Associate Director, Sustainability Communications Strategy

Are you a senior communications strategist with both sustainability and creative agency experience? 

Then this role is for you. South Pole is growing its communications and engagement offering in Europe and needs an experienced strategist to help grow the team, work on integrated client mandates and win new business.

Why South Pole?:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet, fostering a team environment and offering more than just a job - a meaningful career. Join our dynamic, international organisation to make a real impact on the environment, developing skills and knowledge while contributing to a diverse, inclusive culture. We're proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, basing recruitment on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We believe that diverse perspectives and experiences are essential to our success, and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Job summary:

As Associate Director, Communications Engagement and Leadership (CEL), your goal will be to drive change: both through exciting client mandates and by helping to grow the CEL offering at South Pole.

You’ll be delivering exceptional strategic consultancy advice to clients on communications and sustainability topics. You will be fully accountable for the development and overall management of proposals on impact and communications strategies as well as for the implementation of projects, for which you will oversee project teams. You will provide technical guidance to the project teams and act as a senior advisor to the client.

On top of this, you will leverage your technical expertise to drive business development activities and generate new leads. In addition, you will contribute to the development of new products and solutions at South Pole to address sustainability challenges.

Main responsibilities:

Lead the planning, management, and execution of highly complex large communications and strategic consulting mandates on impact, leadership, change management, innovation, and communications ensuring the most efficient and high-quality implementation. 

Work closely with the CEL Regional Lead on developing proactive and solutions-first approaches to challenges that arise within consulting mandates and new business opportunities, while also looking for ways to improve systems and processes.  

Topics of engagement include: Brand impact strategies, ESG integration, engagement strategies, communications plans and strategies, innovation strategy, materiality assessments, stakeholder engagement, leadership, change management, and the development and implementation of communications mandates. 

Essential profile requirements

University degree, ideally at a Master’s level or higher, in a communications or sustainability-related field. 

Relevant knowledge of communications – both from a strategic and an implementation perspective, as well as an understanding of brand impact strategy; climate policy; carbon markets; stakeholder engagement; integrated, multi-channel global communications strategies; corporate sustainability; environmental sustainability challenges in multinational companies; and an awareness of current national and international policy developments with regard to climate change and sustainable development. 

Deep understanding of environmental sustainability challenges and specific communications consultancy experience in the relevant areas of the practice. 

Desired profile requirements:

A Master’s degree will be an advantage. 

Practical experience in change management and sustainability strategy development. 

Good working knowledge of all Google Suite applications and MS 365.  

Fully comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment. 

Note: We recognise imposter syndrome is real - any candidate that does not perfectly fit every characteristic of this role is still strongly encouraged to apply.