Business Director, Renewables

In this senior role, you will lead our work with leading renewable energy companies, financial institutions and governments on the integration of nature into decision-making to grow our work in this sector. You will be responsible for setting the direction of our engagement with clients, for leading on shaping and expanding our portfolio of market-leading clients, managing key project and client relationships and working with our technical design experts to respond to market needs through innovative solutions for corporate and site-based action on nature. The role will involve working across a broad range of sectors including onshore and offshore wind, hydropower and solar.

As Business Director, you will be responsible for expanding our services for existing and new renewable energy clients, working closely with the Business Director for mining and the wider sustainable infrastructure team to build and maintain an active pipeline of work. This includes proactively identifying and responding to priority needs of renewable energy businesses, building external networks, and overseeing delivery to ensure high-quality products that fully align with our clients’ needs. The Biodiversity Consultancy’s mission is to integrate nature into business and finance decision-making through science-based approaches. Your work will also include collaborating with industry bodies, sustainability initiatives, academia and civil society to share experiences, build capacity and help accelerate progress towards a nature-positive future.

Responsibilities

• Strategy and business development: Lead the development and implementation of the strategy and business plan for renewable energy clients. Drive new business and lead generation and develop and maintain existing and new client relationships, including using your network to meet revenue targets.
• Customer relationship management: Establish and nurture relationships with clients and other stakeholders relevant to the renewable energy sector, including industry, government, NGOs, academia, and international scientific institutions to discover and capitalise on new business opportunities.
• Mentoring and leadership: As part of the sustainable infrastructure management team, hold shared responsibility for continuous improvement of our work, driving innovation and strategy implementation and building the team. Mentor members of the renewable energy team, supporting technical design of projects, providing critical review, and supporting their professional development.
• Project delivery: Sponsor and provide strategic support for large, complex projects with a focus on renewable energy, advising on deliverables and guiding stakeholder engagement. This accountability may include overseeing timely, on-budget delivery of projects to the requisite level of quality and technical substance. Interpret and apply a range of frameworks and business drivers, including global goals, corporate policies, evolving supply-chain customer expectations and financial lending criteria. Partner with our technical research and development team to develop approaches, metrics and tools for assessing and mitigating biodiversity impacts of complex, large-scale projects in areas of sensitive biodiversity in emerging economies.
• Communication: Contribute to the global agenda on transforming the business relationship with nature, such as through nature positive approaches. Elevate the visibility of The Biodiversity Consultancy globally as a trusted brand for businesses, including by writing and delivering presentations, attending events, and leveraging digital networks. Write and review material for business press, our website, and publications.

Essential attributes

• Considerable experience in development projects with a focus on renewable energy and alignment with good international industry practice.
• Experience or in-depth working knowledge of project and portfolio level approaches to assessing biodiversity risks and impacts and preparation in strategies to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities.
• Proven track record of business development and client relationship management in a consulting context, demonstrating a strong go-to-market approach and experience developing lasting relationships as a trusted advisor.
• Excellent network in the renewable energy and business sustainability sector.
• Demonstrable active listening, client empathy, and client problem-solving skills.
• Experience of creating and directing work programmes and developing and implementing strategy.
• Substantial project management and project accountability experience.
• Experience or in-depth working knowledge of emerging good practice approaches in managing nature impacts & dependencies and on sustainability disclosures frameworks (SBTN, CSRD, TNFD, etc.).
• Excellent communication skills, including public speaking, workshops and writing.
• Ability to provide intellectual leadership, creativity and simplicity to problem solving.

Desirable attributes

• A postgraduate qualification or a PhD in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to travel globally and when necessary.
• Proven ability to work in French, Spanish, or other languages.
• Experience working in Africa, Latin America, or Asia.

The Biodiversity Consultancy works with business and finance to integrate nature into sustainability strategy and practice. Since 2006 we have guided clients across sectors and around the world to respond to biodiversity- and nature-related risk and create new ways of working which deliver business value and safeguard our natural environment. Our team are purpose-driven biodiversity and sustainability experts, trusted by household names, financial institutions, governments, and leading NGOs to deliver strategic guidance and deep technical expertise. From single sites to global systems, we equip our clients with the knowledge, capacity, and tools to create meaningful change and achieve their nature-related goals. As an Evidence Champion with the University of Cambridge, we are committed to embedding science into practice and ensuring evidence-based approaches guide our biodiversity and conservation work. We place a high value on the experience and expertise of our staff and strive to create the conditions for individuals to grow and flourish in a stimulating, collaborative and flexible culture. Personal development is important to us and as such we offer a comprehensive, tailored induction and ongoing in-house and external training opportunities.