the World Meteorological Organization, GEO brings together 117 governments and over 160 organizations, including leading space agencies, research institutions, UN bodies, and private sector innovators. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, GEO empowers everyone, everywhere, to access and contribute to open, actionable Earth observation data; enabling better decisions for people, planet, and nature.

The GEO Work Programme (GWP) is the primary mechanism through which GEO implements its mission and strategic objectives. It is a coordinated, multi-annual portfolio of 49 activities developed and carried out by GEO Members, Participating Organizations, and partners to advance the use of Earth observations for evidence-based decision-making.

Within the GWP team, and under the supervision of the Chief, Work Programme Coordinator, the Work Programme Officer holds operational responsibility for facilitating implementation of the GEO Work Programme and driving engagement with the GEO community. This includes overseeing the GEO Community Space and other mechanisms through which GEO Members, Participating Organizations and Associates connect, collaborate, and contribute to GWP activities. The Officer designs and delivers engagement events, including the GEO Symposium, and implements the GWP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, so that community engagement and evidence of impact strengthen the coherence, uptake, and visibility of the GWP.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Work Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serve as the principal operational focal point for the GWP community, managing relationships with activity leads and points of contact, coordinating responses to inquiries and information requests related to implementation, monitoring, reporting, and GWP-wide processes;
• Oversee the GEO Community Space, serving as the primary point of contact for community engagement, facilitating collaboration among GWP leads, and ensuring the Space functions as a vibrant hub for knowledge exchange and partnership building for GEO Members, Participating Organizations and Associates;
• Lead the design and delivery of the GWP's contribution to major GEO convenings, in particular the GEO Symposium, supporting the Programme Board and ensuring these reflect GWP priorities, showcase results, and foster meaningful participation from Members, Participating Organizations, Associates, and external partners;
• Assess draft Implementation Plans of candidate GWP activities against defined criteria and support the Programme Board and its M&E Taskforce in their review, acceptance, or improvement;
• Implement the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the GWP, including the development and administration of tools to collect monitoring data from GWP activities, in close coordination with the Programme Board and its M&E Taskforce;
• Analyse the progress, outcomes, and impact of GWP activities and prepare Progress Reports, GEO Highlights Reports, and strategic recommendations for the GEO Secretariat, Programme Board, and other GEO governance bodies;
• Provide governance support to the GEO Programme Board, including preparation of its meetings, related documentation, follow-ups and presentations on GWP monitoring, performance, and community engagement;
• Support Member Services-led engagement with GEO Members by providing tailored information, analysis, briefings, and advice on GWP activities, results, and engagement opportunities relevant to their priorities;
• Supervise the Partnerships Officer, Participating Organizations and Associates, including work planning, performance management, and professional development;
• Represent the GEO Secretariat, as delegated, in relevant intergovernmental, inter-agency, technical, and multi-stakeholder meetings, workshops, and events related to the GWP, and prepare substantive inputs, meeting summaries, and follow-up actions as required;
• Carry out other duties as required.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in environmental sciences, international relations, public policy, social sciences or a related field.
• Additional qualifications in Earth observations, geospatial information or data science would be an advantage.
• A first-level university degree or equivalent in combination with two years of additional directly relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in programme management, international partnership coordination, community engagement, or event design and delivery, preferably in the context of Earth observations, environmental data, sustainable development, or intergovernmental organizations.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, governance support, and leading design of multi-stakeholder convenings is highly desirable. Experience supervising staff is an asset.

Other Requirements:

• Working knowledge of the United Nations or a similar international organization. Familiarity with the work of the GEO Secretariat.
• Familiarity with scientific and technical concepts related to Earth observations, with the ability to convey complex concepts to non-specialist audiences.
• Ability to draft reports, correspondence and documents clearly and succinctly in English.
• Strong problem-solving skills and flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.
• Skills in collaboration, negotiation, and maintaining partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, plan, and manage multiple workloads.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and foster diversity and team spirit.

Languages:

Excellent knowledge of English (both oral and written). Knowledge of other official languages of the Organization would be an advantage.

Note: The working language of the GEO Secretariat is English.

(Note: the official languages of the Organization are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.).

Competencies

The Work Programme Officer must demonstrate managerial-level proficiency in the following competencies:

• Communication & Influence
• Collaboration & Team Dynamics
• Inclusive Mindset & Cultural Awareness
• Decision Making & Problem Solving
• Integrity & Accountability
• Innovation & Digital Agility
• Stakeholder Understanding & Engagement

Salary and Allowances:

The position is funded from extra-budgetary funding.

Annual net base salary on initial appointment is: US$ 86,027

Annual post adjustment on initial salary is: US$ 72,521 (in addition to the net base salary)

Additional Information

The GEO Secretariat is committed to achieving diversity and a balanced workforce. Applications are welcome from qualified women and men, including those with disabilities. The statutory retirement age is 65. Pursuant to WMO Standing Instructions, the minimum age to be eligible for consideration for vacant positions is 18, and the maximum age must enable the candidate to serve for at least the term of the contract before reaching mandatory age of separation.

Probation

Possibility of renewal subject to the availability of funds and pending satisfactory performance after an initial probationary period of one year which can be extended up to a maximum of two years.

Applications:

Applications should be made online through the WMO e-recruitment system.

Do not send your application via multiple routes. The GEO Secretariat no longer accepts applications via post or email. Only applicants for whom the GEO Secretariat has further interest will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit a written test and/or an interview.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

The GEO Secretariat does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Scam alert

The GEO Secretariat does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). The GEO Secretariat will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.