Senior Strategic Advisor, FLAG
Location: Flexible/remote
Apply by: Tuesday 19 May 2026
Contract: Fixed-term, 12-18 months | Full-time or part-time basis | direct employment, secondment or consultancy arrangements, to be agreed with the successful candidate.
Job Purpose and Background:
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is seeking a Senior Strategic Advisor, FLAG to provide senior strategic, technical, and stakeholder engagement leadership across the SBTi’s work on forestry, land use and agriculture (FLAG) sector standards.
This is a senior advisory role that sits at the intersection of technical rigour, strategic influence, and stakeholder consensus-building. The successful candidate will work closely with SBTi’s FLAG technical and engagement teams to shape the development of robust, globally scalable standards – while representing SBTi at the highest levels externally and navigating complex global policy environments with authority and diplomacy.
This position may be filled by a 0.5 FTE secondment, consultancy arrangement, or equivalent, for a duration of 12–18 months.
Reports to: Head of Sector Standards, with a dotted line to the Chief Technical Officer
You Are a Great Fit for This Role If You:
Are an internationally recognised authority and distinguished leader in the decarbonisation of the FLAG sector. You have the executive-level experience to navigate sensitive global policy, successfully aligning and influencing diverse senior stakeholders to achieve consensus and commitment, while maintaining a focus on robust technical foundations for clear, globally scalable standards and governance structures.
You have a track record of delivering global climate initiatives that have driven measurable sectoral transformation, expert knowledge of the SBTi’s FLAG framework (including its underlying scientific modelling), and proven capability in overseeing complex, high-visibility technical projects involving contributors from multiple teams.
About the SBTi:
The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions 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:
- Act as Senior Strategic Advisor to SBTi, coordinating and shaping the FLAG workstreams across research, stakeholder engagement, and standard writing.
- Synthesis of expert and research inputs to the FLAG work programme and an ability to translate research outcomes into practical actions within a FLAG standard context.
- Lead on specific assignments or workstreams within the FLAG programme — spanning technical and stakeholder engagement areas (e.g. leading research, running workshops) — as agreed with the wider team.
Experience and Skills:
- Experience of the agriculture net-zero transition, including developing and/or working with Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACCs) and applying them in a global context.
- Strong written and verbal communicationn skills, including the ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Proven ability to manage projects and deliver to deadlines in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Comfortable working independently in an international, remote environment.
Desirable Experience:
- Understanding of carbon footprinting in agriculture.
- Experience in the design of decarbonisation plans and agriculture programmes or interventions.
- Knowledge of the SBTi FLAG framework and its underlying scientific modelling.
- An existing network within the AFOLU or broader agricultural sustainability ecosystem.
Important information before you apply:
- This role is a fixed-term contract for 12 – 18 months, with the possibility of extension.
- The salary for this role will depend on location and experience level.
- A secondment or consultancy arrangement on a 0.5 FTE basis (or similar) may be considered in lieu of direct employment, to be agreed with the successful candidate.
- This role carries a maximum six-month probation period, subject to 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.
If you are interested, please complete our application form.
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in SBTi.
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.
- Attractive holiday package plus public holidays in your country.
- Competitive NGO salary range
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.