Project Manager

About the role

Earth Observation (EO) science, data and tools are increasingly critical to supporting policy and societal efforts to reverse the decline in global biodiversity and associated ecosystems. In partnership with other space agencies, ESA is central to this effort through provision of high-quality observation data that form an essential part of the evidence base regarding global change that underpins international, multilateral agreements and treaties including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Nature Finance is emerging as a key theme addressing the vital need to encourage and support the flow of private and public capital to support actions to address biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability, protection and restoration. While initiatives such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) work towards clear guidance on standards and metrics for use of data related to biodiversity commitments, there is still considerable uncertainty surrounding the suitability of data to address various tasks involving data access, standards, and accuracy, as well as potential untapped opportunities to leverage new and additional EO data. The LEON consortium has formed to work with ESA and address these issues from across the sciences; from across the full breadth of financial services community, EO industry, policymakers, and supply chain actors.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a multinational project team – combining representatives from research institutions, NGOs, and the private sector – that will be working closely both with the European Space Agency and with multiple actors across the finance sector. You will join as Project Manager for the project, working both with the technical teams and with all stakeholders, ensuring the project objectives are delivered.

About you

The successful candidate must have a scientific education to degree level, have the ability to work autonomously towards a goal, have excellent communication and organisational skills, be comfortable handling quantitative scientific data, and be able to manage projects within financial and schedule constraints. Experience in a similar role would be beneficial.

You will be based with the project PI in the Department of Biology. The researcher will work in support of the Nature Positive Hub, and the Global Finance and Economy Group. The Oxford Nature Positive Hub is located in the Department of Biology, bringing together leading researchers from across the University of Oxford, with close collaborators from other organisations. We are united by a common theme: working towards understanding and quantifying the drivers of biodiversity loss, identifying opportunities for impact mitigation and nature gains, and investigating policy mechanisms and actions that might underpin pathways towards Nature Positive outcomes overall. The Global Finance and Economy Group (located in the School of Geography and the Environment) spans natural sciences, economics and finance and aims to increase understanding of the relationships between environmental change, the economy, the financial system, and people, and develop science, analytics, tools, evidence and solutions to secure a resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.

How to apply

Where Covid-19 has resulted in substantial disruption to your work or research outputs, please explain this by providing an additional paragraph in your supporting statement.

The University of Oxford is committed to equality and valuing diversity. All applicants will be judged on merit, according to the selection criteria.

This post is part time at 50% and available from end of January 2025.

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