Deadline for application: 16 October 2023

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is the premier global, CEO-led community of over 200 of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working collectively to accelerate the system transformations needed for a net zero, nature-positive and more equitable future.

We share a vision of a world in which more than 9 billion people are able to live well, within planetary boundaries, by 2050. To achieve this vision, we must collectively accelerate the required transformation of businesses, their value chains, and the systems in which they operate to limit the impact of the climate crisis, restore nature and tackle inequality.

How our community works

Our community leads positive change through our imperatives work by building the infrastructure of a better world through climate, nature and equity action. In our distinct pathways, we outline the critical transitions required in some of the significant areas of business activity to profoundly shift the systems we work in and transform them towards a better future. Together we succeed when our collective effort is rewarded through a lower cost of capital, which is the scope of our redefining value work; helping companies measure and manage risk, gain competitive advantage and seize new opportunities by understanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) information.

WBCSD’s contribution

WBCSD stimulates progress by ideating & level-setting new best practices and trends from different expertise & sectors. By improving performance, we enable standards and protocols supported by tools and technology to solidify businesses’ sustainability competence. We build partnerships by bringing together members and external partners to create coalitions and partnerships and build scale into change. Finally, we drive the policy agenda by amplifying the voice of positive business and shaping policies collaboratively to transform the systems we work in.

Our work aims to empower business leaders to raise their ambition to achieve a better world, deliver action at speed and scale in their operations and value chains, and sharpen the accountability of their performance.

About WBCSD’s Forest Solutions Group (FSG)

FSG is the global platform where leading business in the forest products sector build and share sustainable development solutions. FSG’s mission is to grow an inclusive circular bioeconomy that is rooted in thriving working forests. Our 19 member companies span all forested continents and a broad range of forest products such as pulp, paper, packaging, timber, biomaterials, bioenergy and forest asset management. They represent a combined revenue of more than USD $165 billion and 260’000 employees. Together they own, lease or manage more than 20 million hectares of land, of which 98% is third party certified and 24% is set aside for conservation or restoration.

FSG members co-develop actionable business solutions to drive progress within their business, the sector and broader society to address the climate emergency, the loss of nature and growing inequality. The Forest Sector SDG Roadmap released in 2019 provides FSG’s framework for action, and its members track and report on their progress annually through key performance indicators.

 

Job Overview

In view of the pending departure of FSG’s Director, WBCSD is looking for a new leader to steer the FSG through its continued growth, and deliver on its ambitious agenda. The successful candidate will lead the FSG secretariat team, report to WBCSD’s Executive Vice President, and work in close collaboration with FSG project members (currently 19), relevant WBCSD teams, as well as external stakeholders.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Set the strategic direction of FSG’s work program, based on the sustainability topics that are most critical to the forest sector, member’s strategic priorities, and in alignment with WBCSD’s strategy.
• Oversee and/or lead the content development of all workstreams, to deliver high quality deliverables based on an inclusive and efficient member engagement process.
• Facilitate FSG member contribution to the development and implementation of emerging global sustainability frameworks (e.g., GHG protocol, TCFD, TNFD, SBTN etc.).
• Position and represent the sector at key WBCSD events, global external events such as the biodiversity and climate COPs, and other forest-related events
• Collaborate with relevant WBCSD teams to ensure the successful integration of FSG within WBCSD’s broader strategy, and delivery of shared workstreams on nature, climate and equity.
• Build & nurture partnerships with key external stakeholders (e.g., ENGOs, industry associations).
• Lead the FSG secretariat team, and promote good governance to deliver on budget and growth targets.

Qualifications Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master degree or equivalent in environmental science, business management, forestry, or related field
• 10-15 years of relevant work experience in the fields of corporate sustainability or consulting.
• Experience leading coalitions of sustainability professionals, building consensus and integrating different perspectives.
• Well-versed in the latest global corporate sustainability frameworks and trends.
• Experience working in the forest sector or related sector would be a plus.

Strategy & project leadership:

• Ability to formulate and deliver a medium/long term vision and strategic plan for the FSG, based on inclusive decision-making to address diverse agendas and expectations from FSG members.
• Evidence of successful project steering and delivery. Appetite for tackling complex issues, breaking them down into manageable pieces of work, and ensuring the timely delivery of high quality deliverables through an efficient and inclusive engagement process.
• Ability to promote good governance of the FSG in alignment with governance charter. Deliver on growth targets and budget requirements.

Communication, facilitation and stakeholder engagement:

• Excellent verbal and written (English) communication skills. Ability to adjust communication style to suit audience (including C-suite), translate complex concepts into simple language, deliver clear and compelling presentations. Capacity to represent the forest sector through public speaking engagements.
• Ability to facilitate rich exchanges among the project members, integrating different perspectives towards a common objective.
• Ability to build and nurture relationships within the WBCSD, and with key external stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and relevance of FSG’s agenda.

Team leadership:

• Authentic and empathetic leader with the ability to inspire the team to reach its full potential and further develop its individual members.
• Experience leading cross- cultural project teams across multiple time zones, providing strategy direction, as well as technical content expertise on climate, nature and/or equity corporate strategies.

Strategy & project leadership:

• Ability to formulate and deliver a medium/long term vision and strategic plan for the FSG, based on inclusive decision-making to address diverse agendas and expectations from FSG members.
• Evidence of successful project steering and delivery. Appetite for tackling complex issues, breaking them down into manageable pieces of work, and ensuring the timely delivery of high quality deliverables through an efficient and inclusive engagement process.
• Ability to promote good governance of the FSG in alignment with governance charter. Deliver on growth targets and budget requirements.

 The position is for a full time, permanent contract, based in Geneva, Amsterdam, London, or the United States.

WBCSD is a purpose driven, forward-thinking and action-oriented organization, characterised 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 Amsterdam, Beijing, London, New York and Singapore
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• State-of-the-art facilities and ICT-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
• Sustainable commuting incentives