SDG Programme Manager for Europe and UK job in Amsterdam

Title: SDG Programme Manager for Europe and UK
Location: Amsterdam, or possibly London
Reporting to: Chair of Management Board, B Lab Europe
Directly accountable to: Manager, SDG Programme & Partnerships, based in the US
Overview

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.

B Lab has partnered with the UN Global Compact to develop an online platform for SDG focused impact management. In order to further this collaborative work, B Lab and B Lab Europe will together work to drive adoption of the SDG platform by European companies. The platform will be launched by B Lab in early 2020 as a module of the B Impact Assessment, and B Lab Europe will promote this through strategic partnerships, public engagement, and direct programming and marketing for companies. This post is funded by a grant from Generation Foundation for the period until end of 2021.

B Lab: Background

B Lab was created in 2006 for the purpose of serving a global movement of people using business as a force for good, so that all companies will compete to be not just best in the world but also best for the world, and as a result society will enjoy a more shared and durable prosperity.

Inspired by B Lab, B Lab Europe was created in 2014 for the purpose of redefining success in businesses and the economy in Europe.

To serve their shared purpose, B Lab authorises B Lab Europe to use its intellectual property to recruit and support companies to achieve and maintain certification as B Corporations and to promote stakeholder governance and impact management at scale.

SDG Programme Manager

B Lab is seeking a programme lead to work on B Lab’s multi-year Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme with a geographic focus on Europe and the UK. This marquee programme will engage thousands of businesses globally through a web-based standards product that will leverage the B Impact Assessment for them to assess, compare, and improve their performance towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, delivering tangible progress on them by 2030.
The SDG programme lead will join and contribute to the B Lab Europe and B Lab UK teams, working closely with European country partners from Switzerland to Spain, Denmark to Portugal. The post holder will also coordinate closely with the US-based team leading the global implementation of this programme. A key element of the role will be to drive the development and implementation of impact improvement products, resources, and tools to create significant business transformation to accelerate impact in the B Economy. This position will be responsible for the launch, the marketing campaign, the user engagement, and impact storytelling of this new programme at B Lab Europe and UK.

Details of the role of SDG Programme Manager

1. Identify the key target company groups for use of the platform in Europe, ranging from certified B Corps through to companies that have not yet certified; learning from other B Lab's Global Partners in this process.
2. Analyse findings of the 70+ beta testers (to be testing during the Autumn) of the platform across Europe and the UK, to ensure conversion from tester to returning user.
3. Build out awareness and interest in the finalised platform to be released after beta testing in January 2020.
4. Create and deliver a communications and engagement strategy for rolling out the tool widely to meet key deliverables in terms of increasing number of users up to over 1000 by Spring 2021.
5. Build relationships with European networks and partnerships for wide take up of the platform to ensure we have strong pan European regional company engagement.
6. Work to design, pilot and roll out specific programme offerings for companies around use of the tool to measure and manage their impact to the SDGs, and ensure they are seamlessly integrated with other B Lab UK and Europe offerings.
7. Support and assess companies’ use of the tool as a driver for change in behaviour.
8. Develop guidance on how companies can set and achieve improvement goals based on their assessment of their contribution to the SDGs in close coordination with B Lab Global’s SDG Programme team and to ensure companies are making the most of that platform feature.
9. Write blogs, articles, vlogs, other materials on the project findings / case studies in close coordination with B Lab Global’s SDG Program team.
10. Co-develop, with B Lab Global SDG Program team project team, mechanisms for evaluating the platform’s use, impact and overall performance; share key insights and lessons learned both within the Global Partner network and the broader public, as relevant.
11. Report quarterly on progress, take up, and on key project deliverables.
12. Act as a bridge between country partners across Europe and B Lab Global for this programme.
13. Provide support to companies using the B Impact Assessment tool in support of certification and impact improvement.

Person Specification

• Passionate about the role that business can play in creating the future that benefits all people and planet, not just a few
• Is familiar with/ engaged in the B Corp movement
• Understands the issues surrounding company assessment, management and improvement of impact
• Organised, structured thinker, able to manage large numbers of contacts simultaneously
• Able to summarise findings easily, and analyse patterns in messages and behaviour
• Good presenter of concepts; able to simplify complex issues
• Team worker
• Quick learner
• Collaborative in nature, keen to make partnerships
• Inquisitive and exploratory by nature – what else is happening in this field, how does this add to the sum of knowledge
• Self-motivated and structured - working closely with colleagues based in US, UK and other areas of Europe.

Skills required
• Experience with and passion for data-driven storytelling to generate both interest and action. Experience with digital marketing tactics to increase audience engagement, including email and social media campaigns, a strong plus
• Experience in managing external relationships and engaging with individuals at all levels of an organization. Experience working with global nonprofit organizations, businesses, media organizations, foundations, and/or investors, a strong plus
• Good communicator who creates energy around companies seeking to engage in measuring their performance
• Technically savvy. Highly proficient in Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Familiarity with GSuite, Salesforce or similar CRMs is preferred
• Familiarity with programme evaluation and measurement
• Experience working on issues related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and/or corporate sustainability, would be a strong advantage but not essential
• Linguistic skills – English plus one or more European languages also an advantage.

Compensation and contract terms

Contract length: appointment to the role is planned for before year end of 2019 in advance of the roll – out of the tool in early 2020; the post is funded until the end of 2021
Travel requirements: the role may require travel to other European countries to liaise with B Lab partners; also infrequent trips to the US SDG team (at least 1x per annum).
Salary: €45,000 per annum; 25 days holiday entitlement per annum plus statutory days leave.

We very much look forward to hearing from you if this job opportunity excites you and you have the necessary experience / qualifications and skills to bring to the role. Please send an email with your CV to ela@bcorporation.eu stating SDG Programme Manager in the Subject title before November 15th 2019.

B Lab is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring that our recruitment process is open, fair and not influenced by irrelevant considerations.