Regional Water Lead, Southeast Asia

Job Purpose and Background

Are you passionate about tackling climate change, nature’s destruction and the world’s water crisis? Do you believe the private sector is a critical part of the solution? CDP’s innovative water security programme is looking for a highly motivated individual who thrives in a fast paced, varied and autonomous environment. Based in CDP’s Hong Kong office, you will be responsible for engaging large companies and financial institutions in Southeast Asia to drive private-sector action to address water-related issues.

About CDP’s Water Program

CDP’s water program was launched in 2009 to improve water security by enabling the collection and provision of critical water-related data from the world’s largest companies. This data is used to inform the global market on investment risk and commercial opportunity, and to spark private sector transformation towards improved corporate water stewardship. With the backing of 515 financial institutions with $106 trillion in assets, in 2020 the program enabled 2934 companies to disclose on water issues.

Role, purpose and background

This new role is central to the delivery of a new grant funded project, “The Ambition Loop”. The aim of the project is to scale water-related transparency and disclosure through CDP to catalyse more responsible use of water resources amongst major water consuming and polluting companies.

A key outcome of the project is that these companies are integrating water into fundamental business governance processes, leading to reduced water demands, the elimination of pollution and enhanced access to WASH across their direct operations and supply chains.
This role is focused on achieving this outcome for corporates and financial institutions operating in Southeast Asia. The role will report jointly to the Director of CDP Hong Kong and the Director of CDP’s Water Security Team.

The successful candidate will be responsible for engaging financial institutions and corporates in Southeast Asia to address their water risks and impacts. This will involve building capacity amongst, and providing relevant tools to, Southeast Asian companies to report to CDP’s TCFD-aligned questionnaire, thereby driving corporate behaviour change on water security.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing an engagement plan focused on key levers of change for target Southeast Asian companies and financial institutions.
• Developing the business case (including provision of evidence) for corporate action to manage water security issues.
• Engaging with investors, buyers and policy makers to apply pressure on Southeast Asian companies and financial institutions to disclose water-related data via CDP.
• Working with CDP Asia Pacific corporate engagement colleagues to deploy CDP’s water questionnaire on an annual basis.
• Building water disclosure and stewardship capacity amongst target companies and financial institutions through webinars, in-person workshops, guidance documents and 1-2-1 meetings.
• Managing relationships with companies and financial institutions requested to disclose on water, serving as a primary point of contact, coordinating relevant corporate communications and driving action on water.
• Develop and issue benchmarking reports (based on CDP scores and KPIs) and tools that showcase and celebrate corporate and financial institution leadership for Southeast Asian companies and financial institutions to improve corporate water stewardship.
• Engage with Southeast Asian financial service providers and civil society actors to ensure that CDP corporate data is being used to inform decision-making.

Essential skills and experience:

• Minimum 4 years’ experience of working to drive environmental change within the private sector – ideally in industrial firms or financial institutions. 
• A deep understanding of global and Asia Pacific water issues, the role of the private sector in addressing these issues, and CDP’s unique contribution to addressing them.
• Deep knowledge, understanding and experience of the global financial service sector and its impact on water security. 
• A strong understanding of how corporations and financial institutions are governed.  
• An entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to seize strategic opportunities and convert these into strategies that colleagues can buy-into and execute.
• An ability to work independently and lead projects with minimal supervision.
• An ability to develop solutions and deliver results in ambiguous, changing and fast-paced environments.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with demonstrable experience in being able to influence behaviour and thinking.
• Proven track record in ensuring collaboration across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Presentation and marketing skills with a demonstrable pride in delivering high quality products and an eye for detail.

Desirable characteristics and skills:

• Experience managing people. 
• Strong data analytics experience. 
• A deep understanding of the corporate reporting landscape.
• Experience of working in a global, non-profit organization – with matrix working.
• Experience of corporate procurement and supply chain management. 
• A proven track record in fundraising, proposal development and grant management

This is a full-time role for a contract until 31/12/2024 based at CDP’s Hong Kong office.

Salary and benefits: salary is dependent on experience however our starting salary is HKD 369,369.03 per annum. As well as this we provide an annual discretionary bonus, 24 days holidays+ public holidays, the opportunity to work flexibly and many others.

Applicants must be eligible to work legally in Hong Kong.

Before you apply

We’ll only use the information you provide to process your application. For more details on how we use your information, see our applicants privacy notice. By emailing us your CV and covering letter, you are permitting CDP to use the information you have provided for recruitment purposes.

To apply please email your CV and a covering letter setting out how you meet the required skills and experience or key responsibilities, which should be no more than two pages, to[email protected] with ‘Regional Water Lead, Southeast Asia’ in the subject. The deadline is Monday 15 November 2021.