Part-time Position: Writer, Earth Negotiations Bulletin (see description) (Deadeline Oct. 22, 2014)

ENB WRITER RECRUITMENT - INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

The International Institute for Sustainable Development, Reporting Services Division (IISD RS), is adding new writers to its team of freelance consultants (the “ENB Team”) who write and edit the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and IISD’s other conference reporting services. (For more information on these publications, visit http://www.iisd.ca, and to see the existing ENB Team, visit http://www.iisd.ca/about/team/).

Please note that these are not full-time positions and applicants should only apply if interested in part-time consulting work.

IISD is an international non-governmental organization. Qualified applicants from all countries are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will be hired on a consulting basis for meetings held in locations all over the world. We do not require or provide work permits, work visas or relocate consultants who are successful candidates for these freelance positions.

Because of the large number of applicants expected, only those who demonstrate that they meet all of the general and specific requirements will be considered. All applicants should submit a copy of their resume (Curriculum Vitae), together with a cover letter detailing how they meet each of the requirements set out below. Both the CV and cover letter are used in the ranking of candidates.

The deadline for applications is 1800 (6:00pm) GMT on Wednesday, 22 October 2014.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Work on the Earth Negotiations Bulletin and other publications requires long hours, often in small offices with other members of the team. All applicants should be able to work well in small group situations, handle stress and show the highest respect for co-workers even in the most trying moments.

ENB writers are paid an honorarium that is scaled according to experience on ENB teams (from US$1200 to US$2550 per week). IISD reimburses all business-related and travel expenses while attending meetings. Consultants are required to be available for at least four meetings per year, with between five and sixteen days of work per meeting.

Each successful candidate will spend three days in a training session before joining the ENB team.

Candidates should NOT be looking for full-time work at present and should demonstrate how part-time work on the ENB Team will incorporate into their other freelance work or studies.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

All applicants should:

be enrolled in or about to begin a Ph.D. program or hold a Ph.D. or LL.M degree, or have at least five years of UN environment or sustainable development policy experience (working, lobbying or negotiating in the UN system);

have worked, published or undertaken academic research on one or more of the multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) covered by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin;

demonstrate complete fluency in understanding and speaking English and have both recent experience in writing in English and strong written and conversational language skills in one other UN language (French, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese or Russian);

have a good understanding of multilateral negotiations and the UN system;

work well in small groups and have the flexibility to travel to international meetings for periods of up to three weeks at a time;

be available for at least four assignments per year;

be able to type well enough to take legible verbatim notes; and

have a laptop computer.

HOW TO APPLY

Send an e-mail to tomilola@iisd.org with a copy of your Curriculum Vitae/resume and a letter of introduction that explains your interest in working for the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, listing specific information on your issue expertise in any of the policy issues we follow, any recent academic publications, and how you meet each of the minimum requirements. Applicants should fully articulate their depth of background and experience in multilateral negotiations, and detail language abilities.

List details of two professional referees.

Include your skype username.

Application deadline: 1800 (6:00pm) GMT on Wednesday, 22 October 2014.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

All cover letters and resumes/CVs will be reviewed and ranked according to the specific requirements (a-h) set out above. Because we anticipate a large number of applicants, we apologize that we will only contact those who we have ranked highly. We anticipate that we will be contacting the highly ranked candidates on or before 30 October, to arrange a telephone/skype interview to be held between 1-5 November.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to participate in a “virtual” tryout, which will be held at an agreed time between 10-12 November. During this tryout, candidates will be asked to listen to negotiations (recorded and streamed over the Internet), take notes, and then summarize the discussion in ENB style.

Results of the tryouts will be evaluated, and successful candidates will be notified by 17 November.

Those offered a place on the team are required to attend a training session in New York, NY, from 14-16 January 2015.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Successful candidates in the past have been former negotiators, professors, Ph.D. students, international environmental lawyers, and retired UN staff. ENB writers have a history of being interested in, and involved with, multilateral environmental agreements and have been readers of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin prior to joining the team. IISD is seeking candidates who can demonstrate that they share the same passion for transparency and commitment to good environment and sustainable development governance that we do. In particular, we prefer candidates who have already developed their own networks in the international environment and sustainable development policy and academic communities. Most importantly, as in life, creativity and imagination count.