Deadline for applications: 05 December 2021

About WBCSD and OP2B

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.

One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) is a unique cross-sectorial, action-oriented project of WBCSD with a specific focus on agriculture, initiated within French President Macron’s One Planet Lab framework, launched at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York on 23 September 2019. The coalition is determined to drive transformational systemic change and catalyze action to protect and restore cultivated and natural biodiversity within the value chains, engage institutional and financial decision-makers, and develop and promote policy recommendations for the 2021 CBD COP15 framework.

Actions are focused around three pillars:

1. Scaling up regenerative agricultural practices;
2. Boosting cultivated biodiversity and diets through product portfolios;
3. Eliminating deforestation / enhancing the management, restoration and protection high-value natural ecosystems

On these pillars OP2B runs tangible initiatives to:

1. Advance the biodiversity agenda of its members companies (supporting commitments definition, building common frameworks of action e.g. regenerative agriculture framework)
2. Advocate for biodiversity and agriculture, through participation to high-level events (e.g. IUCN, COP26, CBD COP15), and contribution to regulatory processes
3. Inmpulse on-the-ground collective actions (e.g. regenerative agriculture, financing)
4. Catalyze expertise and relationship with the ecosystem (e.g. sharing of best practices and learnings from pilot projects, engaging with partners from academics, NGOs, coalitions)

Job overview

WBCSD is looking for a candidate with very strong project management experience and member/customer engagement skills, with a passion for agriculture and nature, and technical understanding to assess and prioritize business actions to scale up regenerative agriculture, product portfolio diversification and the conservation/restauration of high value ecosystems.

This will ensure that OP2B efforts continue to build and share a body of knowledge about these topics, and translate to impact on the ground.

This is a full-time position based in Geneva, London or Amsterdam (with potential for flexible working). The OP2B Manager will report to OP2B’s Director and will work closely with the Food and Agriculture team as well as key external partners such as Business for Nature (B4N).

Responsibilities and duties

Project management

• Define the action plans (tasks, planning, resources) to support the delivery of OP2B objectives across its 3 pillars and manage progress
• Catalyze execution (following up with members, setting up expert calls, overseeing background research – coordinating with the team)
• Monitor overall progress of OP2B pillars and taskforces
• Identify and recruit key strategic members and partners – from the business and other stakeholder constituencies - to deliver the business solutions

Communications and engagement

• Supervize project communications working with WBCSD’s communications teams
• Coordinate organization of meetings and events - working with WBCSD’s events teams - that bring together relevant partners and increase the visibility of OP2B and help other team members with the organization and delivery of other meetings and events (this includes agenda and presentations; speaking points; appointment of, and coordination amongst panelists; etc)

Contribution to strategy development

• Contribute to overall OP2B strategy development under the leadership of the Director
• Identify opportunities to accelerate action, for example through events, partnerships and communications activities

Qualifications and skills

• Master’s university degree level education in a science/agronomy/policy/business
• Specific knowledge of regenerative or sustainable agriculture, and/or biodiversity conservation
• Minimum 6 years’ experience, of which ideally 3 years in a private sector role
• Effective project manager with track record of successfully managing competing priorities, effectively utilizing available resources, proactively addressing problems, working to deadlines
• Strong partnership skills and ability to engage investors, corporates and public sector partners
• Experience in organizing events
• Capacity to be assertive and take initiative when appropriate.
• Strong written and oral communications skills, with an understanding of how to leverage communications to advance an agenda or initiative, in English (any other language is a plus)
• Good team spirit and the ability to build, nurture, and work effectively in (new) teams of partners/stakeholders.

Work environment:

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

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

• Geneva-based organization with various regional offices
• 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.