THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION

BACKGROUND:

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) works across 24 countries to conserve biodiversity and support sustainable development. Its programmes range from protecting key ecosystems to influencing regional policies and building partnerships for nature-positive growth.
Within ESARO, the Coastal and Ocean Resilience (COR) Programme leads efforts on marine and coastal conservation, blue economy development, ecosystem restoration, and climate adaptation. It works with governments, communities, and partners to strengthen governance, safeguard marine biodiversity, and build the resilience of coastal livelihoods.
A central element of this work is the Great Blue Wall, the flagship initiative which seeks to address the climate-biodiversity-economic transformation agendas by supporting the conservation and restoration of critical blue ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs, while empowering coastal communities and advancing a regenerative blue economy and effective ocean governance. The initiative operates under IUCN’s Blue Resilience Framework, which integrates four complementary pillars: Blue Planet (governance and protection), Blue Nature (ecosystem restoration), Blue People (inclusive blue economies and policy), and Blue Partnerships (collaboration and innovation).
As part of the Great Blue Wall Initiative, a key focus is on building partnerships and delivering impactful engagements that connect governments, communities, and regional partners as well as practitioners around shared ocean priorities across and within sectors.

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

The Intern, Ocean Events and Workshop Coordination will provide logistical, administrative, and communications support for the planning and delivery of seascape-level, regional and national events under the Coastal and Ocean Resilience portfolio. Working closely with staff in the COR Programme, the intern will support in the organization of workshops, training, and dialogues under the Great Blue Wall Initiative. This role offers a valuable opportunity to gain first-hand experience in event coordination, stakeholder engagement, and project implementation in the ocean/environmental space within a regional context.
Role description:
The Intern, Ocean Events and Workshop Coordination will provide logistical, administrative, and communications support for the planning and delivery of seascape-level, regional and national events under the Coastal and Ocean Resilience portfolio. Working closely with staff in the COR Programme, the intern will support in the organization of workshops, training, and dialogues under the Great Blue Wall Initiative. This role offers a valuable opportunity to gain first-hand experience in event coordination, stakeholder engagement, and project implementation in the ocean/environmental space within a regional context.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

IMPLEMENTATION AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT;
Support preparation and delivery of meetings, workshops, and field-based events, including one regional harmonisation workshop;
Assist in managing participant lists, invitations, travel arrangements, and venue logistics;
Support procurement follow-up, including quotation requests, supplier coordination, and tracking of event-related expenditures;
Contribute to maintaining a shared calendar of events and ensure documentation and filing of all event materials.

COORDINATION AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT;
Liaise with participants, speakers, and partners to confirm logistics and event details.
Support preparation of concept notes, agendas, and briefing materials for events.
Assist in compiling partner contact lists and stakeholder databases.
Support coordination between event partners and service providers to ensure smooth execution.

EVENTS AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE;
Provide logistical support during events (registration, coordination, logistics) where possible and during online meetings.
Take notes, compile attendance lists, and prepare short meeting summaries.
Assist in collecting feedback and lessons learned to inform future event planning.
Support development of post-event reports and visibility materials.

COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH AND RESOURCE MOBILISATION;
Work with the Communications Officer to ensure appropriate branding and visibility during events.
Support preparation of short articles, photos, and social media posts capturing event highlights.
Assist with managing event photo archives and content documentation for newsletters or donor updates.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES;
Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.