An opportunity to build on CDP’s hugely successful forests program and develop thought leadership on the issues of deforestation has arisen. As Head of Forests you will provide leadership to continue to grow the program in the areas of policy, funding and number of companies disclosing to CDP, whilst focusing on improving data quality and catalysing action. You will lead the global team based out of the London office but have responsibility for both the programmes global profile and delivery in our global offices.
Reporting to the Director of Programs, the successful candidate will be a strong self-starter with business development skills, management experience and the ability to network at a high level. You will promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement and be accountable for efficient and effective systems that increase the productivity of the program.
About the program:
CDP’s work on deforestation was launched in 2013 following a merge with Global Canopy Programme’s Forest Footprint Disclosure Project to provide critical deforestation related data from the world’s largest corporations to inform the global market place on investment risk and commercial opportunity, and to catalyze action toward deforestation free supply chains. With the backing of 380 financial institutions with over $29 trillion in assets, the program has just completed a highly successful fifth year working with a sample of the world’s largest and most impactful companies.
Key responsibilities include:
- Working to maintain CDP’s forests program as the gold standard for disclosure of corporate deforestation-risk information globally
- Representing the program and CDP at external events, including presenting and advocating for our mission.
- Managing and overseeing the delivery on the existing major funding deliverables and KPIs for the program, specifically with major funding from NORAD and DFID.
- Supporting the expansion of CDP’s forests program to other key geographies including South East Asia and supporting the delivery of the program globally
- Building income pipeline (including preparing funding proposals) for the program including through philanthropy, government donors, sponsorships and new product development
- Overseeing operations of the program including sponsor recruitment and management, processes and systems during the disclosure cycle, analysis, marketing and communications
- Contributing to thought-leadership via participation in strategically selected initiatives
- Informing the wider CDP team of strategy and developments
- Managing and developing staff
- Preparing and working to budgets
- External relationship management, including donors and partners.
Required skills and experience:
- Bachelors degree or equivalent
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills
- Strong influencing and negotiation skills
- Knowledge of global deforestation issues and in particular issues facing businesses
- Ability to manage projects, corporate sponsors, budgets, and multiple priorities
- Strong relationship management skills; experience managing multiple relationships with clients and partner organisations
- Demonstrated ability to connect at a senior level
- Demonstrated ability to develop strategy in consultation with others and be innovative in program development
- Evidence of thought leadership ability
- 3-5 years experience managing medium to large team, ideally global teams
- Experience of working within and leading global virtual teams to achieve change
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Masters degree or similar in a relevant subject
- Experience of working on deforestation or terrestrial forest projects and programmes
- Experience of working with corporate entities and success in influencing their actions
- Experience of building both individual and programme profiles leading to demonstrable change within a non-profit
- A global outlook and understanding or experience of working and delivering programmes overseas
This is a full time permanent role based at CDP’s Central London office.
Salary and benefits: £45,000-50,000 per annum, annual discretionary bonus, 24 days’ holiday (increasing to 30), generous non-contributory pension provision, life assurance and others.
Applicants must be eligible to work legally in the UK.
To apply please email your CV and a covering letter setting out how you meet the required skills and experience and key responsibilities, which should be no more than two pages, to recruitment@cdp.net with ‘Head of Forests’ in the subject. The deadline for applications is Monday May 22nd at 5pm GMT.
