Associate Director - Sustainable Business

Indias rapid economic growth is leading to new and increased developmental opportunities and challenges at multiple levels. As one of the largest conservation organizations in the country, WWF-India seeks to leverage these opportunities and address these challenges both through enhancing biodiversity conservation, and reducing humanitys environmental footprint.

WWF-Indias sustainable business programme is aimed at working with business and industry in improving environmental and social outcomes. These engagements help corporates (1) understand the impact of their business/ financing and supply chains on critical natural habitats, such as deforestation, extractives, fossil fuel emissions, and (2) find solutions that mitigate business risks and enhance business opportunities that promote positive conservation outcomes, such as sustainable finance, water stewardship, climate innovation, DCF (deforestation and conversion free) supply-chain of deforestation risk soft-commodities, energy transition, renewable energy usage, plastics management, decarbonization of industry. The programme focuses on working around strong levers to materialize transition, such as science-based policy awareness and capacity building, market transformation, and sustainable finance.

WWF-India is looking for a dynamic and self-motivated individual with inherent sensitivity towards conservation of nature, to work on promoting sustainable practices with the Business and Industry sector by promoting sustainable consumption & production. The incumbent will also contribute to policy and action research of the Sustainable Business teams work on circular economy, business action on climate, GHG emission reduction through promoting DCF (Deforestation and Conversion Free) commodities.

The incumbent will report to the Director, Sustainable Business Program in the management and execution of priority projects and impact areas, including technical inputs, corporate & government engagement, network coordination, knowledge management, and fundraising.

Position: Associate Director

Location: New Delhi (On Site)

Travel: at an average of 30% of the time

Job Profile:

Management and Coordination

• Work with Director Sustainable Business to continually review and refresh the strategic approach and provide innovative ideas towards adaptive management
• Provide strategic management oversight and support to the Sustainable Business Programme to ensure effective implementation of projects for timely delivery of outcomes and achievement of technical and financial targets
• Manage and provide strategic guidance to the team, consultants and other partner organizations engaged in delivery of the programme
• Ensure efficient and effective monitoring, evaluation and learning processes within the Sustainable Business Programme to track progress toward strategic goals, and enable adaptive project management in response to emerging challenges
• Uphold and ensure implementation of organizational policies to achieve greater efficiency, compliance, and accountability in programme operations
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams within WWF-India to enhance synergies; promote integrated approaches across thematic areas ; facilitate collaboration to co-design and co-implement field interventions and knowledge-driven initiatives
• Manage partner and consultant onboarding processes, including drafting, execution, and tracking of relevant MoUs and agreements
• Collaborate closely with Programme Operations to oversee and streamline procurement processes for goods and services
• Build and sustain relationships with external stakeholders and network donors to support strategic initiatives
• Ensure timely and high-quality technical and financial reporting to donors and internal stakeholders

• Work towards facilitating and supporting business transformation is WWF-Indias priority sectors
• Lead and support ideation, development, and finalization of thematic project proposals aligned with programme focus areas, and ensure financial closure for successful fund-raising; Lead fundraising efforts in the team, including but not limited to responding to WWF-Network and external funding opportunities
• Work closely with the Sustainable Business and other cross-functional teams to define strategic direction and ensure programmatic coherence and impact
• Identify and nurture strategic partnerships with key actors in business, finance, government, and civil society
• Provide strategic and technical inputs to drive corporate and policy-level action on energy transition, sustainable finance, circular economy, and deforestation/conversion-free supply chains
• Evaluate and mainstream scalable innovations and technology-led solutions that enable sustainability transitions in the private and public sectors

• Conduct horizon scanning and policy analysis to inform WWF-Indias work on business sustainability, covering existing and emerging regulatory frameworks, standards, and trends
• Contribute to WWF-Indias policy engagement with Government, industry leaders, financial institutions, and trade bodies to promote sustainable business practices
• Lead and support development of white papers, position statements, and policy briefs to advance WWF-Indias positions on circularity, decarbonization, sustainable finance, and responsible sourcing
• Together with the Director Sustainable Business strengthen outreach and communications and delivery of outputs therein.
• Support planning and execution of consultations, workshops, and multi-stakeholder dialogues; develop advocacy materials for wider dissemination
• Provide strategic inputs to facilitate policy alignment and mainstreaming of program learnings into government and industry frameworks
• Represent WWF-India in national and international forums, conferences, and industry platforms to promote sustainable business practices

Desired Qualifications, Experience and Desired Skills:

• Proven experience in programme and project management with strong strategic oversight, planning, and adaptive management capabilities in sustainability or conservation-focused initiatives
• 810 years of experience in sustainable business, energy transition & decarbonization, circular economy, and sustainable finance across corporates, consulting, think tanks, or non-profits, with demonstrated alignment to conservation goals
• Strong track record in developing high-quality proposals, securing donor funding, and building strategic partnerships across private, public, and multilateral sectors
• In-depth understanding of sustainability challenges and opportunities in key sectors (e.g., energy, circular economy, finance), with the ability to drive conservation-compatible pathways
• Ability to interpret complex policy, regulatory, and market trends to inform strategic interventions, advocacy, and programme design in business sustainability
• Excellent communication skillsboth written and verbalwith experience in preparing policy briefs, white papers, and technical reports for diverse stakeholders
• Effective advocacy and stakeholder engagement skills to influence decision-makers and catalyze policy and corporate action on sustainable business practices
• Minimum Masters degree in environmental management, sustainability, public policy, engineering, or related disciplines
• Strong analytical and systems thinking skills, with the ability to connect cross-cutting issues and design scalable, integrated sustainability solutions
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead multi-stakeholder programmes, manage cross-functional teams, and deliver results in complex, fast-paced environments
• Collaborative mindset with a high level of integrity, organizational discipline, and the ability to work effectively across diverse teams and stakeholder groups

Remuneration will be competitive with Indian NGO pay scales and will depend upon candidates experience levels and the overall WWF-India salary structure. WWF-India does not provide housing, telephone or vehicle facilities.