South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Digital & Data Science team helps our clients and South Pole design and execute the most ambitious and scalable climate impact initiatives whilst reducing the administrative effort to zero. Our unique track record of running projects across the globe and delivering verified, high-quality carbon credits provides us with valuable data we can leverage to identify new, high impact initiatives. We help companies on a day-to-day basis to drive their carbon-neutral strategies with their customers, suppliers and their employees through analytics and sustainability software solutions. If you have the skills, ambition and drive to use the best of digital and AI to protect ecosystems, restore forests, drive sustainable agriculture, and enable climate zero journeys across the globe then please apply or register your interest now!

Job summary:

As part of the Innovation team, you will contribute to our idea management process both through valuable contributions to portfolio management and leading innovation projects. This means you are ready to translate a good understanding of the developments in the carbon market as well as promising emerging technologies, into tangible market bets for South Pole with clear business cases. By applying strong program management, agile innovation process management and good stakeholder management you will ensure that the motto ‘fail fast, to succeed sooner’ comes alive in our innovation drive.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• Support the development of the Innovation portfolio in line with the overall business strategy, partnership approach and commercial proposition
• Drive progress and manage deliverables of initiatives in the innovation portfolio
• Link together new ideas and insights to create new client opportunities, services, offerings, and thought leadership
• Develop a deep understanding of how the underlying client needs and expected market developments have to come together to ensure a successful outcome of a project
• Be comfortable with ambiguity, and capable of acting independently and quickly identifying and addressing the areas of uncertainty that are important to resolve for the stage the concept is at
• Have stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead diverse teams and engage with senior (client) executives
• Manage innovation projects’ performance, investment spends, timelines risks, issues and, coordinate and transfer activities with downstream partners
• Manage and develop your direct reports
• Help drive an innovation mindset into our company culture

Requirements:

Essential 

• University degree in Environmental Sciences, Innovation Management or related disciplines (completed M.Sc. or PhD)
• Several years of professional experience in: 
  • Innovation 
  • Project & Program Management with end responsibilities, preferably in climate action
  • Digital Innovation
  • Data Science
  • AI
• Must possess an inquisitive and creative mind
• Must be independent and self-directed but able to work and lead a team of creative individuals
• Research and analytical skills to track and predict trends 
• Must be able to work creatively within a budget and use innovation to find ways of more effectively managing resources.
• Business knowledge, and understanding of a variety of sustainable business practices and standards
• Must be able to collaborate with executives, creative teams, research and development, and product development teams
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to persuasively sell ideas
• Must be willing to take calculated risks and manage expectations of both internal development teams and potential and existing customers
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to clearly pull together a story based on data that will resonate with internal and external stakeholders
• Proactive approach and business-driven mindset
• Excellent English writing and presentation skills

Desirable   

• Familiar with Google apps (Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc.)
• Experience with quantitative methodologies (e.g. statistical analysis, testing hypothesis, robustness checks, scenario analysis, etc.)
• Experience designing and conducting customer research, including interviews and focus groups
• Knowledge of innovation and product development processes
• Proficiency in other languages such as Spanish or German is a plus
• Experience in or passion for environmental issues and understanding of sustainability, CSR and related topics

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation. 

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make; South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.