Senior Manager, EMEA, Cities States and Regions

Job purpose and background

Are you an experienced people and project manager who is passionate about city climate action? Do you have experience working with local governments? If you want to make your mark in a professional and fast paced business-facing charity, this is the role for you. We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join CDP’s Cities, States and Regions team to oversee and lead our work in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This will be an opportunity to help make an impact on city level policy decisions and ensure the local government ambition on climate action acts as a catalyst for increases in ambition from other stakeholders.

The successful candidate will use their strong project management and interpersonal skills to ensure CDP’s work adds value to our key stakeholders across the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and that the EMEA regional team makes a strong contribution to the goals of the Global Cities, States, and Regions team.

About the Cities, States and Regions Team

We currently work with over 900 city and regional governments worldwide who use CDP’s system to report their progress on fighting climate change. Major universities, the UNFCCC, the World Bank, the IPCC, and many other organizations rely on CDP’s city data for research and decision-making.

Key duties and responsibilities include:

• Ensure continued annual participation in CDP’s Cities, States and Regions program in the EMEA region, and recruit new cities, states and regions to the program.
• Deputise to the Associate Director, Cities, States and Regions, which may require involvement in aspects of CDP’s global work with cities, states and regions.
• Provide and/or oversee the provision of feedback and resources to cities, states and regions to increase the level of ambition and action, and the quality of reported data.
• Maintain and establish key strategic partnerships in the region that can multiply CDP’s impact and grow the cities program.*
• Oversee regional projects and lead on the implementation of the global strategic plan for the EMEA region.
• Develop proposals in coordination with CDP’s development team and secure funding from government and philanthropic sources.
• Present CDP’s vision for low carbon and resilient cities to a wide range of high-level audiences through round tables, webinars and other events that facilitate the successful functioning of CDP’s cities program.
• Organize events in your regions such as workshops for cities focusing on environmental data reporting and use, sharing best practice on environmental action.
• Help develop and extend new products and services to local governments based on an assessment of regional needs.
• Coordinate work between CDP offices in the EMEA region.
• Line manage the EMEA Regional team.

*These partnerships may be with organizations representing local authorities, NGOs working with governments, government bodies, funders, development agencies, and private sector organizations;

The precise description and nature of your job may be varied from time to time and you may be required to carry out other duties as necessary to meet business needs. In due course, international travel may be required.

Required skills and experience:

• Experience working in environmental management, sustainability, or a related field, including at least 5 years in a management position.
• Experience successfully line managing a team.
• Demonstrable expertise in climate change action and an excellent understanding of the role of subnational governments in the global fight against climate change.
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills, and excellent track record of partnership and stakeholder management.
• Outstanding public speaking skills and ability to explain complex topics to a wide range of audiences.
• Experience of drafting successful funding bids and managing relationships with funders.
• Excellent project and financial management skills.
• Ability to take initiative, multi-task, prioritise and work under pressure;

Desirable skills and experience:

• Ability to work in French is highly desirable. Knowledge of another European language, particularly Spanish or Portuguese is also desirable.
• Experience managing team members who based in different locations remotely.

This is a fixed term contract until December 2022, based at CDP’s London office, reporting to Maia Kutner, Associate Director Cities, States, and Regions

Salary and benefits: £42,000 - £48,000 per annum, 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, generous non-contributory pension provision, annual discretionary bonus (depending on company performance), Employee Assistance Programme, life assurance, Training and development, Flexible working opportunities and other benefits.

Interested applicants must be eligible to work legally in the UK.

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.

How 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 'Senior Manager EMEA' followed by your first name and surname in the subject. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early applications are welcome. The deadline is Monday 15 February COB.