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.
C40 Climate Solutions and Networks
C40’s Climate Solutions and Networks (CSN) team oversees six program areas focused on priority climate action sectors and interventions: Energy and Buildings; Transportation; Urban Planning; Food and Waste; Air Quality; and Climate Resilience. Under these program areas, CSN operates 16 different networks that facilitate city-to-city best practice sharing on specific climate action areas, such as clean energy or zero emission vehicles. The networks help cities replicate, improve and accelerate climate action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. These city-only working groups provide for honest knowledge and experience exchange, enabling cities to tap into the global expertise of their peers as well as connect with technical partners. Through networks, cities find opportunities to undertake joint projects in areas of mutual interest and benefit. C40 networks also amplify individual city solutions by providing a global platform for showcasing city success. The result is that cities' climate actions to reduce GHGs, air pollutants and climate risks are bolder, fairer, and more impactful than if they were to go it alone.
A number of these programs and networks also offer direct support to cities through technical assistance projects, trainings, tools, and resources, often in conjunction with other C40 teams and programs. The CSN team also supports cities to deliver on the mayoral commitments made through C40’s accelerators including, but not limited to, the Green & Healthy Streets Accelerator, the Good Food Cities Accelerator, the Pathway Towards Zero Waste, and Towards Zero Waste Accelerators. The C40 accelerators are statements of political leadership giving cities an opportunity to show leadership globally and locally.
The Food Programme supports C40 cities to transition towards regenerative resource management and reduce emissions through more sustainable consumption. The programme works with cities to make it easier to eat sustainably and waste less food, minimising carbon emissions and increasing resiliency throughout the urban food system.
Food is among the largest drivers of global environmental climate change. C40 research shows that emissions associated with food consumption in C40 cities account for 13%-20% of cities' total (GHG) emissions. Today, most of the world's food is consumed in cities, with 80% of all food expected to be consumed in cities by 2050. Bringing a new focus to how the world approaches food systems through a demand side approach, since launching the food activities in 2016 this has become an increasingly crucial area of work for C40.
The C40 Food Systems Network supports cities to create and implement integrated food policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience, and deliver health outcomes. There are currently over 50 cities involved in the Network. The Good Food Cities Accelerator has been signed by 16 leading mayors, who have committed to work with citizens to achieve a ‘Planetary Health Diet’ for all by 2030 Signatories are doing this by aligning their procurement, transforming the urban food environment, halving food loss and waste and working with local stakeholders to develop a joint strategy for implementing these actions inclusively and equitably, while streamlining food in their CAPs.
Position Description
The Manager will be responsible for developing and delivering the strategy and workplan for the Food Systems Network, and support cities delivering on the Good Food Cities Accelerator, focused on increasing city ambition and fostering solutions through peer-to-peer support and bringing in key partners. The Manager will also support the development of a strategy to raise the ambition of cities globally and to bring the city experience forward to influence global events such as the C40 Summit 2025, COP30, and similar.
The Manager will be an experienced and proactive individual, able to manage their work independently and make the most of a complex portfolio in a high-profile area of C40’s work. He or she will join a team of dynamic C40 staff and will be connected to leading cities around the world. He or she will be passionate about working with a diverse range of cities to find practical solutions to climate change, particularly around food systems
The successful candidate will be a quick learner who thrives in dynamic environments and is skilled in building relationships across teams and coordinating across diverse groups of stakeholders. They will have a collaborative mindset and be adept at connecting people and organisations around a shared purpose and common goals.
They will be methodical in driving timely delivery and able to work independently with strong strategic thinking.
Responsibilities:
- Manage the Food Systems Network, including the development and delivery of a highly impactful worksplan, and ensuring coordination with other food program activities and existing C40 programmes;
- Support cities’ implementation of the Good Food Cities Accelerator;
- Manage relationship with city officials representatives, promoting participation, leadership and open communication;
- Facilitate bilateral and multilateral peer-to-peer city interactions and convenings, with a focus on high impact actions;
- Lead on capturing C40 cities' good practices and lessons learned and develop network communications, case studies, knowledge products and external communication on best practice in sustainable urban food systems;
- Work closely with cities to assess and analyse their barriers on delivering food and climate actions;
- Directly support and advise city officials in developing and delivering priority projects, programmes and policies, and facilitate support through partners, including develop material for their use;
- Manage Network logistics, such as: convening city calls, webinars and workshops (including developing agendas and drafting minutes to follow up on meetings), coordinating collaborative network projects & workstreams, conducting 1:1 calls with cities and tracking and reporting via C40's sectoral reporting tools
- Pro-actively collaborate with colleagues in the Climate Solutions and Networks team and across C40, including with the Regions, Measurement and Planning, Research, Events, Climate Action Implementation, Inclusive Climate Action and City Diplomacy teams, to effectively support cities in achieving their GHG reduction goals;
- Other duties as assigned.
Person Specification:
- Good experience in local and/or state Government, business, research and/or NGO sectors of developing/ implementing/ advising on food systems, consumption-based emissions or climate change policies, preferably across multiple cities;
- Proven ability in developing, delivering and reporting on programme plans, including contract and budget management;
- Strong problem-solving, interpersonal and strategic thinking capabilities coupled with an outcome, delivery-oriented approach required;
- Proven strong understanding of political dynamics in cities and local governments, and of strategic and technical needs of city leaders
- International experience required, particularly working across different cultures and time zones.
- Fluency in English essential; fluency in another language spoken in a C40 city strongly preferred.
- Strong experience in facilitating in-person workshops as well as virtual meetings or webinars;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills essential, including proven ability to deliver compelling messages, develop briefings for senior leaders;
- Proven track record of working collaboratively and effectively with major global partners, such as NGOs, multilateral organisations and funders;
- Basic skills in qualitative and quantitative data management (Basic excel skills)
Other Requirements:
Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. Moderate travel will be required as part of the role.
Reporting To: Head of Food Strategy
Term: Fixed Term until 31st December 2027
Location: London
Salary: (Grade 4) GPB £53,243 (gross per annum)
Application Process:
Closing date for applications is Thursday, 14th November 2024 at 5pm GMT. 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 careers@C40.org. 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.
