View Vacancy - NZW - COP26 Climate Change Advisor, C4(L) (Fixed-term)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Global Issues Team

COP26 in Glasgow will represent a defining international moment for addressing climate change, five years on from the Paris Agreement. Climate change is not a distant threat – we must act together to accelerate action to reduce emissions, protect our environment and adapt to the consequences that we are seeing all over the world.

We are looking for a motivated COP26 Climate Change Regional Adviser to drive the UK in NZ preparations for COP26 in November 2021, working with UK teams across the Pacific as part of a virtual Pacific hub and a highly ambitious, active, global climate network. 

The UK is a global leader on tackling climate change, being the largest donor to the Green Climate Fund and the first major economy to legislate on net zero carbon emissions. 

The COP26 Climate Change Adviser will be central to ensuring strong collaboration and partnership with New Zealand in the lead up to COP26, as we seek to raise global ambition and action. You will need to think creatively to promote the UK’s objectives, engaging a range of stakeholders both in New Zealand and across the Pacific to identify regional priorities ahead of COP26.

You will sit within the Political Team in Wellington, working closely with the Trade Policy team, the Science and Innovation Adviser and Communications colleagues. Alongside colleagues at BHC Suva, you will be a core member of the Pacific Climate Change Cell, a virtual team bringing together expertise from UK teams across the Pacific. Your relationship with BHC Suva will be key, as will your ability to build trusting, responsive, collaborative relationships with colleagues in the UK.

This is a great job for a climate change expert passionate about delivering a successful COP to significantly increase global ambition, spotting and maximising opportunities across the region. The role will suit someone who can work collaboratively as part of a virtual team to deliver high quality work, aiming high to meet long-term goals whilst responding promptly to diverse commissions. Strong communication skills and an ability to build relationships while working remotely will be essential. The successful candidate should be willing to be adaptable and to provide surge capacity to other areas of the mission as required.

1. COP26 initiatives: UK in NZ (70%)

  • Lead implementation of the UK’s COP26 strategy in New Zealand.  This will include ensuring that delivery of COP26 objectives supports long-term decarbonisation, and resilience & adaptation objectives, including clean growth, energy transition, transport and industrial decarbonisation, nature-based solutions and green finance.
  • Lead external engagement on COP26 with New Zealand Government, civil society and other diplomatic missions
  • Work with the Head of Political Team to integrate COP26 deliverables to the UK’s wider climate change campaign.

2. Regional coordination (30%)

  • Work with the Suva-based Pacific Climate Change Officer to coordinate UK effort across the Pacific
  • Promote the UK’s New Zealand-focused climate change activities to the regional audience, and within New Zealand, promote Pacific-focused efforts to the domestic audience, to ensure maximum impact for UK initiatives.  
  • Build and develop relationships with key regional climate change bodies.
  • Lead internal capacity building, championing climate change expertise across the Pacific network. 
  • A minimum of five years relevant work experience
  • Knowledge of and experience working on international climate change policy
  • A sound understanding of New Zealand climate change policy 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
  • Strong relationship management skills
  • Project management experience
  • Excellent research and analysis skills (including accuracy and strong attention to detail)
  • Experience of managing diverse and senior level relationships
  • Experience working across the Pacific
  • Master’s degree in a relevant field
  • Knowledge of financial / budget management principles or previous financial management experience.
20 May 2021
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Fixed Term, Full-time
36.25
9 months
Asia Pacific
New Zealand
Wellington
British High Commission
1
NZD
10,313
21 June 2021

The British High Commission is committed to learning and development for all staff, placing a strong emphasis on both personal and team development.

This job itself offers huge scope for personal and professional development, with the opportunity to work on the major climate change event of 2020. In addition, a wide range of L&D opportunities are available, with access to specialist courses and training (including UK government climate change and energy policy), our annual L&D camp and some international travel, including to the UK.

Compulsory online training courses include diversity and inclusion.

This is a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2022.

Appointment is subject to a 90 day trial period and gaining and maintaining Posts security clearance requirements.

Open to New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and partners/dependents of UK-based diplomatic staff currently posted in New Zealand. Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Candidates must have or be able to obtain work authorisation for New Zealand in order to apply.

Staff recruited locally by the High Commission are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local New Zealand employment law.  Only short-listed applicants will be contacted regarding the next phase of the selection process.

To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

For more information on the work of the British High Commission, visit our website - http://www.gov.uk/government/world/new-zealand.

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount.

Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.