Director of Climate and Restoration

Are you an experienced climate and restoration leader ready to shape strategy and turn it into practical results? Do you enjoy developing services, building partnerships and bringing international teams together around shared goals? If so, this role could be the right fit for you.

What you can expect:Preferred by Nature is looking for a Director of Climate and Restoration to lead our Climate and Restoration Programme within the Sustainability Certification division and coordinate climate and restoration work across our Advisory, Certification and Projects divisions.

Reporting to the Sustainability Certification Director, you will combine strategic and technical leadership with programme management, service development and external engagement. Our certification programme currently covers carbon project validation and verification, ecosystem restoration services, and verification of organisational and product carbon footprints. You will help this portfolio evolve in response to climate science, standards, regulation and market needs.

You will also lead our Climate Impact initiative, translating our ambition to build a strong portfolio of mitigation and adaptation services by 2028 into coordinated workplans and measurable progress.

Working with us is never routine, so in your first year you can expect the following areas to be central to your work.

• Lead the Climate and Restoration Programme, ensuring effective service delivery and progress towards financial and impact targets.

• Shape organisation-wide priorities for climate and restoration, aligning services, projects and expertise across divisions and regions.

• Develop services and delivery approaches that respond to stakeholder needs and create meaningful environmental and social impact.

• Oversee the systems, tools, templates and technical guidance needed for accreditation and credible service delivery.

• Build strategic relationships with clients, companies, NGOs, governments, donors, producers and assurance schemes.

• Identify and pursue business development, partnership and fundraising opportunities.

• Represent Preferred by Nature in conferences, technical networks, industry initiatives and other external forums.

• Lead and develop your team through clear priorities, capacity planning, regular feedback and professional development.

• Contribute to strategic planning, programme budgets, financial monitoring and reporting.

Your first year with us:

Within three months, you will:

• Develop a clear understanding of our climate and restoration portfolio, team capabilities, accreditation requirements and current commitments.

• Build working relationships with colleagues across Certification, Advisory, Projects and regional teams, alongside key external stakeholders.

• Review the Climate Impact roadmap and identify priorities, dependencies and opportunities for coordinated action.

Within six months, you will:

• Translate agreed strategic priorities into workplans with clear responsibilities, resource needs and progress measures.

• Work with relevant teams to advance priority service development, partnership and market engagement opportunities.

• Establish regular programme reviews covering delivery quality, financial performance, impact and team capacity.

• Put development priorities and training plans in place for your team.

Within twelve months, you will:

• Demonstrate progress against the agreed Climate Impact workplan and programme objectives.

• Have advanced priority services or partnerships that strengthen Preferred by Nature’s climate and restoration portfolio.

• Strengthen coordination across divisions, with clear ownership and effective use of technical expertise.

• Provide recommendations for the next planning cycle based on programme results, market developme...