Deadline for application: 15 December 2022

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 do this by engaging executives and sustainability leaders from business and elsewhere to share practical insights on the obstacles and opportunities we currently face in tackling the integrated climate, nature and inequality sustainability challenge; by co-developing “how-to” CEO-guides from these insights; by providing science-based target guidance including standards and protocols; and by developing tools and platforms to help leading businesses in sustainability drive integrated actions to tackle climate, nature and inequality challenges across sectors and geographical regions. 

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing a combined revenue 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, united by our vision of creating a world in which 9+ billion people are living well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. 

Job Overview

WBCSD aims to transform global food & forest systems by maximizing the potential of land use as a solution for climate, nature and people. The project focuses on three priority pathways where business can provide real solutions: 1) climate positive – shifting land use from a net source to a net sink of GHG emissions; 2) nature positive – shifting land use from being the main driver of nature loss to a regenerator of nature; and 3) people positive – activating and strengthening farming, forestry and food producing communities engagement into climate and nature priorities while ensuring resilient, productive livelihoods.

WBCSD is seeking a Senior Manager to implement, coordinate and scale up its projects that are focused on assessing, committing and transforming land use-related risks for financial institutions and corporations.  This will ensure that work on methods and frameworks, data-led tools and actions coalitions translates to clear impact and value for participating members and partners.

This work includes overseeing WBCSD’s Banking for Impact on Climate in Agriculture (B4ICA) initiative, which aims to support banks as they set net zero, nature-positive, equitable targets and have the tools to achieve them in the food, forest and agriculture sectors. It will also oversee the Forest Finance Risk Consortium (FFRC), where WBCSD is the secretariat, which works with financial institutions on identifying, addressing and disclosing forest- and land use-related risks.

This is a full-time position in either Amsterdam, London or United States. This position will work closely between WBCSD’s Food & Ag Pathway (Scaling Positive Agriculture Project), Imperatives (SOS 1.5, and Nature & Nature-Based Solutions Projects), and cross-cutting food and forest finance work to deliver change. It will also connect into important partnerships of WBCSD, including with U.S. Department of State, UNEP Finance Initiative, the Platform for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

Responsibilities & duties

Project management: Manage and develop the B4ICA & FFRC initiatives to:

• Ensure successful project delivery through effective project management strategy and planning.
• Oversee team member(s) who will lead aspects of day-to-day member engagement and project management.
• Translate business needs into technical roadmaps, tools, guidance and/or discussions as necessary, ensuring impact and member centricity.
• Manage participating members, partners and communications.
• Manage project budgets, M&E, and commission technical work as required.
• Identify and escalate risk and issues, reports external and internal dependencies – determines and monitors mitigation and corrective actions;
• Ensures program objectives are met, decisions/issues are resolved in a timely manner.

Strategic management and coordination:

• Ensure clear communication / coordination among all key project stakeholders, including funders, and mobilize project team
• Support the strategic evolution and synergies of the Food & Forest Finance risk initiatives as the net zero, nature positive and equality landscape matures in line with ESG reporting priorities, along with important initiatives such as UNEP FI’s Net Zero Banking Alliance and the Taskforce for Climate Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD).
• Coordinate and share learnings and identify synergies across WBCSD projects linking to B4ICA, including Scaling Positive Agriculture, SOS1.5, Nature & Nature Based Solutions, cross-cutting food and finance and Redefining Value projects.

Partnerships and engagement:

• Drive preparation of all communications/reporting to senior stakeholders at C-level, facilitates critical decision-making processes
• Build and manage the partnerships with participating banks and knowledge / implementation partners
• Draft reports and action plans, drawing on technical consultants where necessary
• Develop and implement communications opportunities to accelerate the work through global advocacy events, partnerships and communications activities, working closely with WBCSD’s communications team.
• Organize meetings and regional global communication events that bring together the value chain, investors and knowledge / implementation partners
• Maintain project documentation, including contributing to the relevant grantor reporting (quarterly and/or as required)

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• At least 7-10 years’ work experience, with a background in sustainability or ESG finance space.
• Undergraduate degree (MBA preferred) in a relevant subject, such as sustainable development, environmental sciences, agriculture or finance.
• Robust knowledge of private sector in the sustainability space
• Experience with TCFD, GHG Protocol and similar disclosure protocols
• Understanding of banking and financed emissions (preferred).
• Experience in agriculture, food and land use sectors, including the management of nature, natural resources including soils, forests, water (preferred).
• Strategic systems thinker with high attention to detail.
• Effective project manager with a track record of delivering complex projects to tight deadlines.
• Strong partnership skills and ability to engage investors, corporates and public sector partners.
• Experience in organizing global advocacy events.
• Strong written and oral communications skills, with an understanding of how to leverage communications to advance an agenda or initiative
• Perfect fluency - both written and oral - in English (any other language is a plus)

Duration: 24 months fixed term position.

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, Delhi, 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
• Regional or International relocation support
• Sustainable commuting incentives

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