Principal Consultant - Land and Water

South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all six continents, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Consultancy & Advisory Services team provides our clients with outstanding technical expertise that enables the successful implementation of complex sustainability projects. Our expertise spans across multiple topics including land and water management, climate strategies, renewable energies, environmental impact assessments, green products, climate policy, carbon pricing, climate finance, and sustainable finance, to name just a few. If you are a smart, ambitious and dynamic sustainability professional with a strong passion to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the below position may be right for you! 

Job summary:

 In this role, you will focus on the delivery of high-quality consultancy advice on climate change mitigation solutions to the corporate sector, and be responsible for the management of project teams. In this position, you will also lead the development of proposals and participate in business development activities and new service creation. You will be responsible for the quality and the commercial viability of the engagements and help South Pole remain a national and international leading provider of sustainability solutions. This position will particularly work with companies with agricultural supply chains in the global south, where we support clients to formulate strategies and take concrete action in order to manage and mitigate their impact on climate, water and forest resources. Exemplary assignments include the development of supply chain strategies in order to achieve climate targets through emission reductions and insetting, improve water stewardship or achieve deforestation free supply chains.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• Lead the planning, management and execution of consulting mandates on sustainable supply chains and agriculture with necessary know-how and skill set to ensure the most efficient and highest quality implementation 
• As a senior expert, provide supervision, guidance and technical leadership in international consulting mandates 
• Develop new consulting business opportunities with leading corporates in the food, beverage, cosmetic, textile and retail sectors and closely collaborate with the Key Account Management Team 
• Contribute to the development of thought leadership, services and marketing materials to further develop our corporate offerings Interact with and build relationships with clients and contribute to the successful winning and delivery of corporate consulting mandates 
• Lead and directly manage small consultant teams 
• Participate in business strategy and leadership relevant internal discussions to well position our corporate consulting activities within South Pole's overall business and offering

Requirements:

Essential:

• A university degree, ideally in Environmental Sciences or Engineering, Business Management, Economics or other sustainability or business-related disciplines 
• At least 10-15 years of relevant work experience partly in corporate consulting 
• Sound understanding of environmental sustainability challenges in multinational companies especially with the integration of sustainability in supply chains and agriculture 
• Commercial skills and good business sense to be able to identify and seize opportunities in a challenging and competitive market environment 
• Leadership and strategic management experience 
• Experience in monitoring and quantification of environmental impacts along the supply chain on climate, water and forests 
• Specific consultancy experience in consultancy for corporate clients, particularly in topics related to sustainability and corporate supply chain risks with particular focus on climate, water and forests in agricultural supply chains 
• Driving change within corporates and through the value chain communication to senior decision makers (such as C-Suite) and across a range of stakeholders 
• Excellent oral and written skills in English

Desirable:

• Practical experience with agricultural supply chains in tropical countries and project development / program management 
• Practical experience in sustainable procurement, change management and sustainability strategy development 
• Other languages such as Spanish or French are an advantage

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation. 

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people.  We all have a contribution to make; South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability.  Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.