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Senior Associate (Secretariat), 50L Home

at WBCSD
Published 13 March 2023
Location Amsterdam, London, United Kingdom
Category Fixed-term  
Job Type Associate  

Description

Deadline for application: 13 April 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 imperative 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.

Job Overview

We are looking for a Senior Associate to join our 50L Home Coalition team to coordinate key secretariat functions. The Senior Associate will play an active role in enabling the innovation and implementation processes at core of the coalition.

The 50 Litre Home Coalition (50L Home) is a global, action-orientated, multi-stakeholder platform hosted by WBCSD. It brings together private and public organisations to address two of the world’s most pressing global challenges: water security and climate change.  50L Home is convened by the World Economic Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The Coalition’s multi-stakeholder activities are focused on four areas:

  • Innovation: Co-design solutions and approaches to address challenges in water systems such as conservation, on-site reuse, as well as the water-energy-climate nexus.
  • Implementation: Demonstrate the feasibility of water innovations through pilots and use learnings from these to inform a path to global scale.
  • Education: Reshape urban citizens’ relationship with water to inspire and enable daily behavioral lifestyle changes; create knowledge for practitioners.
  • Advocacy: Advance appropriate policy, regulatory and industry framework changes to transform at-home use and water systems

Responsibilities and duties

Provide a bullet point list of the responsibilities and duties of this job.

  • Project Planning and Coordination
  • Coordinate innovation and implementation activities including group calls and webinars, organising meetings, and drafting deliverables.
  • Support the 50L Home Director in the organisation of regular secretariat communications and engagement activities such as group calls and progress updates.
  • Coordinating and developing technical content
  • Drafting schematics, work plans and budgets for innovation and implementation activities, including brainstorms and workshops with public and private sector stakeholders.
  • Systematizing lessons from piloting activities as well as secondary sources; drafting text and inputs for knowledge products such as infographics, reports, guidance, and technical notes.
  • Events and communications
  • Develop communications materials for external and internal audiences, both in writing (e.g. blogs, PowerPoint decks) and verbally (e.g. presenting).
  • Organize webinars and events for coalition members, partners and other critical stakeholders

Qualifications Skills and Experience

Provide a bullet point list of the qualifications that are necessary for someone to fill this position.
Bullet points you may want to include are:

  • Master’s University degree level education with a background in Environmental/Water Sciences, Geography, Innovation and Public Policy, or the built environment (architecture, civil/building engineering, urban planning).
  • 3-5 years of professional experience in innovation and/or built environment-related fields, preferably with a background on product design or building planning and design (construction, urban planning, architecture).
  • Specific skills:
  • Knowledge and expertise: good understanding of stakeholder engagement, public consultation and design thinking methods. Knowledge of building design and engineering standards is a plus.
  • Project management: Evidence of successful project management with experience in independent project management with regular reporting. Ability to manage own projects and ad hoc demands simultaneously.
  • Client relationships: Cultural awareness and ability to manage key relationships with member companies and to bring additional companies as members.
  • Communication: Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English, and a special aptitude for writing with diverse audiences in mind. Other languages where the Coalition operates (Portuguese, French and Spanish) are a plus.
  • Ability to communicate visually and engage with/ contribute to innovation activities and design thinking-led processes. Awareness of developmental and global South challenges is highly desirable.
  • Genuine passion for addressing climate change in people’s everyday life and contributing to human wellbeing, particularly for the poor and vulnerable.
  • Reliable, diligent, and expansive work attitude, and flexibility to travel internationally.

The position is full-time (or 80% part-time for qualified candidates) and based in London or Amsterdam, but will also require international travel.

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 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. 
  • Sustainable commuting incentives. 

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