Vacancy #: 7436 Unit: ESARO Mozambique Programme Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Mozambique Country Office, Maputo, Mozambique Reporting to: Seascape Governance Officer, Mozambique Work percentage: 100% Grade: - Expected start date: 01 January 2026 Type of contract: Fixed-term (up to 6 months) Closing date: 24 November 2025 BACKGROUND THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION
BACKGROUND:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through its Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO), leads efforts to conserve biodiversity and build resilience across 24 countries, including Mozambique. The region is home to some of the most ecologically significant marine and coastal ecosystems in Africa, including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds that support rich biodiversity and provide critical ecosystem services to coastal communities.
In Mozambique, the Coastal and Ocean Resilience (COR) Programme is at the forefront of marine conservation and climate adaptation efforts. It addresses pressing challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change impacts, unsustainable resource use, and socio-economic vulnerability in coastal zones. The programme promotes inclusive governance, ecosystem restoration, and the development of a regenerative blue economy.
To scale up these efforts, IUCN is implementing the Great Blue Wall (GBW) initiative, a Western Indian Ocean-born, Africa-led movement to achieve a nature-positive world by 2030. The GBW aims to establish a connected network of regenerative seascapes, forming a โliving blue wallโ of conserved and restored ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs. These ecosystems will serve as natural buffers against climate change, enhance biodiversity, and support sustainable livelihoods.
The GBW initiative is structured around four strategic pillars:
Blue Planet: Strengthening governance frameworks and area-based conservation measures, including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).
Blue Nature: Restoring and conserving critical blue ecosystems through Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to enhance climate resilience and ecological integrity.
Blue People: Ensuring that coastal communities benefit directly from conservation and blue economy initiatives, fostering stewardship and inclusive development.
Blue Partnerships: Building innovative coalitions and partnerships to mobilize resources, share knowledge, and scale impact.
In Mozambique, the Inhambane Seascape, particularly the Vilanculos District is a priority area for the implementation of the GBW. It hosts the countryโs only viable population of dugongs and is rich in marine biodiversity. The area is also central to community-led conservation efforts and the development of locally managed marine networks.
The Seascape Governance Officer leads the implementation of the Blue Planet pillar, focusing on governance, stakeholder engagement, and policy frameworks. The Nature-Based Solutions Officer drives the Blue Nature pillar, focusing on ecosystem restoration, climate adaptation, and the application of NbS standards.
The intern will provide technical, logistical, and administrative support to the Seascape Governance Officer and the Nature-Based Solutions Officer in the implementation of programme activities, stakeholder engagement, data collection, and reporting.
This internship position is designed to support both officers in delivering programme activities, engaging stakeholders, and contributing to the broader goals of the Great Blue Wall in Mozambique. It offers a unique opportunity for early career professionals to gain hands-on experience in marine conservation, climate resilience, and community engagement within a globally recognized initiative. JOB DESCRIPTION MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Technical Support;
Assist in mapping and documenting locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) and other conservation initiatives.
Support data collection and analysis related to marine governance and ecosystem restoration.
Contribute to the preparation of technical reports, presentations, and knowledge products.
Stakeholder Engagement;
Support the organization of community meetings, workshops, and consultations.
Assist in liaising with local stakeholders including community leaders, government officials, and NGOs.
Help document stakeholder feedback and participation in programme activities.
Communications and Visibility;
Assist in drafting communication materials (e.g., newsletters, social media content, success stories).
Support photo documentation and media archiving of field activities.
Monitoring and Evaluation;
Help track progress of field activities against work plans and indicators.
Assist in compiling monitoring data and updating project databases.
Administrative and Logistical Support;
Support travel arrangements, procurement requests, and event logistics.
Maintain organized records of project documentation and correspondence.
SPECIFIC DUTIES:
Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time. REQUIREMENTS โข Education;
Student in marine biology, environmental science, natural resource management, or related field, and enrolled in:
an undergraduate university programme (e.g., bachelorโs or equivalent) and not yet graduated; or
a graduate university programme and not yet graduated, seeking work experience aligned with their academic field or institutional requirements
Skills and Experience;
Strong interest in marine conservation, climate adaptation, and community engagement.
Good organizational and communication skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Computer literacy (MS Office, internet research, data entry and GIS).
Fluency in Portuguese; knowledge of English and local languages is an asset.
Language Proficiency;
Excellent verbal and communication skills in Portuguese is essential, with ability to communicate in Inglish e and Inhambane Local languages as an added advantage.
Core Competencies;
Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team.
Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
Professionalism: Promote the organizationโs interests, objectives and values in a diligent and professional manner.
Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN One Programme approach.
Functional competencies;
Adheres to IUCN core values of Transparency, Inclusiveness, Professionalism and Accountability;
Eager to learn from field experiences, technical guidance, and mentorship, with a proactive attitude toward personal and professional development.
Ability to interact respectfully and effectively with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, government officials, and technical partners. 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 worldโs 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 peopleโs well-being.
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