Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Secretariat – hosted by WMO
Listed on Orbital Diplomat 17 Sept 2026
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is an intergovernmental partnership of 117 governments and over 160 organisations — including the world's leading space agencies (ESA, NASA, JAXA, ISRO, and others), research institutions, UN bodies, and private sector innovators — dedicated to providing open, trusted Earth intelligence as a public good. Hosted by the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, GEO coordinates the world's largest coordinated Earth observation programme through its GEO Work Programme (GWP), a multi-annual portfolio of 49 activities advancing the use of satellite and in-situ Earth observation data for evidence-based decision-making on climate, food security, disasters, and ecosystems. This Work Programme Officer role holds operational responsibility for the GWP's community engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and major convenings. The postholder will serve as the principal focal point for activity leads and partners, oversee the GEO Community Space platform, lead the design and delivery of the GEO Symposium, implement the GWP Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, prepare progress and impact reports for GEO governance bodies, and provide support to the GEO Programme Board. For space policy and governance professionals with backgrounds in Earth observation, international partnership management, or intergovernmental organisations, this role offers a senior coordination position at the hub of the global EO governance ecosystem — where satellite data meets international policy, development finance, and multilateral science diplomacy. The post is one year fixed-term with possibility of renewal, funded from extra-budgetary sources.
Master's degree in environmental sciences, international relations, public policy, social sciences, or a related field; additional qualifications in Earth observations, geospatial information, or data science an advantage Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in programme management, international partnership coordination, community engagement, or event design, preferably in Earth observations, environmental data, sustainable development, or intergovernmental organisations Experience in monitoring and evaluation, governance support, and leading multi-stakeholder convenings highly desirable Familiarity with scientific and technical concepts related to Earth observations Working knowledge of the UN or a similar international organisation; familiarity with the GEO Secretariat an asset Excellent English (oral and written) mandatory; additional WMO official languages an advantage Experience supervising staff an asset