Head of Biodiversity

ShareAction London United Kingdom Biodiversity
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Company Description

We are at a pivotal moment: the climate and biodiversity crises are deepening, and inequalities are even more marked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of these global challenges. We want to make sure that impact is positive. At ShareAction we work with investors, policymakers and individuals to unleash the positive potential of the investment system. We aim to build a world where our financial system serves our planet and its people.

Team

In 2020, ShareAction undertook research to understand what it would take to move the investment system to address biodiversity loss. In the biodiversity team we are now building an ambitious programme of work which will establish standards and leading practices for responsible investors on addressing biodiversity impacts and hold major investors accountable against them. At the same time, we’ll work collaboratively with investors, using their influence to challenge companies, such as agrochemicals producers, to halt and reverse nature loss. This is a small but growing team that aims to have huge impact.

Position

The destruction of our natural world is one of the most pressing crises we face today. Some 75 per cent of land, and 66 per cent of marine environments have already been severely altered by human activities. Tackling this will require urgent and transformative action by all actors, but the financial sector has a major role to play.

We are seeking to appoint a new Head of our biodiversity team to oversee the launch of our new programme: from onboarding new team members to developing programme strategy and taking overall responsibility for its delivery. They will work collaboratively with colleagues across ShareAction to embed biodiversity in all our work and to act as ShareAction’s lead expert on the subject. With the programme up and running, attention will turn to further programme development, including additional fundraising.

What you’ll do:

  • You will act as ShareAction’s subject matter expert on nature and biodiversity loss, keeping your knowledge up to date with developments across academia, civil society, and government.

  • You will own and further develop, as required, ShareAction’s biodiversity strategy, a cross-cutting programme of work leveraging our toolkit of investor accountability, corporate engagement and policy advocacy.

  • You will have overall responsibility for quality and delivery of ShareAction’s biodiversity programme.

  • You will work collaboratively with teams across ShareAction to create links with other campaigns, particularly on climate change and human rights, and embed biodiversity across all our work.

  • You will be our spokesperson on biodiversity loss and the role of the investment system.

  • You will have overall responsibility for managing the programme’s budget, programme-level risk management and programme-level monitoring, evaluation and learning

  • You will work with our Fundraising Team to manage relationships with funders and oversee reporting to them.

  • You will also work with our Fundraising Team to fundraise for future programme work, identifying funding opportunities and submitting proposals.

  • You will work with peers at “Head of” level to play a leadership role across ShareAction. 

  • You will recruit, lead and develop members of the biodiversity team, managing balance and team health and ensuring effective hybrid working arrangements

Requirements

What you’ll bring to the team:

  • You’ll be energised by the opportunity to harness the power of the investment system to halt and reverse biodiversity loss—you’ll also be willing to challenge established norms and powerful institutions where necessary to achieve this

  • You will have deep professional knowledge and understanding of the causes and impacts of biodiversity and nature loss and of the role of business in this

  • You will be a strong strategic thinker able to develop and articulate creative and effective plans to deliver ambitious programme objectives

  • You will have proven your ability to build and lead a team, supporting and developing individuals with diverse styles and strengths, to get the best out of the team

  • You will be able to drive delivery in a sometimes uncertain and fast-moving external environment

  • You will enjoy spotting connections between the work of your team and others—and be able to demonstrate you are an effective team player

  • You will be able to demonstrate strong communications and stakeholder management skill, be comfortable communicating and influencing at a senior level, and able to flex communication style accordingly

  • You will be familiar and comfortable with basic budget management and risk management at a project or programme level

  • You will have personal resilience to overcome setbacks and manage challenging campaign goals, including in times of ambiguity

It would also be great – but not essential - if you have:

  • An understanding of the role of the investment system in driving positive change in corporate behaviour

  • An understanding of the agrochemicals industry

  • Any experience acting as a spokesperson at external events and in the media

  • Any experience of monitoring, evaluation and learning in the context of campaigning

  • Any experience of grant fundraising, business development or related field

What we will do for you

  • We will provide you with training on all our systems and any other developmental training you might need

  • You will be joining a peer group of Heads of that sits across the organization, they meet monthly to share tips and challenges. They also work together to support the wider leadership team with organisational thinking. You will also have an immediate peer group of Heads in your own directorate.

  • You will have opportunities to attend events as a ShareAction representative.

  • There are other options to collaborate across the organisation such as joining our D&I working groups or social committee

  • ShareAction teams enjoy hybrid working, splitting their time between home and our office in London Bridge

  • There is currently no mandatory requirement for time spent in the office, but the Biodiversity Team aims to meet together in the office at least once per month—you will have the opportunity to shape this as the team leader

Other information

Location: Hybrid - London/Home

Contract type: Permanent, Full time

Salary: £49,500- £54,000 per annum, pro rata. Plus 8 per cent pension (non-contributory) and benefits including a healthcare scheme

Closing date: Monday 22 August at 9am

Interviews: There is likely be two rounds of interviews from the week of the 29 August

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and so if you are not 100 percent sure that you meet all the requirements but believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and use the application questions to tell us about your experience and what you hope to bring to this role.

We have a London office and we actively encourage staff to work in ways that best suit their needs and our flexible working policy outlines many of the options available - such as part-time and term-time working, job sharing, home working and working compressed hours. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

ShareAction’s London office is based in vibrant Bermondsey and a short walk from London Bridge underground and national rail. Remote working will remain the norm for many ShareAction staff as we continue to face the Covid-19 pandemic, with office space available as described in London for those who wish to use it.

Please note that to be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work and live in the UK. Due to employment law and tax reasons you must reside in the UK to be employed by ShareAction. We are unable to sponsor visas for this role.