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Manager, Finance and Built Environment

at WBCSD
Published 4 February 2022
Location Amsterdam Netherlands, London UK, Geneva, Switzerland
Category Fixed-term  
Job Type Manager  

Description

Deadline for applications: 27 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.

 

Job Overview

WBCSD’s built environment pathway focuses on the transformation towards a fully decarbonized, circular, nature positive, equitable and resilient built environment. The project engages global companies along the full value chain to overcome the siloes and fragmentation and collaborate towards a common vision.

WBCSD members active in the built environment drive collective action to transform the system of which they are a part. For their own company sustainability targets to get implemented, they need to see everyone work in the same direction. This applies to building material producers (cement, steel, glass, aluminum, plastics, etc.) and construction, equipment, management and design firms, who need to engage their clients to request more sustainable outcomes; as well as to investors, developers and end users who need to understand how they can demand or finance “net zero”, “nature-positive” or “inclusive” buildings.

We are looking for an experienced Manager to lead our engagement with the financial sector. This is a full-time, initially 2-year position based in Geneva, London, Amsterdam or New York, and will require some international travel.

The Manager will be responsible for managing and executing the project “Financing the building system transformation”, which aims at overcoming the disconnect between the building system capital providers (investors, asset managers, banks, etc.) and the built industry across the value chain. This disconnect between finance and industry leads to a lack of understanding of how finance can take into account and influence the full life-cycle emissions of projects they finance in the built environment. In particular there is a need to establish practical and appropriate standards to embed whole-life carbon considerations in investor portfolios in order to enable them to reach their net zero commitments in the real estate and infrastructure asset classes. This will require a deep understanding of the investment process in order to develop practical guidance adapted to different finance mechanisms.

This project will be undertaken in close partnership with a Community of Practice of investor networks convened and supported by the Laudes Foundation.

The Manager will also help align WBCSD’s investor engagement strategy across its strategic pathways and with the wider Redefining Value strategy. And the Manager will contribute to improving the business case to increase circularity in the building sector by helping address key systemic barriers such as inappropriate financing mechanisms and insufficient amounts of funding to support the development of a circular building industry, and a lack of proven ownership models that align the interests of investors, building users, and developers with long-term climate and circularity goals.

The Manager will report to the Director, Sustainable Buildings and Cities.

Responsibilities and duties

The Manager will support the following activities:

  • Define and execute the action plan (tasks, planning, resources) to support the delivery of technical guidance and tools for various investor initiatives to include whole-life carbon assessment, across different asset classes, and a leadership dialogue between finance and industry to promote a system decarbonization and whole life carbon approach to investing in the built environment;
  • Ensure timely delivery of project milestones;
  • Facilitate member and partner engagement in the project and their contributions, build and manage relationships with members and partners of the Laudes Foundation-convened Community of Practice and with the broader investment community;
  • Create attractive formats of engagement between industry and finance leaders, in close collaboration with the Manager, Built Environment Decarbonization, and WBCSD’s Redefining Value team and Capital Markets Engagement lead;
  • Create project materials and targeted publications and develop dissemination and engagement plans in collaboration with the WBCSD communication team;
  • Coordinate organization and delivery of meetings and events. This includes agenda and presentations; speaking points; appointment of, and coordination amongst panelists; etc.
  • Manage the grant reporting process to the Laudes Foundation and contribute to future grant funding applications (recurring or new) to co-fund project activities.
  • Contribute to the overall strategy development of the Built Environment pathway and Redefining Value program under the leadership of the Director
  • Identify opportunities to accelerate action, for example through recruitment of key strategic members and partners events, partnerships and communications activities.
  • Represent WBCSD within the business and finance community, among policymakers and other stakeholders at key internal and external events including WBCSD’s Liaison Delegate and Council Meetings, etc.

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Real Estate Development, Urban Development or Finance, or a related degree, or Master of Business Administration
  • Minimum of 5 years’ professional experience gained in a relevant business setting, with demonstrated experience of having worked with the financial and real estate sectors
  • Solid understanding of the built environment industry and real estate development process;
  • Facilitation and stakeholder engagement: Ability to create effective relationships with new partners or stakeholders. Capacity to be assertive and take initiative when appropriate.
  • Project management: Takes responsibility for projects, actions and people. Evidence of successful project management and effective facilitation of different perspectives towards a common objective. Capacity to work independently by setting priorities within own work streams, identify and proactively address problems and work to deadlines. Experience of working on an international basis (e.g. to deal with different languages, time zones and cultural expectations).
  • 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), makes presentations and undertakes public speaking with skills and confidence.
  • Teamwork: Evidence of 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. Ability to build, nurture, and work effectively across different functions and cultures within the organization.
  • Planning & Organizing: Plans activities and projects well in advance taking account of possible changes. Identifies and organizes resources needed to accomplish tasks. Monitors performance against deadlines and milestones.
  • 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.
  • Language skills: Fluency in English (written and spoken) is critical, fluency in additional languages is an advantage.

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, 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

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