The VP works with the Senior Vice President/Executive Director to manage engagement with research partners and ensure the right resources are generated (individually and collectively) and brought to bear on key and evolving issues. S/he develops both overarching and specific research strategies and brings them through a vetting process with the Executive Director and other senior WWF staff in the goal and influence teams as appropriate.
Strategic Direction: Sets direction for overall research agenda and strategy, recruits strategic partnerships with individuals and institutions that will allow the Institute to achieve its overall goals and desired results. Constantly evaluates the changing landscape, trends, and developments to keep the Institute on track and pointed in the direction of identifying and better understanding key issues and trends that affect WWF’s ability to achieve its mission of biodiversity conservation.
Thought Leadership: Provides expertise on how to identify and shape research strategies that address the key biodiversity threats from the production of food and soft commodities that allow the Institute to achieve its mission of identifying global trends and opportunities more quickly and insuring that they are taken up and incubated by others so that change can be accelerated at scales that are meaningful. Ensures that the Institute has the best possible partners to help us identify and understand the constantly shifting global issues and trends as well as strategies and tools to address them. Demonstrates and shares expertise within the organization. Works effectively as part of a team to advance the Institute’s mission.
Outreach to Research Partners: Engages the broadest community of individual and institutional partners to drive the Institute’s research agenda as well as its impact by helping create awareness and build consensus about new issues and trends; oversees partnership cultivation and the development of key research strategies with others; represents the Institute on key platforms and at key events. Shares feedback from those interactions with the WWF Network in order to improve the organization’s ability to work with a wide range of partners. Builds a formal community of global experts on food research.
Influencing Key Partners: Works with the Executive Director and key Influence and Goal teams as appropriate to influence the agendas of research partners as well as the behaviors and policies of key public and private sector partners as appropriate. Helps to build and maintains strategic partnerships. Works closely with SVP/Executive Director to fundraise for research in the Institute and serves as champion for its efforts.
Innovator and Change Leader: Serves as an innovator and change leader in the Institute, within WWF more generally and with key WWF partners and appropriate external audiences. Steers the Institute’s efforts to help identify and recruit partners that will help WWF make the biggest impact; shares lessons learned; and contributes to the development of new, big ideas and strategies through basic research.
As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and veteran or disability status.