Head of Standards, Science Based Targets initiative At Science Based Targets

About this position

The Head of Standards is responsible for the direction and deliverables of the standards team, ensuring that SBTi standards are developed and maintained in line with the best-available science and evolving best practice, following best-practice for standard-setting organizations and SBTi standard-setting protocols.

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 across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050.

The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. The SBTi defines and promotes best practice 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

About the team:

The Technical Department leads the development and maintenance of the key resources within the initiative to enable the adoption of climate targets in line with the best-available science and following best-practice for standard-setting organizations.

The normative and non-normative resources developed by the Technical Department are the backbone of the SBTi target-setting framework and include, amongst others, the development of standards, criteria, recommendations, sector-specific guidance, topic-specific guidance and tools, as well as the scientific foundations that underpin all of these, including the curation of scenarios, target-setting methods, though leadership and novel research. The Standards Team is a key pillar of the Technical Department responsible for the development and maintenance of cross-sector standards. The Standard Team act as “product owners” for the key cross-sector standards of the initiative, including coordination across different teams to ensure the successful integration and implementation of SBTi standards

The Head of Standards is responsible for the direction and deliverables of the standards team, ensuring that SBTi standards are developed and maintained in line with the best-available science and evolving best practice, following best-practice for standard-setting organizations and SBTi standard-setting protocols.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ownership of the SBTi standards development and project management strategy
• Development of multi-annual program to develop, strengthen and maintain SBTi climate alignment standards for the corporate and financial sectors
• Oversee and guide the development of SBTi sector-agnostic standards following with best-practice for standard-setting organizations and ensuring compliance with SBTi standard-setting protocols
• Facilitate internal coordination between the standard development function, and other functions within the Technical Department, as well as coordination with other SBTi Departments to ensure the successful development, launch and integration of SBTi standards into the SBTI framework and to support market-adoption
• The role is expected to manage relationships with external stakeholders, including partners, donors, civil society and others and to represent SBTi in external fora
• Team and budget management for the SBTi standards team

Essential skills and experience needed:

• Demonstrable experience in climate and/or sustainability standard setting functions
• Expert knowledge of of climate science, climate mitigation and carbon accounting
• Experience in climate mitigation and climate-target setting in the corporate and/or financial sectors
• Excellent project management and people’s management skills, including management of international teams
• Experience leading multi-stakeholder processes to advance the climate and sustainability agenda
• Outstanding communication skills in English

Desirable criteria:

• Familiarity with agile and/or other project management approaches
• Familiarity with standard-setting protocols, including ISEAL, ISO and others
• Experience in science-based target-setting

This is a full-time role with location in UK, Europe or North America. The salary for this role will be dependent on location and level of experience. This role is a fixed-term contract for 12 months with the possibility of extension and it will be reporting to the Chief Technical Officer.

Interested candidates should be legally allowed to work in the countries specified. The SBTi cannot sponsor any working visas.

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 on the basis of race, color, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.