Deadline for application: 5 May 2024

About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global community of over 225 of the world’s leading businesses driving systems transformation for a better world in which 9+ billion people can live well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. Together, we transform the systems we work in to limit the impact of the climate crisis, restore nature, and tackle inequality.​

We accelerate value chain transformation across key sectors and reshape the financial system to reward sustainable leadership and action through a lower cost of capital. Through the exchange of best practices, improving performance, accessing education, forming partnerships, and shaping the policy agenda, we drive progress in businesses and sharpen the accountability of their performance.

About WBCSD’s Nature Action Imperative

In 2023 WBCSD launched a series of Roadmaps to Nature Positive to cut through the complexity of the nature agenda, and support companies in taking credible, impactful action on nature. These sector Roadmaps engage companies operating in the same sector (e.g., forestry, agriculture, built environment, energy, chemicals, pharma etc.) in a collaborative process with industry peers and other key stakeholders, to build a common understanding of the most material nature-related impacts and dependencies for the sector, as well as the priority actions to halt and reverse nature loss along the value chain. These actions are tied to relevant metrics and targets to help companies measure and disclosure their nature-related impacts.

Job Overview

WBCSD has entered an agreement with GSK to lead the development of a Roadmap to Nature Positive for the Biotech and Pharmaceuticals (‘Pharma’) sector over a period of 24 months from 2024 to 2026, working with a coalition of leading companies in the sector.

The primary responsibility is to drive the development of the Pharma Roadmap to Nature Positive, convening a coalition of about 10 leading businesses in the sector. Together they will build a shared understanding of the sector’s key impacts and dependencies on nature, as well as the actions to prioritize to halt and reverse nature loss, and collectively contribute to driving the global transition towards Nature Positive.

The Manager will sit in WBCSD’s Nature Action team, report to the Director Nature Action, and work collectively with WBCSD colleagues to drive sector Roadmaps to Nature Positive.

Responsibilities

• Lead a coalition of approx.10 global business in the Pharma sector (funded by GSK) through a 24-months process to deliver 1) a shared understanding of key nature-related impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities for the sector; 2) A reference list of core and sector-level metrics/indicators for the sector; 3) Illustrative case studies of application along the value chain. These deliverables will be developed in collaboration with an external consultant.
• Support the scoping of new sector Roadmaps at WBCSD (e.g., mobility, chemicals).
• Engage relevant industry stakeholders and NGOs in a consultative process.
• Contribute to WBCSD’s positioning as a leading global platform supporting companies in the delivery of nature-positive strategies.
• Represent WBCSD within the broader business community and other stakeholder groups.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in sustainable development, business management or other related disciplines.
• 5-10 years of professional experience in corporate sustainability. Consulting experience would be an asset.
• Familiarity with global nature-related regulatory and voluntary sustainability frameworks such the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), or the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
• Experience working with or in the pharma sector would be a plus.
• Successful experience in project management
• Capacity to work independently by setting priorities within own work streams, identifying and proactively addressing problems and working to deadlines.
• Experience in successfully aligning different stakeholders and the ability to create effective relationships with new partners or stakeholders
• Engaging communicator both in person and in writing, ability to adjust style of communication to suit audience (e.g. present technical topics to a non-technical audience), makes presentations and undertakes public speaking with skills and confidence..
• Experience in successfully working across teams and diverse interest groups, good team spirit and the ability to contribute to, and work effectively in teams of partners /stakeholders.

The position is for a full time, fixed-term 2 year contract (with possibility of extension), based in the Netherlands or the United Kingdom.

WBCSD is a purpose-driven, forward-thinking, and action-oriented organization characterized by diversity of gender, nationalities, and work experiences.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT

WBCSD offers a competitive, modern, and flexible working arrangement:

• Geneva-based organization with offices in London, Singapore and New York City
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• State-of-the-art facilities and IT-enabled working tools
• Flex-time and part-time possibilities
• Dynamic working atmosphere
• Open culture encouraging interaction and sharing of ideas and opinions
• International relocation support
• Training opportunities