Principal Consultant, Agriculture Value Chains

**Job summary**

The goal of the Principal Consultant is to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality consultancy advice to international, regional and local, e.g. international and Australian clients on sustainability topics for the corporate sector. You will be fully accountable for the development and overall management of proposals on corporate climate strategies; greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting services and climate change mitigation solutions; agriculture supply chain strategies and water stewardship, as well as for the implementation of projects, for which you will supervise various project teams. You will provide technical guidance to the project teams and act as the main point of contact for the client. You will also leverage your vast technical expertise to drive business development activities and generate new leads. In addition, you will contribute to the development of new products and solutions at South Pole to address sustainability challenges.

**Main responsibilities**
- Lead the planning, management and execution of highly complex/very large consulting mandates for the corporate sector on Agriculture Value Chains to ensure the most efficient and highest-quality implementation.
- As a senior expert, provide supervision, guidance on and technical leadership in international consulting mandates and proposals, as well as lead their technical review.
- Develop new consulting business opportunities and collaborate closely with the Key Account Management team.
- Interact and build relationships with our local and international clients, and contribute to the winning and timely delivery of consulting mandates.
- Develop and improve specialised skills and knowledge linked to the topics and services offered by South Pole.
- Lead the development of South Pole’s thought leadership, services, products, marketing materials and offerings.
- Lead and directly manage small teams of consultants in a multi-stakeholder and multi-geographies context.
- Participate in business strategy and leadership-relevant internal discussions to position our consulting activities within South Pole's overall business and offering.
- Topics of engagement may include: sustainability and corporate supply chain risks with particular focus on climate, water and forests in agricultural supply chains. Essential profile requirements
- University degree, ideally at a Master’s level or higher, in a sustainability-related field. In Environmental Sciences, Agronomy, Environmental Engineering or related disciplines.
- Relevant knowledge of environmental sustainability challenges in multinational companies, especially with the integration of sustainability in supply chains and agriculture.
- Relevant work experience (the expectation is a minimum of 10 years), at least partly in corporate consulting.
- Specific consultancy experience in sustainability and corporate supply chain risks with particular focus on climate, water and forests in agricultural supply chains.
- Excellent technical project supervision skills and ability to guide project teams.
- Excellent stakeholder and client management skills, including ability to lead contract negotiations.
- Industry-relevant connections, with a network of potential clients, collaborators and other relevant stakeholders.
- Deep understanding of environmental sustainability challenges and specific consultancy experience in the relevant areas of the practice.
- Commercial skills and good business sense so as to be able to identify and seize opportunities in a challenging and competitive market environment.
- Leadership and strategic management experience.
- Excellent oral and written skills in English
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with specific communication experience to senior decision makers (such as C-Suite) and across a range of stakeholders.

**Desired profile requirements**
- Practical experience in: (1) Monitoring and quantification of environmental impacts along the supply chain on climate, water and forests -with agricultural supply chains in tropical countries and project development/program management. (2) Sustainable procurement, change management and sustainability strategy development.
- A Master’s degree will be an advantage.
- Fluency in an Asian language a benefit.
- Practical experience in change management and sustainability strategy development.
- Diligent, reliable and proactive.
- Fully comfortable operating in a fast-paced international environment.
- Excellent prioritisation and time management skills.