Environmental Policy Officer

Overall accountability

The role has two primary objectives:

1. To support the refinement, coordination and implementation of WFA’s strategy around UNEA
2. To support the refinement, development, coordination and implementation of WFA’s strategies related to international biodiversity policy.

Engaging with country representatives and other stakeholders

• Build constructive relationships with country representatives and delegations.
• Research, identify and advise on opportunities for engagement around animal protection and welfare within the international environmental and biodiversity policy space.
• Develop and implement novel and effective framings and approaches that advance the protection and well-being of animals and their habitats within these policy spaces, with a focus on integrating these issues within the wider sustainability contexts (specifically food systems, health and related environmental challenges including climate, pollution and habitat loss).
• Promote WFA positions among other strategically relevant stakeholders, such as institutional agents, academia, business, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities among others.

Building a WFA presence at the UN Environment Programme and within biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements

• Represent WFA at the UN Environment Programme and UN Environment Assemblies.
• Represent WFA at international biodiversity policy meetings and other relevant events, particularly those focusing on sustainable development, food systems, health, biodiversity and climate.
• Engage and coordinate as needed with key stakeholders in the environmental and biodiversity policy processes, including other intergovernmental organisations, civil society organisations and NGOs, and Major Groups and other Stakeholders.
• Occasionally, organise events to advance WFA’s environmental and biodiversity strategy, from conceptualisation to logistics.
• Travel, often internationally, 2-5 times per year to participate in biodiversity and UNEP policymaking conferences (Subsidiary body meetings, conferences of the parties, etc).

Providing coordination for advocacy efforts

• Create annually, with relevant policy colleagues and WFA members, a coordinated strategy for animal welfare advocacy at the UN Environment Programme and in international biodiversity frameworks.
• Supporting the completion of a project conducted by WFA to develop guidance for countries on how animal welfare can support countries in implementing the Biodiversity and Health Global Action Plan and the broader Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Collaborate with WFA members, including by leading two WFA working groups focused on the coordination of member activities at the UN Environment Programme, UNEA  and on international biodiversity policy, respectively, to implement WFA’s environmental and biodiversity strategies.
• Provide coordination and support to WFA members for advocacy activities before and during major policy moments.
• Preparation of inputs in response to calls for input from UNEP and MEAs, as well as policy briefs and analyses of policy changes, key decisions or relevant reports for WFA staff and members.
• Coordination with communications staff to highlight policy advocacy efforts for WFA members and supporters.

Other tasks

• From time to time, the post holder will be required to occasionally support the policy team or colleagues on other tasks, as needed and requested by the Deputy CEO.