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Manager, Climate Taxonomy, Land Sector

at WBCSD
Published 15 February 2022
Location London UK, Amsterdam Netherlands, Geneva, Switzerland
Category Fixed-term  
Job Type Manager  

Description

Application Deadline: 28 February 2022

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies. 

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing combined revenues of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. Since 1995, WBCSD has been uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.  

Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: with a vision of a world where more than nine billion people are all living well and within the boundaries of our planet, by 2050. 

Many businesses have committed to net zero pledges and the world is moving towards net-zero future. 

Progressing in the decarbonization journey in this way for most businesses implies an in-depth transformation along with sustained innovation in business models and products.  To assist our member organizations, WBCSD has two projects – Scaling Positive Agriculture (SPA) and the Forest Solution Group (FSG) working to support companies in the land-use sector to progress their decarbonization journey towards net zero emissions in coordination with WBCSD’s climate imperative project, SOS 1.5 (‘Safe Operating Space for 1.5°C’). Collective efforts in this space include: Agriculture for 1.5Banking for Impact on Climate in AgricultureThe Forest Sector Net-Zero Roadmap, and Fertilizer for 1.5. 

Effective deployment of decarbonization targets in these areas by the business community requires robust carbon accounting at project, company, national and international levels. Development of accounting protocols is therefore crucial. WBCSD’s Climate Taxonomy team, one of the main pillars of SOS 1.5, is currently involved in developing several new important corporate GHG accounting guidance, including:  

  • Greenhouse Gas Protocol Land Sector and Removal Guidance, to standardize the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals from land use, land use change.  
  • Methodological Framework for the calculation and allocation of product-level value chain carbon emissions (building on existing methodologies and standards, e.g. Product Category Rules, GHG Protocol, ISO standards), to help create consistency and transparency on Scope 3 emissions as part of the Value Chain Carbon Transparency Partnership. 
  • Climate benefits, to develop new guidance on standardizing the calculation and reporting on the climate benefits (avoided emissions) of the corporate activities, products and services.  
  • CCS+ Initiative to deliver a high-integrity, integrated methodological framework for generating carbon credits from the full range of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) activities.  

Job overview 

The WBCSD is seeking a highly motivated individual with experience working with the food, agriculture and forestry (collectively referred to the ‘land use’) sector to work closely with our Manager for Climate Taxonomy to support several workstreams within the SOS 1.5 project with technical expertise and knowledge in climate taxonomy, greenhouse emissions and removals accounting and reporting.  

This is a fixed-term position for two years with the possibility for extension. 

Responsibilities and duties 

  • Lead the scientific development and implementation of solid GHG accounting for food, agriculture and forestry sectors through providing technical expertise and support into:   
  • Multi-stakeholder development of Net Zero Pathways for the Food and Agriculture sector across multiple sub-sectors, processes and commodities 
  • SPA members in implementing the Science based target initiative (SBTi) Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) Pathway. 
  • The development of tools and Guidance for the Banking for Impact on Climate in Agriculture initiative, with the aim to align banking portfolios active in the agriculture sector to reach net zero.  
  • The development of guidance on the implementation of net-zero strategies by business in the forest sector, building on Phase I of the Forest Sector Net Zero Roadmap 
  • The development and implementation of the sectorial decarbonization approach for the fertilizer sector.  
  • Support WBCSD members in the food, agriculture, forestry and land-use sector and working groups in pilot testing and applying the GHG Protocol land sector and Carbon Removal Guidance. 
  • Engage and coordinate closely with the SOS 1.5, Science Based Targets team and other WBCSD internal working groups as well external organizations, such as SBTi FLAG in aligning projects and outcomes and to insure harmonization across initiatives

Qualifications 

  • Master’s degree in an environmental scientific topic or management discipline with focus on sustainability, with a minimum 5-year relevant work experience in an international business environment 
  • Knowledgeexpertise and experience, ideally covering as many of the following areas as possible: 
  • Life-cycle assessment and/or GHG accounting applied to organizations, products, and services 
  • Application of LCA methodology and standards to the agriculture and forestry sector, including estimating the emissions and removals due to land use change and land management. 
  • The global climate taxonomy and standards namely the Greenhouse Gas Protocols, ISO standards and the recent developments in the field such as the recent EU taxonomy for sustainable activities 
  • Corporate environmental reporting and pledges such as CDP and Net Zero commitments, and target setting programs such as Science Based Target initiativeSBTi Forest, land and Agriculture (FLAG), and the Climate Pledge 
  • Project management: Evidence of successful project management and effective facilitation of different perspectives towards a common objective.  
  • Communication: 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) 
  • Teamwork: Evidence of successfully working across teams and diverse interest groups 
  • Multi-tasking: Ability to manage own projects and ad hoc demands simultaneously, set priorities, effectively utilize available resources, identify and address problems, and meet deadlines.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English 

The Work Environment

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

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

  • Geneva-based organization with offices in London, New Delhi, Singapore and New York City 
  • 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 

This position is based in one of WBCSD international hubs (Geneva, London, Amsterdam) with potential for candidates based in USA, India

Please also note that WBCSD will only respond to candidates selected for the interview process.