DESCRIPTION
We are seeking a progressive, creative and ambitious leader to join our team of sustainability change-makers in Brooklyn, NY. This role is an exciting opportunity to help accelerate our impact in driving systems change in the US. Among the focuses of the Associate Director is to grow our program of 1:1 partnerships with pioneering businesses and organizations that are working to transform the way we work, live and consume in support of a just and sustainable future.
Reporting to the Director of Forum for the Future US, the Associate Director will help to manage our dynamic and creative team. Primary responsibility will be delivering and expanding our program of 1:1 advisory work with our US partners, with an emphasis on driving innovative and transformational strategies that will be successful in a variety of future scenarios. At least two members of the team will report into the Associate Director, although she/he will partner with the Director to support overall management and staff development.

Key responsibilities include:
Business development: growing our advisory practice with US businesses, foundations and other organizations and expanding our reach and network.
Project delivery: directing high quality sustainability projects with our partners that have a strong theory of change; apply futures, design and systems thinking; and demonstrate measurable outcomes and impact.
Partner management: strengthening our offers to US network members, deepening our relationships and contributing to a dynamic community
Financial management: helping ensure the US office, and each individual project, is meeting its financial goals and obligations.
Staff development: contribute to a positive, values-led and learning culture, equipping the US team to deliver high quality advisory projects and meet their individual career goals and targets.
Resource management: managing staff time across the US project portfolios. The Associate Director will also be in charge of creating an affiliate network that we can draw from for short term projects.
Thought leadership and external representation: representing Forum and its work at key conferences, writing publications, and creating other opportunities to raise Forum’s profile
About our ideal candidate
You have at least 10 years of experience driving systems change for sustainable development outcomes within the private or non-profit sectors. Preference will be given to individuals that have worked in a consultancy capacity with business as part of this journey.
You are passionate about enabling a just and sustainable future and have ambitious, creative and innovative ideas for getting there. You actively follow the latest innovations, trends, and signals of change that are getting us closer to that goal. Ideally you are a trained futurist or have applied futures-thinking to past projects.
You have worked in at least one of the systems in which Forum for the Future US is actively driving change (food and agriculture, apparel, technology, retail and consumer products). You have an extensive network in these areas, and have a good understanding of what drives impact.
You are strategic, able to diagnose complex sustainability problems and partner with the right people to drive solutions. You have strong facilitation skills to ensure you create a shared vision and strong buy-in along the way. Just as you craft strategy for individual projects, you are always looking for strategic solutions for the organizations you are a part of.
You enjoy business development, and you are good at it. You feel at home at a sustainability conferences, brainstorming ideas about new projects, and ideally have a proven track record of turning these ideas into sustainable revenue.
You have the unique ability to thrive in matrixed organizations as well as entrepreneurial environments – bringing the best of a global organization to a new, local market. You like the challenge of growing a small organization and don’t mind getting your hands dirty.
You have strong financial and project management skills with a proven track record of managing income and keeping projects to budget and on time.
You have a strong track record of managing teams. People learn from you, but what they like best is that you are a supportive partner and accelerate their growth and impact.
You don’t mind travel. This role will take you across the US up to 25% of your time, though some international travel may also be required including Forum’s annual staff meeting held in London.
MBA graduates encouraged.

We look forward to meeting you!

BENEFITS
Forum for the Future, through TriNet, currently offers a range of benefits for you. These include: time off for personal learning, 11 public holidays and 1 floating public holiday, 21 days’ vacation, and various medical plans with Aetna Health Insurance. In addition employees can register with Wage Works to take advantage of commuter benefits pre-tax.

LEVEL OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
English – mother tongue or fluent

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL
None specified

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED
4-year degree

HOW TO APPLY
recruitment@forumforthefuture.org