Principal Sustainability Advisor, Futures

Most organisations now recognise that global challenges like climate change, food and energy security and population growth will mean big changes for the way they operate. Forum for the Future's role is to help them find their way to a sustainable and successful future.

Forum for the Future is a project of Tides Center.

Forum for the Future is a non-profit organization working globally with business and government to create a sustainable future. We aim to transform the critical systems that we all depend on, such as food, energy and finance, to make them fit for the challenges of the 21st century. We have over 15 years' experience inspiring new thinking, building creative partnerships and developing practical innovations to change our world. We opened our New York office in late 2010.

Position Overview:

We are currently seeking a Principal Sustainability Advisor, who will work closely with, and report to, Director, Forum for the Future US, to focus on our futures work and help continue to build and develop our US office. This is a great opportunity for an experienced sustainability professional to take the next step in their career, working for a leading NGO that is known for being at the cutting edge of sustainability.

The post-holder will deliver strategic sustainability advice to leading US and international businesses as well as managing consortia funded projects.  This position has a particular focus on futures work and will work with Forum's futures practice to deliver challenging and cutting-edge futures outputs such as visions, scenarios, trends analysis and to contribute to our trends and weak signals databases.

The role is externally facing and highly visible - the expectation is that over 65% of time is spent on delivery of sustainability advice, with the remaining time divided between business development, communications and contributing to internal discussions and processes at Forum.

Travel both nationally and internationally will be required. Applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Responsibilities:

1. To set-up, deliver and manage a set of futures projects and use futures techniques to provide strategic advice to Forum's partners:

• Manage at least $225k p.a. in project / partnership delivery
• Maintain a utilization rate of around 65% (after the first 3 months) and deliver projects on time and to budget
• Some involvement in work programs for partners managed from the UK

2. To contribute to Forum's futures practice and to take this thinking to partners:

• Support the development of our futures practice and improve its effectiveness as a platform for change
• Participate in futures practice meetings and take ownership for an area of work
• Keep up to date on latest thinking and work with the team to develop Forum's thinking
• Write blogs / update articles to communicate our thinking. Spot trends and weak signals and post regularly to the blog
• Help to position Forum as a reputable practitioner of futures techniques and generate opportunities for work

3. Make an active contribution to Forum's US income targets:

• Generate $160k p.a. income through projects and new partnership work

4. To help build the US office

• Contribute to overall direction through team meetings and office discussions
• Represent Forum at external events
• Help deliver Forum US events and take the lead on the logistics / prep for at least one
• Contribute to the development of values and culture of US office

Qualifications:

Required Competencies:

• Commitment: understanding of, and a commitment to, the mission and values of Forum for the Future
• Detailed knowledge of futures techniques: with a proven track record in delivering projects using scenario-building, horizon-scanning and back-casting techniques to develop sustainable strategy.
• Practical experience of strategy planning techniques such as roadmapping, action planning, business planning etc.
• General Sustainability knowledge: broad understanding of sustainability issues and sustainability as a strategic driver for business. A good working knowledge of the current policy, regulatory and commercial drivers and development processes affecting the uptake of sustainable development in the US and beyond. Well read on sustainability.
• Project Management: project management, including large complex projects with a variety of stakeholders.
• Experienced facilitator: able to design, lead and facilitate workshops and deliver training sessions & seminars
• Business Development: able to scope out new projects based on partners needs and sustainability outcomes and secure funding
• Communications: able to produce and contribute to a wide range of outputs (for example business plans, consultancy reports, letters, articles, memos, briefs and presentations) to tight deadlines and to consistently high standard
• Enthusiasm: be a passionate advocate for change and communicate enthusiasm for change across a variety of audiences
• Organization and planning: able to plan, organize, schedule and budget in an efficient, productive manner. Focus on key priorities.
• Proactive: able to act without being told what to do, and bring in new ideas.

Desired competencies:

• Systems thinking: A working knowledge of the theory and practice of creating change at the systems level
• Systems mapping skils: a working knowledge of systems mapping techniques and tools for mapping would be an advantage

Compensation: Salary in range of $59,847 - $63,704 commensurate with experience. Full-time employees receive an excellent benefits package including health and dental insurance, and 18 days' vacation in year 1, rising to 23 days from year 2 onwards (with 11 days public holidays).

Closing date: 9.00 am EST Friday 10th August
First interviews: w/c 13th August (by telephone)
Second interviews: w/c 20th August
Final interviews:  w/c 27th August

To Apply:

Please send your resume and a covering letter detailing how you meet the qualifications and experience to Helen Saunders.

Forum for the Future, a project of the Tides Center, is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender communities.

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