OPPORTUNITY: International Affairs and Treaties Division Director

POSITION TITLE : International Affairs and Treaties Division Director
DEPARTMENT/OFFICE : Office of the Executive Director
DIVISION : International Affairs and Treaties
DUTY STATION : ACB Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR : Executive Director

TERMS OF REFERENCE

A. BACKGROUND

The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is an intergovernmental regional centre of excellence established through an agreement among the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2005. The ACB facilitates cooperation and coordination among the members of ASEAN, and with relevant national governments, and regional and international organisations, on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such biodiversity in the ASEAN region. Since its establishment, the ACB has lived up to its mandate of strengthening national and regional capacity for biodiversity conservation.

The International Affairs and Treaties Division (IATD) is responsible for international protocols and enhancing existing diplomatic relations with the ACB’s dialogue and developmental partners, as well as the coordination and communication with the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Host country, Offices of Permanent Representatives and Missions to ASEAN, and Secretariat of international conventions and organisations outside of ASEAN. The IATD may also serve as the entry point for potential partnerships with dialogue and development partners. It is also responsible for facilitating discourse, providing regional and global policy and statement support to the ASEAN Member States (AMS) on the CBD, various biodiversity-related meetings and conventions, and other multilateral environmental agreements.

The ACB is seeking dynamic, innovative, and committed candidates for the International Affairs and Treaties (IAT) Division Director position. The IAT Division Director is essential to the maintenance, establishment, and enhancement of the ACB’s robust diplomatic relations with the AMS, other nations, sub-regional, regional, and international organisations, the ASEAN Secretariat, dialogue and development partners, as well as external entities to ensure synergies and foster multisectoral collaboration towards the achievement of the objectives of the CBD within the national contexts of the AMS, and as guided by the ASEAN in maintaining relations with these entities. The IAT Division Director is also responsible for the engagement, development, and facilitation of a policy agenda that supports the strategic goals identified by the AMS for the region, in light of the ACB’s mandate, mission, and vision. The IAT Division Director also leads the coordination with the AMS in various regional and international discussions and negotiations in multilateral environmental agreements. Moreover, the IAT Division Director is tasked with contributing to the strengthening of institutional arrangements, including through transboundary cooperation to improve governance and effective operationalisation of multilateral agreements and frameworks.

B.SCOPE OF DUTIES

Under the Office of the Executive Director (OED) and the supervision of the Executive Director, the International Affairs and Treaties Division Director, in close coordination with the other departments, will perform the following:

1. Act as the principal and primary adviser of the Executive Director on regional and global policies, laws, rules and regulations, particularly those relevant to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, access and benefit-sharing, and indigenous knowledge systems;
2. Provide policy recommendations to the Executive Director for possible endorsement and approval of the AMS, to support regional initiatives for meeting global and regional biodiversity targets;
3. Develop policies for strengthening the functions of the ACB in relation to its mandate as an intergovernmental organisation coordinating biodiversity conservation activities in Southeast Asia;
4. Backstop or represent, as appropriate, the Executive Director in high-level political bilateral and multilateral meetings and conferences in the ASEAN, with ASEAN Partner States, or in the United Nations, or in other regional and international fora, to promote and facilitate regional and global support for the programs, projects, and initiatives of the ACB, in accordance with its mandate;
5. Provide advice and recommendations on strengthening relations and linkages of the ACB with the AMS, and with ASEAN Partner States;
6. Recommend policies and actions to strengthen the cooperation of the ACB with the ASEAN Secretariat, UN CBD, and other Intergovernmental Bodies, as well as regional and international non-government organisations, essential to the achievement of the mandates and objectives of the ACB;
7. Review the effectiveness of existing ACB policies pertaining to AMS relations and dealings with governments, as well as with regional and international organisations, and make recommendations to the Executive Director for updating, amending, or repealing said policies, as appropriate;
8. Supervise and provide guidance in the substantial preparations, for visits, reception of high level officials and dignitaries of the AMS, governments and international organisations visiting ACB including official visits of the Executive Director and ACB officials within and outside the ASEAN region; and
9. Perform other related tasks as may be assigned by the Executive Director from time to time.

C. QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Work Experience

• Master’s degree in Foreign Service, International Law, International Relations, Asian Studies, or other related fields and five (5) years of related work experiences in regional and global relations or its equivalency requirements:
  • Completed Academic Requirements in Master’s programme Foreign Service, International Law, International Relations, Asian Studies or other related fields or any other related course and seven (7) years of related work experiences in regional and global relations; or
  • 18 units earned in Master’s programme in Foreign Service, International Law, International Relations, Asian Studies or other related fields or any other related course and nine (9) years of related work experiences in regional and global relations; or
  • Related Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Service, International Law, International Relations, Asian Studies or other related fields or any other related course and 12 years of related work experiences in regional and global relations; or
  • Non-Related Bachelor’s Degree and 15 years related work experience in regional and global relations.
• With at least two (2) years of relevant experience in leading/supervising a team.
• Proven experience in conducting research and analysis on foreign policies, international affairs and public relations issues and in providing quality advice, briefings and written reports to management and/or employer.
• With proven substantive knowledge and expertise in global policies, laws, rules and regulations.

Skills

• Excellent knowledge of the English language and with exceptional writing, presentation, and communication skills
• Adept at working with international partners
• Ability to work independently and to manage effectively different tasks
• Adept at working within a multicultural working environment
• Excellent analytical and conceptual thinking
• Good interpersonal skills
• Strong persuasion and negotiation skills

Other Preferences:

• Knowledge relevant to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, access and benefit-sharing, and indigenous knowledge systems is an advantage.

Nationality

• Must be a national of any of the ASEAN Member States

D. COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

Core Values

• Integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity
• Cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly
• Prudence, dependability, and accountability

Core Competencies

• Communication, teamwork, planning, and organising, accountability, commitment to continuous learning, and technological awareness.

E. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicants should prepare the following and send all to acb.hr@aseanbiodiversity.org:

1.  A letter of intent of no more than two pages, elaborating how his/her qualifications and experiences make him/her suitable for the position. Address the letter to Executive Director Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim. JP 2024-18 International Affairs and Treaties Division Director should be indicated in the aforesaid letter.
2. Updated curriculum vitae, and diploma, or transcript of records and,
3. A completed Job Application Form (which can be downloaded here)

(**if the link does not download automatically, please RIGHT-CLICK on the link and select OPEN LINK IN NEW TAB or SAVE LINK AS)

Interested applicants are advised to visit www.aseanbiodiversity.org for further details on eligibility and documentary requirements for the subject post. The deadline for submission of completed applications is on 16 May 2024. Only applications with complete documentary requirements (letter of Intent, completed Job Application Form, and curriculum vitae) will be processed. Applications received beyond this date will not be considered. All applicants will be given notice as to the status of their application. Previous applicants may apply again.

F. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The ACB does not ask for payment at any stage of its recruitment process (application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee) nor authorises anyone to officially receive applications from prospective candidates, except through the ACB Human Resources Division. We advise the public to be vigilant when dealing with financial transactions online and to report any suspicious individuals or accounts representing the ACB.