Principal Consultant, Climate Change & Net-Zero Strategy

Geoscience Ireland is hiring a Principal Consultant for Climate Change & Net-Zero Strategy in Australia. The role involves managing client projects, leading teams, and developing strategies for sustainability reporting. Responsibilities include client relationship management, mentoring junior staff, and generating new business. Candidates should have over 10 years of relevant experience in climate change strategy. The position is based in Australia, indicating it is not a remote job.
Job Details: Principal Consultant, Climate Change & Net-Zero Strategy

About the business and the role
At SLR we Make Sustainability Happen. SLR is an international environmental consultancy with a globally recognised reputation for providing high quality tailored services. With over 1000 staff in APAC alone, we provide consultancy advice and support on a wide range of strategic and site-specific issues to a diverse and growing base of business, regulatory and governmental clients. We celebrate a 'One Team Culture', where bringing together diversity of thought and expression is key to building the best team to deliver excellent results.

You will be directly involved in scoping and delivery of client projects for large national and multinational companies across several industry sectors. This will include responsibility for managing complex client projects, with support from the team lead for Climate Change & Net-Zero Strategy. You will be encouraged to develop your skills and expertise, as well as your own professional network, internally and externally.

The role will be in our Climate Change & Net-Zero Strategy team, with a focus on delivering services in line with the upcoming Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS). This includes services such as GHG Emissions Accounting, Renewable Energy, Target Setting & Decarbonisation Strategy as well as the identification, assessment and management of climate related risks and opportunities, including the use of climate scenario analysis. Although the role will be based in Australia, you will also work with the wider APAC team delivering these services tailored to different geographical regulations.

Key Responsibilities
For this Principal role, you will also be responsible for the following:
• Lead client project teams, acting as the project manager, providing technical support to junior colleagues, managing commercial risk and day to day point of contact for the client.
• Act as a client relationship manager, understanding and interpreting client needs, clearly communicating client goals and overall business objectives to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the development and growth of junior colleagues, including line management responsibilities.
• Lead new business generation through drafting and developing proposals and participating in new business pitches, including research, project scoping, proposal drafting, and pitch presentations.
• Gather data using a range of techniques (interviews, surveys, focus groups, data requests) and, in some cases, model and build scenarios.
• Develop presentations and reports for clients.
• Conduct research, draft articles, deliver events/marketing presentations to position SLR and yourself as a trusted thought leader in sustainable business.
• Support the development of new client products and offerings based on market needs and trends.
• Grow professional and industry contacts by representing SLR in virtual and out of office environments (events, conferences, panels).

Skills and experience
Ideally, we would love for you to tick all these boxes but if you can tick most, that is a good start! These technical aspects we seek are:
• 10+ years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated experience in aspects of climate change strategy, including:
• Experience in undertaking climate change risk assessments for organisations, including climate scenario analysis.
• GHG accounting & development of corporate carbon footprints, including Scope 3.
• Understanding of various net-zero, carbon neutral and other sustainability frameworks (including SBTi).
• Experience developing and implementing decarbonisation strategies, including renewable energy and fleet transition plans.
• A thorough understanding of the core requirements of the ASRS, as well as the TCFD recommendations and IFRS S2.
• Demonstrable experience in business development, client growth, and winning work.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to deliver client-ready presentations.
• Ability to distil quantitative and qualitative data and communicate it succinctly to clients.
• Educational qualifications: A Bachelor's degree in a related discipline (Master's Degree preferred).

Next Steps
We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion. Please note that interviews are conducted with gender diverse interview panels to the best of our ability. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.