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Location:

This is a full-time role based in London with some flexibility to exceptional candidates that can frequently travel to London from elsewhere in the UK and Europe, with a salary dependent on experience.


Job Purpose and Background:

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) seeks a maternity cover for the position of Head of Strategic Partnerships. This leadership role is responsible for the SBTi’s strategic partnerships, including building the SBTi’s partnerships, events, and fundraising strategies and managing those teams, and translating their efforts into impact across the SBTi.

This senior role will report to the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer and will be responsible for one of the four main pillars of the SBTi’s strategy and transformation team.

The ideal candidate will have a collaborative, proactive, and growth-oriented mindset, with a commitment to demonstrating SBTi values, and delivering on our mission and strategy. This role is pivotal for enhancing SBTi’s impact in accelerating corporate decarbonisation.


About the SBTi:

The SBTi is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies worldwide to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050.

The SBTi defines and promotes best practices in science-based target setting, offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption, and independently assesses and approves companies’ targets.

For more information, please visit www.sciencebasedtargets.org


Key Responsibilities

Partnerships Strategy

  • Activating across the SBTi: Build a strategic partnerships strategy and manage the Partnerships Lead to ensure stronger strategic management of partnerships across the SBTi, while also leading on more sensitive strategic partner relationships.
  • Partner insights strategic integration: Monitor trends in the corporate climate action ecosystem, funnelling insights to share feedback within the SBTi from partners to be agile in response to changing market conditions.

Fundraising Strategy

  • Fundraising partnerships: Lead on the fundraising strategy, including managing the Fundraising Lead to: steward relationships with existing SBTi philanthropic donors, seek new strategic donors for critical SBTi projects, and ensure the SBTi’s internal fundraising processes meet best practice.
  • Strategic insights: Along with the Fundraising Lead, build strong relationships with donors, regularly updating them on SBTi’s activities, while seeking their feedback, and opportunities for enhanced partnerships.

Events Strategy

  • Showcasing the SBTi: Ensure that the SBTi’s events strategy delivers value and opportunities for growth at events, including managing the Events Lead to implement ‘Tier 1’ events of a global nature (for example, UNFCCC COP, London Climate Action Week), and ‘Tiers 2’ and ‘3’ with regional/country-specific and sectoral events.
  • Seek opportunities to increase growth: Support and advise the Events Lead to develop strategic opportunities to build bespoke SBTi events, including for the CEO and Executive Team, to deliver impact across the SBTi.

Management

  • Strategic Partnerships Team: This role includes direct line management of three roles including the Partnerships Lead, Fundraising Lead, and Events Lead (who manages the events coordinator).
  • Wider SBTi management team: At the ‘Head’ level of seniority, this role also involves strategic leadership in the SBTi as a member of the cross-departmental management team.


Essential skills and experience needed:

Experience:

  • Extensive experience (10+ years) working on climate action is essential, preferably in areas of this role (fundraising, events, and partnerships).
  • Previous experience securing philanthropic funding (in multi-millions) in challenging conditions is highly desirable.
  • A deep understanding of sustainability standard setting and corporate engagement in sustainability contexts is also desirable.
  • Corporate Sustainability Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of climate change, GHG emissions accounting, and climate politics.
  • Leadership and team Management: Proven ability to manage remote teams and inspire high-impact work with limited resources in a fast-paced environment. Experience in team building and staff development is crucial.
  • Strategic and Analytical Skills: Demonstrated strategic thinking capability, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities.
  • Communication Skills: Exceptional public speaking and writing skills. Ability to engage confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders.
  • Educational Background: Equivalent work experience, or a Bachelor's or Master's degree in sustainability, environmental science, or related fields is desirable.
  • Language Proficiency: Excellent command of English, both verbal and written. Additional language skills are advantageous.


Important information before you apply:

  • This is a full-time role based in London with some flexibility to exceptional candidates that can frequently travel to London from elsewhere in the UK and Europe, with a salary dependent on experience.
  • The position is a 12-month fixed-term maternity leave contract
  • This role holds a maximum 6-month probationary period, depending on country legislation.
  • Interested candidates should be legally allowed to work in the specified countries and already be visa holders.
  • The SBTi cannot sponsor working visas.


What we offer:

  • Working in one of the most successful and fastest-growing initiatives driving climate action.
  • Exciting and challenging tasks in a dynamic, international, innovative, and highly motivated team.
  • Training and development.
  • 30 days of time off, plus your country's public holidays.
  • Competitive NGO salary range


If you are interested, please apply here.


SBTi is an equal opportunity employer - committed to building an inclusive workplace and diverse staff, where all can thrive. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all identities and backgrounds, and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.