Regional Director, South and West Asia

Background

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis, and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

C40’s team of 400+ staff is based in offices in London, in New York, Johannesburg, Singapore, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Beijing and Paris, and individual staff based across 25+ different locations.

The strategic direction of the organisation is determined by an elected Steering Committee of C40 mayors, which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown. Three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, responsible for operational oversight. A regionally diverse management team, led by Executive Director Mark Watts, leads the day-to-day management of C40. C40’s three core strategic funders are Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Realdania.

Our international staff work with the C40 network under the leadership of city governments to deliver this mission. Using a data-driven approach, our team identifies and promotes the exchange of proven programmes and policies developed by cities; provides world-class research, technical expertise and access to key partners to deliver new programmes and policies with cities; and communicates cities’ individual achievements and collective leadership.

Diversity Statement

C40 is committed to supporting and promoting equity and diversity and creating an inclusive working environment for everyone. We believe that when people with different life experiences are involved in decision-making, we deliver better.

We believe having a diverse workforce ensures we connect better with all the different communities and people affected by the climate crisis. This enables us to make better decisions which lead to better outcomes in the work we do through increased creativity, productivity, greater global impact alongside a broader perspective and approach to our work.

We welcome applicants that are diverse in terms of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity and perspective. Our goal is for C40 to be an environment where everyone, from any background, can flourish and can be themselves whilst contributing to our mission. If you identify as a person with a disability, we work to provide reasonable appropriate measures and any additional support needed to provide an equitable working experience. If you are living with a disability, chronic illness or neurodiversity please inform us, to provide you with the proper assistance in the application process.

C40 promotes a work culture where staff can input to improve equity, diversity and inclusion through staff-led groups and formal forums. We know that creating our ideal working environment is a learning process and we are committed to the ongoing effort.

Regional Approach

Core to C40’s value and effectiveness is an ability to be responsive to the needs of all C40 cities and focus services and support on the areas of greatest opportunity for city action and climate impact – both at the individual city level and across our regional and global networks.

Our regional management structure better enables C40 to leverage relationships between peer cities and technical and financial partners regionally and globally and to be more responsive to local needs and conditions.

To manage these efforts, C40 Regional Directors are positioned in seven regions: Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America, East, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Central East Asia, and South & West Asia. The Regional Directors, guided by the C40 Regional Business Plans, act as the ambassadors for their regions, to ensure that the organisation can deliver effectively at a regional level considering specific geographic, cultural, language and other differences.

Position Description

This key organisational position of the Regional Directors is a critical element in the C40 management structure. As part of the C40 Regions and Mayoral Engagement team, Regional Directors ensure regionally-aligned and coordinated delivery to cities. Through the C40 Regional Business Plans, Regional Directors coordinate all other teams in C40 in the delivery of the work in the region.

Regional directors build strong relations with mayors, cities and regional political entities so that they are effectively engaged in the global climate agenda in line with the C40 Leadership Standards. Through the engagement with Mayors, the Regional Directors gather and share political and regional priorities and make these available to different teams in the organisation.

Regional Directors work closely together to share learnings from their regions among themselves and throughout the organisation, and work collaboratively to ensure the C40 network operates in a cohesive and strategic manner.

Responsibilities:

• Manage relationships with all the C40 member cities in the region and ensure that C40 city governments are satisfied with and benefitting from their partnership with C40.
• Build strong working relationships with the region’s C40 mayors and support their global collaboration and climate leadership.
• Coordinate the development of the C40 Regional Business Plan in close consultation with C40 cities, regional partners and relevant C40 teams and coordinate its implementation working with different C40 teams.
• Oversee the strategic development and implementation of C40 technical assistance programs in the region, guided by the Regional Business Plan and insights from the Regional Delivery Advisory Group; and provide oversight to in-region City Advisors.
• Provide advice and support the two C40 Vice Chairs in the region in their engagement on the C40 Steering Committee of mayors and in their efforts to successfully represent the region.
• Support the region’s cities to engage in the relevant and available C40 initiative and network focus areas that will most effectively assist them in achieving their climate ambition and accelerate climate action on the ground.
• Work with the global team to support the C40 Co-Chairs, especially the Co-Chair based in the region.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with C40 city governments, partners and stakeholders in the region; identify opportunities for cities to collaborate with each other – both within the region and throughout the larger organisation and help to facilitate direct peer-to-peer exchange.
• Convene regular regional meetings with C40 city officials and serve as a conduit between the region and the broader organisation.
• Support C40 fundraising efforts globally and with focus on the region, including through meetings with prospective funders.
• Establish and maintain relationships with relevant city networks in the region and facilitate engagement of climate ambitious non-C40 cities in C40 activities and events where relevant, to help replicate and scale the impact of C40 knowledge, tools, and resources beyond C40 membership.

Person Specification:

• Over fifteen years of experience at a senior level in government, business or NGO sectors in the region with focus on policy development, programme management or coordination, including inter-organizational cooperation, strategy and negotiation.
• Significant experience working with or within municipal government, with mayors and senior officials and with environmental teams and projects, particularly in the specific geographic region.
• Ability to lead strategic discussions to help facilitate action-oriented approaches.
• Extensive management experience, proven skills to support a multi-site operation, ability to create a team environment given a virtual organisational structure.
• Strong technical and policy background in climate change or sustainability preferred.
• Ability to serve as a spokesperson or public speaker.
• National of an Asian country with experience living and working in the region.
• Experience with project fundraising.
• Strong English language skills required. Knowledge of any other regional language will be an added advantage though not a requirement.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in the India. Moderate travel will be required as part of the role.

Reporting To: Managing Director of Regions & Mayoral Engagement

Term: Indefinite

Location: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi ,Mumbai

Salary:(Grade 1) INR 4,855,601 (gross per annum)

Application Process:

Closing date for applications is Friday 6th December 2024 at 5pm IST. C40 reserves the right to close this job opening before the closing date for applications so please do submit applications early.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.

For any queries about the role, please contact [email protected]. Kindly note that this email address is for recruitment related queries only. We are unable to accept CVs and cover letters sent to this inbox. We can only accept and process applications that are submitted via our website.

C40 is an equal opportunities employer.