Project Officer Youth Leadership

About the GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future.

About the program

Young people are powerful agents of change who deserve to have their voices heard when it comes to decisions about their future. As a priority area of focus, the GCA’s Bold Idea on Youth Leadership includes a range of programs to make youth central in accelerating the adaptation agenda worldwide. These include the Youth Adaptation Network (YAN), the Youth Adaptation Solutions (YAS) Challenge, the Young Adaptation Leaders Program (YALP) and education programs.

The Youth Adaptation Network (YAN) is an umbrella platform to engage, empower and amplify the role of young people in the adaptation agenda. By creating an environment where young people are engaged as equal stakeholders in accelerating climate adaptation actions, and providing them with learning opportunities, the YAN will translate knowledge into action and advocate for adaptation to be accelerated at the national and global level.

The Youth Adaptation Solutions (YAS) Challenge is a competition and awards program for young people from every part of the world, incentivizing them to develop, share, and showcase innovative solutions for climate change adaptation. Recognizing the need to involve young people as equal stakeholders in shaping the global response to climate change, the YAS seeks to unleash their ambition and creativity.

The Young Adaptation Leaders Program (YALP) is a six-month, capacity-building internship program for the next generation of climate adaptation leaders. The YALP includes customized training and experiences, taking its participants on an innovation route, supporting them as they develop adaptation ideas into implementable solutions in the offices of GCA and our partners.

About the position

We are looking for a motivated and dynamic individual to join our Youth Leadership team. The right candidate will be excited about working with young people from across the world to accelerate adaptation action at every level: local communities, national policy-making and global agenda-setting. . The Project Officer Youth Leadership will report to the Program Manager Youth Leadership, and work closely with colleagues across the GCA’s network of offices, integrating the value of youth perspectives and insights across all of its other programs.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of the YAS Challenge and the YALP, establishing significant links between different elements of the Youth Leadership program;
• Support the design and take the lead in implementing communication strategies for each project, demonstrating the value of youth leadership in adaptation by promoting the YAS Challenge and YALP to external audiences;
• Promote the YAS Challenge on relevant youth-oriented and adaptation platforms and through associated networks;

• Manage the alumni network of YALP participants;
• Support the outreach and partnership building with organizations hosting YALP participants, including with governments, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, development partners, NGOs, youth organizations, academia and other stakeholders;
• Support the organization of youth events, virtual exchanges, capacity-building activities, intergenerational dialogues, and high-level meetings;
• Manage the operational procedures for the YALP;
• Identify, develop and organize courses and training materials for YALP participants;
• Seek other opportunities to engage young people in leadership roles within relevant adaptation and education initiatives;
• Support the development of educational opportunities for young people relating to adaptation, including around the Climate Adaptation Summit;
• Other ad-hoc tasks as required relating to youth leadership and the work of GCA.

• A degree in a social, environmental sciences, sustainability, management and/ or climate change degree or other relevant field with at least two years of professional experience in youth leadership schemes and/or climate action;
• Experience in the implementation of projects in a non-profit or governmental environment, preferably in climate mitigation or adaptation;
• Proven experience in engaging with youth, preferably in climate mitigation or adaptation;
• Demonstrated self-starter motivation, being able to innovate and take the initiative to problem-solve, allowing projects to succeed in not only achieving their objectives but finding new opportunities;
• Administrative skills, accuracy and eye for detail;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced knowledge of Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Teams;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and on multiple projects simultaneously;
• Experience of working in international/intercultural environments.

What we offer

The GCA offers a dynamic, high-profile and international working environment in a growing organisation. You will have the opportunity to draw upon the substantial expertise available at the GCA and its partner organizations across the world and will be given an opportunity to support the shaping of a global organisation on climate adaptation and more specifically in the engagement of youth.

The post will be located at the GCA’s office in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on a full-time basis (32-40 hours per week).

How to apply

If you are interested in this position, please submit your motivation letter and CV at gca.recruitee.com before 22 July 2020. Kindly mention the date as of which you would be available to start (possibly temporarily remotely due to COVID-19).

Equal Employment Opportunities Statement

The GCA does not discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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