Be a champion for seabirds: New Zealand’s Department of Conservation seeks Senior International Policy Advisor

An opportunity has arisen with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation for a Senior International Policy Advisor to join the team to progress the Department's international seabird work.

The position is described in the Department’s advertisement as follows:

“This is a rare and exciting opportunity to champion conservation through international collaboration and policy negotiations. The primary focus of this role is addressing international threats to seabirds. Seabirds are amongst the most threatened group of birds globally, particularly albatrosses and petrels. New Zealand is a global seabird hotspot, and ninety percent of them are in trouble (threatened or at risk of extinction).

Many of our threatened taonga seabirds are highly migratory and face imminent danger in waters beyond our jurisdiction, either in the high seas or in coastal waters or other range states. Addressing bycatch risks and other at-sea threats across the range of seabirds is vital to fully realise the conservation benefits from investment made domestically in breeding site and domestic fisheries management.

Ideally, you'll be looking to take the next step in your career to broaden your international focus and experience. Working alongside subject matter experts, you'll support the implementation of our bycatch mitigation strategy.  There will also be opportunities to support the team's wider international engagement functions.

This is a true engagement role where whanaungatanga will be a foundation principle throughout your mahi. You'll join a passionate advisory team and work closely alongside key partners including our internal policy and technical teams, whānau, hapū and iwi, government agencies and other international and domestic stakeholders working together to support the delivery of the Government's international conservation obligations.

This role requires the ability and willingness to travel internationally for meetings and in some cases, to attend virtual international meetings at night. If you're not based in Wellington, let us know in your cover letter where you'd prefer to be based.”

Applications close on the 19^th of July. 

The complete Position Description can be found here: https://careers.doc.govt.nz/jobs/DOC-600021006WLG.

12 July 2023