Intern, Science Panel for the Congo Basin - SDSN Association

ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS NETWORK (SDSN)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was commissioned in 2012 by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mobilize universities and knowledge institutions to support the SDGs, both in their design (prior to 2015) and their implementation (2016-2030). In 2017, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the mandate of the SDSN. The SDSN focuses on three priority areas: (i) building a global network of knowledge institutions organized into national and regional SDSNs with a particular focus on strengthening the capacity of institutions in developing countries; (ii) supporting the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement, through research and policy tools and analysis; and (iii) building a global online SDG Academy for sustainable development to strengthen the capacity of universities.

ABOUT THE SCIENCE PANEL FOR THE CONGO BASIN

The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) is the first-of-its-kind independent scientific panel dedicated to synthesizing existing knowledge of the status of, and threats to, the Congo Basin and its ecosystems. The report will also draft solutions to preserve the ecosystem health of the Congo Basin. As the world’s second largest tropical forest, the Congo Basin provides key services at local, regional, and global scales that are critical for limiting the impacts of climate change - and yet remains largely under-researched and chronically underinvested.

The SPCB was established to mobilize scientists in the region to jointly address these challenges, inspired by the call of environment ministers and scientists across the region for renewed efforts, increased scientific investment, and involvement of science in policy-making for the sustainable development of Congo Basin countries. Led by and comprised primarily of leading scientists from the region, the SPCB will undertake a comprehensive synthesis of the available scientific knowledge on the Congo Basin, including Indigenous peoples and autochthonous knowledge, to generate a high-quality independent assessment report to be presented at COP30.

The assessment will be directed at policy makers to help inform and accelerate local and regional solutions to strengthen nature conservation and advance sustainable development, while also highlighting acute and potential tipping points, as well as critical areas and gaps requiring further scientific research.

The SPCB’s first Assessment Report is being written by over 80 academics based in the Congo Basin region and beyond. The intern will make a meaningful contribution to completing the current draft of the report by carrying out key coordination activities across the various activities of the SPCB.

The panel is inspired by the successful Science Panel for the Amazon, convened by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

POSITION SUMMARY

This position will support the Secretariat of the Science Panel for the Congo Basin based in SDSN’s New York Office, and will have as first report the SPCB Program Associate. The incumbent provides a wide range of duties. Responsibilities will be largely administrative and include supporting the payment of all partners, production of the assessment report and associated activities (e.g. formatting citations, fact checking, requesting permissions for figures, copyediting), and supporting events and meetings (e.g. organizing meeting, preparing invitations, and taking notes).

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent will support the Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB). This will include: 

• Working with an international team and liaising with consultants, service providers, and partners.
• Developing and/or following workflow procedures and timely completion of many assignments on tight timelines. 
• Supporting financial systems management, including initiating vendor relationships, payments, contracts, and processing invoices.
• Supporting the planning of events (meetings, webinars, workshops, etc. of various scales), in-person and virtual, i.e., updating agendas, preparing invitations, taking notes, and drafting summaries. 
• Supporting the elaboration of donor reports.
• When applicable, supporting the production of the assessment report through formatting citations, fact checking, requesting permission for figures, copyediting, and organizing draft documents.
• Performing other duties and responsibilities as deemed appropriate by  the Strategic Coordinator of the SPCB.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND EXPERTISE

• A Bachelor’s Degree (completed or currently enrolled) related to project management, administration, organization, and information studies is strongly recommended. Alternatively, applicants with an environment or economics-related degree and strong interest in project administration may be considered. 
• A Master’s Degree (completed or currently enrolled) is preferred. 
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Google Office (Sheets, Docs, Forms, etc.)
• Accuracy, strong organizational skills, and attention to detail. 
• Ability to work in a multicultural and international team environment
• Proficient in English. Proficiency in French is an asset.
• Ability to work under pressure on competing responsibilities with resilience, discretion, and diplomacy. 
• Passion for the mission of the SDSN. 
• Experience with the following software is an asset: Mailchimp, Wordpress, Intacct, Vena, Canva, Candid, Dropbox, HR Partner, GrantHub, Expensify, Egencia, Zoom, and Adobe Acrobat. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Location: The position reports to the SPCB Secretariat based in New York City. The position can be fulfilled remotely.

Contract Length: November 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025

Salary Range: Hourly wage of $16-19 depending on qualifications. 15-20 hours per week. 

Benefits: SDSN team members are given the opportunity to follow some of the most thought-provoking discussions on sustainability. In their work, team members get the chance to meet and exchange with some of the world’s greatest leaders in sustainable development – professors, economists, bestselling authors, exducators, and academics. In addition to this, the SDSN team is composed of dynamic, sustainable development professionals who come from different countries and backgrounds. With such a unique exposure and environment, each member of SDSN can learn and grow while doing the work they love and contribute with a positive impact.

Reports to: Science Panel for the Congo Basin Program Associate

Work authorization: SDSN does not sponsor visas, and therefore applicants must have proper authorization to work in the United States. SDSN is required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to secure verification of eligibility to work in the United States. Applicants do not need a visa if they will be working remotely from a different country.

SDSN IS AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

SDSN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, and physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please submit a cover letter and a CV on HR Partner. 

Please note that due to the high volume of applications received, SDSN is not able to provide individual feedback. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you are not contacted by SDSN hiring teams within three weeks following your application’s submission, you can assume your application has not been retained on this occasion.