Urgent action is needed by all of society, including the sports community, to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity and the damage to the natural world on which we all depend to sustain our health and well-being. By protecting and restoring nature, sports organisations can play a vital role in climate mitigation and adaptation, both in the outdoor and indoor environments where they play, and through their enormous influence with the wider public.
To help sports address these challenges and contribute to local and global biodiversity goals, the Sports for Nature (S4N) initiative was launched in late 2022. It aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration, green their operations and supply chains, and accelerate and inspire others to act for nature.
Led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, the initiative has three main components: the Sports for Nature Framework, which currently has about 60 sports organisations that have committed to take action for nature around its four principles and report on their progress annually; capacity building and resources to help sports on their nature journey; and, a global campaign, which will begin in 2025, to mobilise the broader sporting community.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Communications Officer, Sports for Nature (S4N) supports the strategic implementation of IUCN-led S4N initiative. He/she will coordinate the communications and knowledge management activities with the S4N partners as well as across IUCN, ensuring strong visibility, content and engagement in the initiative with the target audiences.
The role requires expertise in communications, advocacy and campaign strategy development and implementation, including writing and editing, and publications and digital asset production, as well as some technical skills to produce presentations, use a camera, manage a website and other tools.
In addition, to coordinating the delivery of the content, monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of the dissemination and uptake of the initiative’s main messages and products, he/she also should be able to coordinate at multiple levels to manage any possible risks and handle any media requests, in close collaboration with IUCN’s Global Communications Unit and the S4N partners.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following tasks to be carried out can be summarised as follows:

– Provide on-going communications and marketing expertise, capacity building and publications support to the S4N initiative, including the development and launch of a global campaign to mobilise the broader sporting community.
– Draft targeted communications and advocacy strategies and supporting materials to feature the initiative’s sports uptake, key products and events.
– Support the development and implementation of the global S4N campaign with partners, in collaboration with an agency.
– Provide input and produce new content for S4N’s website and social media channels.
– Help identify and promote key lessons and good practices by sports signatories.
– Monitor and report regularly on the initiative’s communications effectiveness and achievements.
– When possible, assist other IUCN colleagues as requested with specific communications and knowledge management tasks.