Programme Management Officer

Deadline to apply is 21 November 2026 at 23:59 New York time. Read the full job description. National Professional Officer shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located and will be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the office. If no suitable local candidate is identified, nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to traveling and relocating to the duty station in the event of an employment offer. The UNEP-led ReLISA consortium comprises UNDP, UNESCO, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), C4EcoSolutions and UNIQUE land use GmbH. The project aims to make the economic case for restoration activities and thereby scale up investment in ecosystem restoration of savannah, subtropical thicket and grasslands biomes in South Africa. This position is located at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Biodiversity and Land Branch, Economics of Nature Unit, Ecosystems Division, at the Pretoria duty station. Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Economics of Nature Unit, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: Participates in the development, implementation and evaluation of the project titled “Restoring Landscapes in South Africa (ReLISA)”; monitors and analyzes programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and proposes corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions. Facilitates collaboration and coordination among consortium partners and relevant stakeholders to support coherent and timely implementation of project activities. Manages the Project Steering Committee (PSC), including mobilizing key government ministries and agencies as members, performing secretariat functions, and ensuring relevant stakeholders are regularly informed of project activities and progress. Facilitate political stakeholder engagement for ReLISA, maintaining substantive dialogue with government ministries, agencies and senior officials; monitors and communicates material developments in Government of South Africa policy positions that could impact project implementation. Identifies and develops opportunities to advance ecosystem restoration investment and policy uptake in South Africa, including synergies with other relevant initiatives; analyzes public and private sector entry points and advises the consortium on partnership opportunities and strategic adjustments. Represents ReLISA in national and international policy forums; identifies opportunities to disseminate project objectives and results, including at the Global Landscapes Forum and side events of UNFCCC, UNCCD, CBD, and other relevant processes. Supports gender-responsive implementation and contributes to stakeholder engagement and safeguard measures relating to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), including meaningful consultation processes where applicable. Prepares written outputs including policy briefings, stakeholder engagement reports, background papers, and inputs to publications; coordinates budget and funding activities, work plan development, and reporting requirements in line with project obligations. Supports UNEP offices, including the Southern Africa Sub-regional office on linkages between ReLISA and relevant national, regional and international policy priorities and high-level policy processes; leads or participates in field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties, and drafts mission summaries. Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Performs other duties as required. Education Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably with a specialization in environmental management, environment and development, sustainable development, economics, applied economics or related fields is required . A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable. Work Experience A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management and stakeholder engagement on environmental and sustainable development issues is required. Experience working with decision-makers in government, the private sector and the broader public at national levels is required. Experience in ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem-based adaptation and/or nature-based solutions projects in South Africa is required. Experience engaging with senior political stakeholders is desirable. Experience working with the UN Common System or an International Organization is desirable. Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details). Required Languages English Reading: UN Level II Writing: UN Level II Listening: UN Level II Speaking: UN Level II