The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The SDSN Youth is an initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). It was launched in 2015 with a mission to empower youth globally to create sustainable development solutions.  

At SDSN Youth, we empower young people to take meaningful action on the Sustainable Development Goals. By joining our global team, you will be working with a diverse and exceptional group of individuals with a variety of cultural, religious, and political backgrounds, committed to sustainable development.

SDSN Youth is a network of 650+ member organizations based in more than 85 different countries. SDSN Youth has more than 140 team members (staff, volunteers, and interns) working in more than 30 different countries across 20 Regional/ National networks. 

Each Youth Regional/National Network is led by a Network Coordinator (SDSN Youth) who focuses on localizing the SDGs in their region. These Network Coordinators are responsible for a country (National Network) or a number of countries (Regional Network).

Our 20 Network Coordinators are split into 4 ‘regions' - Africa, Europe, Americas, and Asia/Pacific. Each of these 4 regions is managed by a ‘Regional Focal Point'. This Networks Project Officer will support the Regional Focal Point in coordinating and strategizing for the region.

To recap with an example:

• There is a European Focal Point (based in Italy),
• Who works with the 2 Network Project Officers (1 in Switzerland, 1 in Russia) to manage the region. They work closely with
• 6 Network Coordinators (Russia, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Greece, France) to collaborate on regional projects - such as a European Youth Summit.
• Each Network Coordinator plans and runs the operations in their network
  • The Network Coordinator for Turkey chooses to focus on student communities in Istanbul and Ankara, where they educate students about the SDGs and help them work with their universities to fundraise a pathway to attend the SDSN Youth European Youth Summit.

Role

SDSN Youth has 20 regional/national networks across the globe. Our networks localize youth SDG action in their respective countries. Our team, the Networks sub-team, supports our Network Coordinators, through helping them solve challenges, to drive the growth and scaling of their networks, aligning execution approach with our goals, and drive new initiatives via a regional strategy.

The role involves planning, partnerships, and strategy. This would be an ideal position for someone who has a strong network of connections or knowledge of their region, is unafraid to take initiative, enjoys problem-solving with people, and wants to dive deep into how different countries/cultures implement the SDGs.

Responsibilities

• Provide resources to deep dive into thematic explorations and advocacy channels  
  • Researches current events in US and SDSN USA's reports 
  • Reaches out to advocacy groups to spread awareness of important events in US
  • Delve deep into research to uncover thematic patterns in SDGs and current events

An example of your day-to-day responsibilities could include:

• Get in contact with local and national advocacy and activist groups 
• Collaborate with advocacy groups and project coordinators to spread awareness and info about said groups 
• Communicate with members in the SDSN Youth community for collaboration on informational content

Job Qualifications

The candidate will be someone who has experience or wants to learn about communications and has a deep interest in the SDGs. They will be someone who possesses the organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, working in a team in order to maximize SDSN Youth's internal performance.

Minimum qualifications:

• Candidate possesses an excellent command of the English language, including writing, speaking, and listening.
• Candidate has an understanding of the SDGs
• Candidate has experience in creating and executing strategy.
• Candidate has a strong understanding of the region they are applying to.
• Candidate MUST feel comfortable working with different cultures and diverse perspectives.
• Candidate MUST have excellent organizational and leadership skills.
• Candidate MUST be a proven team player with excellent interpersonal skills and ability to coordinate and manage workload across several projects/teams.
• Candidate MUST demonstrate their ability to communicate effectively and report consistently. In a network, which operates across several time zones, reporting and communicating proactively is crucial.
• Candidate MUST be responsive and able to manage regular communication with the team - including after-hours conference calls, as the network spans 10 different time zones.
• The candidate is able to demonstrate that they have the time and resources to commit to this role – candidates with too many overlapping commitments will be exempt from running for this position.

Nice to haves

• Candidate has experience in content creation for social media 
• Strong ability to research and recompile information into an easily understandable format  
• Candidate has a strong understanding of US political climate and current events

Commitment

Total Weekly Hours:

• 10 hours per week

Conditions

• Duration of Position: The first term is 12 months in total, with a 2 months trial period in the beginning. However, subject to review of work performance, this position may be extended on a 12-month basis.
• Reporting: This position reports to the respective Network Coordinators
• Compensation: Voluntary