Ocean Visions is a science and innovation organization whose mission is to identify, develop, demonstrate, and ultimately deploy equitable, durable, and scalable solutions to the ocean’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The Ocean Visions Network brings together some of North America’s leading oceanographic and research institutions with a diverse set of private sector actors - all with a shared interest in developing and deploying real ocean solutions.
Position Summary
The Program Officer (PO) is responsible for supporting and coordinating all aspects of the OVUN DCC and GEOS. This includes organizing and/or helping to facilitate various functions and initiatives, assisting the creation of new expert groups (e.g. communities of practice, task forces, working groups, etc.), organizing webinars, workshops, fundraising and generally helping to advance the co-design, testing, and ultimately deployment of ocean-based solutions to critical climate challenges.
The PO will be a staff member of Ocean Visions and report directly to the Director of the OVUN DCC with oversight and management via the Director of the GEOS Program. The PO will work very closely with the OV-UN DCC, which is a new UN Decade Collaborative Center established under the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences and managed as a joint venture between Ocean Visions, Georgia Tech, and the Georgia Aquarium. The PO will act as a liaison for GEOS to the OV- UN DCC.
Primary Responsibilities:
The ideal candidate will bring strong coordination, convening and project management experience, excellent communications, outreach and collaboration skills, and knowledge of ocean and climate issues.
Specifically, we anticipate that the PO will:
- Work closely with the OV-UN DCC and GEOS Directors to define and advance programmatic initiatives across both decade actions. Including but not limited to, establishing new and advancing existing working groups, webinars in country hubs, task force, etc.
- Lead and manage the development of the Ocean-Climate Innovations and Solutions
- Community of Practice via the Global Ocean Decade Forum (www.oceandecade.org).
- Collaborate with OV UN-DCC aligned Decade programs to support the development of co-design processes to test, deploy and deliver scalable and equitable ocean climate innovations and solutions.
- Provide high-level communications support to aligned decade actions. Including but not limited to, social media support, facilitating press inquiries, coordinating the drafting and preparation of diverse products for publication, etc.
- Maintain database to track calls for action under the UN Decade that may be relevant to the OV-UN DCC or GEOS.
- Coordinate recurring meetings with the OV-UN DCC Program Committee and advisory boards.
- Organize and coordinate all aspects of conferences webinars and workshops nationally and internationally.
- Prepare and track annual monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the OV-UN DCC and GEOS.
Required Skills/Qualifications/Experience:
- Excellent coordination, convening and project management skills
- Proven abilities in support functions
- Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse disciplines, cultures and sectors
- Ability to function with independence and as part of a high-performing team
- Ability to quickly become proficient in new issue areas
- Exceptional cultural competency and interpersonal communication skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, competency in
- additional languages is highly appreciated
