Vacancy #: 7258 Unit: Global Convenings and Events Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Headquarters, Gland, Switzerland Reporting to: Convenings & Sustainability Officer Work percentage: 100% Grade: I Expected start date: 15 May 2025 Type of contract: Max-term (5 months) Closing date: 21 April 2025 BACKGROUND Every 4 years, the World Conservation Congress brings together several thousand participants for a 7-day event, including 3.5 day for IUCN Membersโ Assembly, preceded by a 3.5 days Forum with several hundred events open to the general public. The Congress also includes an exhibit hall partially open to the general public, allowing exhibitors to showcase their research, innovations and other work to the broadest Congress audience. At previous Congresses, the exhibition was between 10-11โ000m2, featuring up to 150 small, medium and large stands. In addition, several central open presentation areas, or โcentral stagesโ accommodating up to 150 people are included in the Exhibition area.
The next edition of the IUCN World Conservation Congress will take place in Abu Dhabi from 9-15 October 2025.
The Intern โ Sustainable Congress & ISO 20121 Certification will assist the Convenings and Sustainability Officer in the implementation of all aspects of the Congress sustainable management system for the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in order to achieve the ISO20121 certification. JOB DESCRIPTION The Intern โ Sustainable Congress & ISO 20121 Certification will report to the Convenings and Sustainability Officer and be part of the Global Convenings and Events Unit at IUCN Headquarters. They will be responsible for supporting the implementation of all aspects of the Congress sustainable management system before, during and after the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025.
Before the Congress:
โข Support the Convenings and Sustainability Officer with the implementation of the Congress sustainable management system in order to obtain the ISO 20120 Certification for the Congress.
โข Help coordinate with Congress stakeholders to collect and deliver the required certification documents on time
โข Assist in planning and coordinating sustainable initiatives within the certification scope. This may include the social and well-being programme, food donation scheme, and community engagement
โข Supporting in the regular update of the Congress website content and all communications linked to the Congress sustainability approach.
โข Participate in the meetings and workshops with the Global Convenings and Events Unit and other stakeholders, as necessary.
โข Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure their compliance with sustainability requirements.
โข Support the organisation of training sessions for suppliers.
โข Maintain comprehensive records of all activities, decisions, and communications related to ISO20121 implementation.
โข Prepare reports and presentations to update the Convenings Team and other stakeholders on progress as necessary.
Upon successful completion of the internship, and depending on performance and operational needs, the selected candidate may be offered a short-term contract to contribute to the delivery of the Congress. This would include supporting on-site implementation of sustainability-related activities, assisting with the ISO20121 audit, and providing general support to the Convenings and Sustainability Officer and the wider team. Post-Congress, tasks may include reviewing invoices, contributing to statistical analysis, documenting procedures and lessons learnt, and helping draft the sustainability report.
The above terms of reference outline the main responsibilities of this internship. However, as IUCN is a dynamic organisation, interns are expected to be flexible and may be asked to carry out other reasonable tasks not listed here. If any task becomes a regular part of the role, the Terms of Reference will be updated in consultation between the intern, the supervisor, and the HR Unit. This consultation can be initiated by any of the three parties REQUIREMENTS โข To be eligible for this internship, candidates must meet the following criteria:
โข Reside in Switzerland or neighbouring France. Please note that no relocation support is offered for this position.
โข Be enrolled in a university or equivalent institution in a field relevant to the internship such as sustainability, sustainable event management and/or ISO related studies.
โข Undergraduate students must have completed at least one year of full-time study.
โข Graduate students must still be completing their degree.
โข Alternatively, be in a recognised gap year with a clear intention to resume studies after the internship.
โข Be fluent in English. French, Spanish and or Arabic are desirable.
โข Be proficient in Microsoft Office.
โข Have excellent attention to detail and excellent interpersonal, motivating and organising skills.
โข Capable to react quickly, flexible in the face of sudden changes, be able to multi-tasking and to work under pressure.
โข Has a service-oriented attitude.
โข Ability to work flexible hours if required (particularly as the Congress dates approach).
โข Team player with can-do attitude and ability to build effective relationships with people of all levels and business areas. SALARY The gross annual salary for this position is CHF 24'000, subject to deductions for social security contributions and second-pillar pension, and before tax. 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 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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