Director – Climate Solutions

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global community of over 225 of the world’s leading businesses driving systems transformation for a better world in which 9+ billion people can live well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. Together, we transform the systems we work in to limit the impact of the climate crisis, restore nature, and tackle inequality.  

We accelerate value chain transformation across key sectors and reshape the financial system to reward sustainable leadership and action through a lower cost of capital. Through the exchange of best practices, improving performance, accessing education, forming partnerships, and shaping the policy agenda, we drive progress in businesses and sharpen the accountability of their performance.

Role details
Team: Climate Solutions, part of WBCSD's Action Theme “Scale Climate Solutions at Pace”
Reporting to: Senior Director, Physical Risk, Climate and Circularity
Role type: People manager, full-time, 1 position

Role overview
Lead WBCSD's assessment of how fast companies are cutting their emissions and what is holding them back. You will look at both the targets companies set (emissions inventories) and the actions and investments behind them, work out what needs to change for progress to accelerate toward 2030 and beyond, and turn this into a flagship public report.
You will engage senior leaders at member companies before and after the report is published: gathering case studies and insight beforehand, then working with them afterwards, through WBCSD's network of corporate heads of climate and its program for turning commitments into company-level action, to put the findings into practice.
You will also lead the teams delivering WBCSD's “value chain” work: a portfolio of focused projects that help companies decarbonize their products, operations and supply chains, including market-based instruments, and WBCSD's support for supplier decarbonization.

Key responsibilities

• Set the strategy, scope, delivery plan, budget, governance and success measures for both the annual emissions progress report and the value chain project portfolio, keeping them aligned with WBCSD's wider priorities.
• Lead a rigorous assessment of corporate progress on emissions targets and the actions behind them, combining data, business experience and member input to identify what is working, what isn't, and what would unlock faster progress.
• Work with WBCSD's Policy & Insights team on a related but separate report, the Business Breakthrough Barometer, sharing data and analysis so the two stay consistent, while keeping this report as the main priority.
  • Commission, quality-check and deliver a flagship public report that turns complex evidence into a clear narrative, practical recommendations and a call to action for senior business leaders.
  • Drive member engagement before publication (through case studies and participation in the assessment) and after (turning findings into action through WBCSD's climate leadership network and action program).
  • Promote the report externally, help shape the public debate on what it takes to speed up corporate climate action, and work with outside experts and partners to strengthen its credibility and reach.
• Direct the portfolio of value chain projects across products, operations and supply chains: set priorities, balance emissions potential against business value, member demand and feasibility, and build the pipeline of future projects with the program's advisory group.
  • Oversee the use of market-based instruments within these projects, drawing on technical input from the Director, Climate and Circularity, and ensure the evidence feeds into WBCSD's standards and target-setting work.
• Oversee WBCSD's supplier decarbonization support, including tools for suppliers, a program to embed decarbonization into procurement, making sure a fair (just) transition is built into the project portfolio.
• Engage WBCSD's member communities, embedding this work in their agendas and channelling their input back into the report and project portfolio.
• Maintain quality assurance, risk management and reporting across all work, resolving issues and taking corrective action when outcomes, quality, resources or timelines are at risk.
• Lead, develop and direct a team of (senior) managers covering electrification, transport and mobility, the built environment, and supply chain work, delegating technical depth to them while remaining accountable for overall quality and delivery.
• Help the Senior Director build and run an advisory group of senior member companies, using it to steer priorities and secure senior ownership of the program.
• Take an active role in WBCSD's broader content leadership group, contributing to priorities and collaboration across the organization.

Competencies needed for the role

• Strategic planning: able to shape strategies, budgets and metrics that address long-term priorities.
• Partnerships: able to build and manage strategic alliances, anticipating concerns and protecting key relationships.
• Delivery through others: sets up accountability structures and decision processes for sustained delivery, delegating technical work while holding overall accountability.
• Member focus: embeds a strong member focus into strategy and culture, representing member interests in trade-offs.
• Communication and influence: builds compelling narratives, negotiates outcomes and builds coalitions on complex or sensitive issues.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Substantial hands-on experience in corporate climate action, decarbonization or emissions reduction, with a solid understanding of how this is implemented across operations, procurement, products, portfolios and value chains.
• Experience designing and leading complex, multi-stakeholder programs end to end, including governance, budgets, risk, quality and performance measurement.
• Strong analytical skills: able to combine quantitative and qualitative evidence, spot patterns, and turn findings into practical recommendations.
• Excellent written and spoken communication, with a track record of producing influential reports and presenting complex topics credibly to senior business and expert audiences.
• Proven ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders across functions, sectors, regions and partner organizations, building alignment on sensitive issues.
• Senior leadership experience, including leading technical specialists in areas where you are not the expert yourself, setting direction, delegating, and building a culture of trust and collaboration.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, international environment, managing ambiguity and competing priorities while maintaining momentum and quality.
• Strong knowledge of corporate greenhouse gas emissions, transition planning, and the commercial, operational, financial, policy and value chain barriers that affect delivery at scale.
• Broad knowledge across several decarbonization areas, for example energy and electrification, transport and mobility, the built environment, and supply chains and procurement, with the judgment to prioritize rather than deep expertise in just one.

Preferred

• Working knowledge of market-based instruments used in corporate and value chain decarbonization, with the judgment to decide where and how to apply them. Detailed methodology support is provided by the Director, Climate and Circularity.

The position is based in our Amsterdam or London Office, and requires international travel.

WBCSD is a purpose-driven organization that values diversity across gender, nationalities, and professional backgrounds. Headquartered in Geneva, with offices in Amsterdam, London, Singapore, Wuhan, Chicago, and New York.

What we offer

• Generous Time Off to Recharge: In addition to 25 days of paid holiday, you will have extra time off on your birthday and one cultural or religious celebration day. In addition, the option to buy up to 5 additional days each year for even more flexibility.
• Hybrid & Flexible Work: Work from the office a few days a week and from home the rest, with flexible hours to fit personal needs.
• Supported Hybrid Work: Financial support to set up your home office with essentials like a screen, headset, and desk for home work days
• Mobility/Transport: We offer an annual contribution towards public transportation or other soft mobility options.
• A Pension scheme: Our comprehensive pension scheme allows you to invest in your future.
• Learning and Development: Free access to LinkedIn Learning, and the possibility to engage in other training opportunities.