Policy Lead, Nature Action Agenda

This is a fixed-term role, with a duration of 24 months.
- The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The Forum’s Centre for Nature and Climate (CNC) is a platform that seeks to safeguard our global commons, and drive systems transformation for a sustainable future. Within CNC, the work on Nature-Positive Economy encompasses four key areas: Valuation of Natural Capital, Building a Sustainable Bio-Economy, Industry Sector Transition Pathways to Nature Positive and Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation.

Context for the Role

In December 2022, 196 parties agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) thereby committing to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 and live in harmony with nature by 2050. The KMGBF Target 18 asks governments to phase out or reform environmentally harmful incentives by at least $500billion per year by 2030.

At the same time, there is rise in public sector sentiment on rewarding the stewards of nature and strengthening mechanisms for payment for ecosystem services. UK’s Biodiversity Net Gain, Australia’s Nature Repair Market Bill, Colombia’s Habitat Banks are some of the examples of public sector efforts to value and reward for biodiversity outcomes. But there is need to take this from environmental issue to one that is central to economic and trade discussions in countries.

The World Economic Forum is hiring for Policy Coherence Lead who can look at both risks of inaction and incentives for positive action by public sector (including banks, sovereign wealth funds) towards biodiversity.

Specific Role and Responsibilities

The Policy Coherence Lead will report to the Head of Nature Action Agenda and be responsible for:
- Tracking development amongst governments on new and existing policies on payment for ecosystem services- Identifying levers of change for reforming environmentally harmful subsidies, particularly those related to land, food, chemicals and construction sectors- Curate a community of experts and practitioners from academia, civil society, public sector and business to develop knowledge products and campaigns to advance thinking on environmentally harmful subsidies- Collaborate with Forum colleagues working on key public sector policies and milestone events such as Rio Convention COPs, G20/G7 etc.- Good understanding of trends, stakeholders and dynamics in the area of- Outstanding interpersonal skills, ability to influence without authority, emotional intelligence and resilience- Ability to work well within and across teams, autonomous, organized, flexible and able to handle a high-pressure environment- Strong project management and time management skills- Robust critical thinking, analytical and attention to detail- Open to creative approaches to problem-solving and able to synthesize a large amount of information

Preferred requirements and experience- Master’s degree (or equivalent) in environmental sciences, business administration, strategy management or a similar field- 10-12 years of relevant professional experience with background in sustainability, experience working in urban development or urban policy preferred- Strong analytical and project management skills- Good understanding of the international biodiversity frameworks and policy making- Experience of engaging with leaders in public and private sector organisations- Fluency in English required, additional language such as Spanish or French would be an asset

Why work at the Forum:
The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change