Climate Adaptation Strategy Manager

Hybrid

Role Purpose

Our clients Net Zero Plan puts them on a pathway to decarbonise their airport and the wider aviation sector too. Whilst they are prioritise taking the carbon out of flying, it is important to begin adapting to the effects of climate change that are locked into the climate system to maintain operational resilience and ensure we can continue to provide a good service to passengers and maintain the connectivity to global destinations as the UK's only hub airport. Like other operators of critical national infrastructure, we have been on a journey to understand the effects of a changing climate and how those effects will impact the airport and the business strategy. They are building on that progress by developing a long-term strategic approach to adaptation, guided by the latest climate modelling projections and their climate risk assessment.

The Climate Adaptation Strategy Manager role is a key post for the business that will work cross-functionally to continue to shape and mature our strategy and approach to climate adaptation and accelerate the transition to action. The role will act as a key strategic SME for the business, owning and shaping the strategy, leading and sponsoring the case for investment, planning the activity necessary to deliver adaptation on the ground and providing the technical content to communicate our adaptation agenda, through reporting, internal and external communications and by representing at key external meetings.

Principal Accountabilities

• Act as a strategic lead with responsibility for developing and implementing our long term climate adaptation strategy, working with functions to ensure cross-coordination, collaboration and support.
• Act as a technical SME with the latest insights on climate adaptation and future trends, including policy direction, transition pathways, climate modelling and research and innovation.
• Identify key investments and help to develop business cases to deliver the climate adaptation strategy. This includes supporting the climate adaptation investment planning as part of our 5-yearly regulatory settlement planning process.
• Work closely with key business functions - particularly Master planning, Procurement, Engineering, Infrastructure, Operations, Commercial and Finance - to plan, shape, drive and support an overall plan of activity necessary to deliver the adaptation strategy.
• Own and maintain the overall climate adaptation risk assessment and lead the Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP) process and engagement including compiling the submissions to DEFRA
• Lead the approach to embedding and strengthening climate 'physical risk' across corporate risk assessment processes, working with the risk management team and individual functions and managing inputs into risk reporting. Support our annual Climate Financial Risk Disclosure and shape and contribute the climate physical risk content in the disclosure
• Provide climate adaptation input information for corporate reporting as necessary and support governance meetings as required.
• Represent us on Climate Adaptation with key external stakeholder including Government, industry and local authorities, to understand their priorities and advocate solutions.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Strong background in climate risk and adaptation with a broad understanding of the technical aspects of climate risk, climate scenarios and climate modelling, and the broader policy, market, technology and policy landscape. Desirable: experience of climate risk and adaptation within major infrastructure client organisations or complex sites.
• Ability to maintain a strategic focus and translate long-term strategic outcomes into effective delivery plans and activity with defined milestones and outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience of effective stakeholder management, leading virtual teams, building coalitions and achieving results through others.
• Proven commercial understanding and experience of developing and leading business cases and building necessary support to secure investment.
• Experience of leading complex, cross-functional projects and delivering business outcomes to time and budget.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication/presentation skills and the ability to communicate complex topics in a clear and simple way.
• Graduate or post-graduate and/or with relevant qualifications.

Desirable

• An interest in/passion for a leadership role as a sustainable business and driving the delivery of our net zero plan and adapting the airport to a changing climate.
• Graduate or post-graduate with relevant qualifications.
• Experience of dealing with external stakeholders and representing organisations at a senior level.

ersg are an equal opportunities employer; we are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all job applicants. We do not discriminate against applicants on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religious background; all decisions are based on merit.