Senior Programme Officer Water and Climate
Vacancy #: 7599 Unit: Pakistan Programme Coordination Unit Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Pakistan Country Office, Islamabad, Pakistan Reporting to: Country Representative (Acting) , IUCN Pakistan Work percentage: 100% Grade: P2 Expected start date: 15 May 2026 Type of contract: Fixed-term (up to 8 months) Closing date: 04 May 2026
BACKGROUND
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature help the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenged in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practices.
IUCN Pakistan assists the federal, provincial and district governments, as well as civil society organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders in promoting conservation, the sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable development.
Job Description
S/He will support the Country Representative IUCN Pakistan and lead on the IUCN Pakistan Water and Climate programme in line with the IUCN’s 20-years Strategic Vision and IUCN’s 4 years Programme 2026-2029 following aspects but not limited to:
Requirements
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.
www.iucn.org
https://twitter.com/IUCN
BACKGROUND
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature help the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenged in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practices.
IUCN Pakistan assists the federal, provincial and district governments, as well as civil society organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders in promoting conservation, the sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable development.
Job Description
S/He will support the Country Representative IUCN Pakistan and lead on the IUCN Pakistan Water and Climate programme in line with the IUCN’s 20-years Strategic Vision and IUCN’s 4 years Programme 2026-2029 following aspects but not limited to:
- Technical Support and Analysis
- Provide technical inputs on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and water resource management in Pakistan.
- Support integration of ecosystem-based approaches (EbA) and nature-based solutions (NbS) into projects especially in the water sector in Pakistan.
- Analyse national and provincial policies on climate change, water governance, and resilience and translate into the programme through initiatives like Freshwater Challenge.
- Lead in development of programmes on urban and nature with focus on freshwater connectivity, restoration and protection of green-blue spaces to manage urban heat
- Lead in vulnerability assessments, climate risk analyses, and water-related studies at the country level and contribute at the regional level.
- Lead in development of technical briefs, concept notes, training materials, presentations and knowledge products.
- Conduct objective review of the water and climate related projects and other projects with relevance.
- Review and update IUCN Pakistan’s Climate Change programme and Pakistan Water programme.
- Update IUCN Pakistan’s profile on Water and also on Climate, taking stock of the past experiences and projects.
- Programme Development and Proposal Writing
- Lead in design and development of projects in water, wetlands and climate change adaptation including managing floods and drought through EbA and NbS interventions.
- Lead in proposal writing, budgeting inputs and logframe development at the country level in coordination with CR and other teams in the country office.
- Contribute in programme development and budgeting in development of regional projects for Pakistan in close coordination with the Regional Water and Wetlands Programme.
- Identify funding opportunities aligned with Pakistan’s water and climate priorities especially through GEF, GCF, FRLD and Adaptation Fund
- For programme development, ensure alignment with donor requirements and international frameworks (e.g., climate and biodiversity agendas KMGBF) and country priorities, plans and policies (National Water Policy, National Climate Change Policy, National Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGAP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Paris Agreement etc.) and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR).
- Lead in developing project concepts focusing on resilience, water security, WEFE Nexus and ecosystem restoration.
- Lead in development of the integrated programmes as per IUCN’s Programme 2026 – 2029 and 20-years Strategic Vision.
- Programme Support and Coordination
- Support the Country Representative in the Programme Coordination functions.
- Provide technical backstopping to ongoing projects particularly on water and climate.
- Support Country Representative in coordination with government counterparts, donors, and partners.
- Coordinate in organizing consultations, workshops, trainings and stakeholder engagements to support programme coordination. Docusign Envelope ID: 2FE55E9C-6AA8-4A8E-A68B-D1A3DD47BC0A
- Contribute in project monitoring, reporting, and documentation.
- Ensure knowledge sharing across teams and projects.
- Research and Knowledge Management
- Compile and synthesize data on Pakistan’s climate risks, hydrology, and water challenges.
- Support development of case studies, reports, and communication materials.
- Maintain updated knowledge on global best practices in climate resilience and water management.
- Contribute to internal learning and capacity-building initiatives.
- Contribute in development of the IUCN Pakistan’s Annual Report, Monthly Report and other periodic reports.
- Support integration of AI in water resources management through training programmes and conceptualising frameworks and tools.
- Strategic Support
- Contribute to the senior management in shaping water and climate programme strategy.
- Identify emerging trends and opportunities in climate finance, adaptation, AI and water security.
- Support integration of climate and water considerations across IUCN Pakistan’s portfolio.
- Liaison with the Ministry of Water Resources, Provincial Water Irrigation and Water Management Departments and Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to contribute and strengthen IUCN Programme in coordination with the Country Representative.
- Represent IUCN Pakistan and relevant national and international Fora in coordination with the Country Representative IUCN Pakistan
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Water Resources, or related field with at least 5 years of relevant experience in climate change, water management, or environmental programmes. / In case of Bachelors degree, relevant experience of at least 10 years with proven skills.
- Experience in proposal writing and programme development is essential.
- Familiarity with Pakistan’s climate and water policy landscape.
- Strong analytical, writing, and coordination skills.
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.
www.iucn.org
https://twitter.com/IUCN