Net-Zero Accountability Analyst

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

Job Purpose and Background:

The SBTi has enabled thousands of companies and financial institutions (FIs) to set climate targets and have these targets validated in line with science. It is now essential that these companies are held accountable for delivering on their targets.

The SBTi is researching how companies achieve their targets, to determine the parameters that must be considered for robust reporting and assessment of target progress and delivery, as well as for substantiating claims of target achievement.

The postholder will support to incorporation of the findings from this research into revisions to the Corporate Net-Zero Standard. By increasing the transparency of private sector climate action through enhanced Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) requirements, the SBTi will bring further transparency to the progress made towards science-based targets. To enable assessment of the achievement of targets, the SBTi will develop and incorporate Performance criteria that will define the allowable approaches companies can take to achieve decarbonization. These criteria will also define how companies recalibrate and iterate their near-term science-based targets.

For more information on the project, see here: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/measurement-reporting-and-verification-mrv

This is an exciting new role to support the revision of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard, focussing on the MRV and Performance workstreams. You will sit in the Standards Team, but work in close collaboration with colleagues in the Research Team.

About you:

Do you want to harness your curiosity and enthusiasm towards ensuring science-based targets are having a real impact on the climate? Are you passionate about contributing to the transition to a net-zero economy?

About the team:

The role sits within the Technical Department that 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 and guidance. The Standards Team act as “product owners” for the key cross-sector standards, including coordination across different teams to ensure their successful integration and implementation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Play a key role in revising the Corporate Net-Zero Steandard to integrate MRV and Performance work streams
• Collaborating with the Research Team to integrate research findings into standards
• Assist in managing an inclusive and balanced stakeholder process to ensure deliverables are aligned with climate science and strike the right balance of credibility and practicality, including working with an Expert Advisory Group
• Manage responses to inquiries related to the MRV / Performance work
• Help develop communications material such as presentations, case studies, blog posts and other communication documents
• Implementing revised standards externally and throughout the wider initiative through training
• Use and maintenance of SBTi project management and collaboration tools (e.g. Asana, Slack, Google Drive, MS Teams, etc.).

Essential skills and experience needed:

• 3-5 years of experience working on climate change mitigation topics, ideally in science-based targets, greenhouse gas accounting, net-zero and corporate climate strategy
• Strong project management skills
• Experience in supporting complex, multi-stakeholder processes, and ideally experience in sustainability standard setting processes.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a mostly virtual environment
• Highly organized, fast learner and strong attention to detail
• Results oriented, ability to handle multiple tasks and work in a constantly evolving environment
• Entrepreneurial, self-motivated, and able to work independently in an international and multicultural remote work environment
• High proficiency in MS Teams, Excel and PowerPoint

Desirable criteria:

• An understanding of the drivers for and practical challenges of implementing climate action strategies across businesses’ operations and value chains
• Technical and applied knowledge of relevant concepts and standards around GHG accounting as well as corporate climate target-setting and action
• Excellent writing and communication skills, including the ability to make complex technical subjects accessible to non-expert audiences

This is a full-time role based in the UK or Europe. 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.

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

What we offer:

• Working in one of the most successful and fastest-growing initiatives driving climate action;
• Exciting and challenging tasks in a dynamic, international, innovative, and highly motivated team;
• Training and development;
• Attractive holiday package.

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 based on race, color, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.