Lead, Climate and Health

Please note: This is a temporary role that concludes July 2025.

This role requires the ability to work on site 3 days per week per company policy.

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, engaging the foremost leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Within the Forum, the Centre for Health and Healthcare works to identify and scale up solutions for more resilient, efficient, and equitable healthcare systems to deliver the best possible care.

Why we are recruiting

The Forum has been active in climate action for over a decade, with workstreams and activities focussed on climate change mitigation and transition towards net zero conditions.   However, it is increasingly recognised that historically there has been a critical under investment in the health implications of climate change.

The launch of the Forum’s Climate and Health Initiative in 2023 was designed to address and enhance the focus on health.  As a joint collaboration between the Forum’s centres for Health & Healthcare and Nature & Climate, the Initiative aims to understand how climate change will reshape health landscapes with increased risks from new pathogens, pollution and extreme weather events. The Forum is seeking a Lead, Climate and Health to build an active community of multisector and cross-industry partners to shape models of high impact solutions.

Reporting lines and interactions

The Lead, Climate and Health will report to the Head of Healthcare Access & Outcomes within the Centre for Health & Healthcare and will manage a Community Lead and a Community Specialist. The lead will work closely with the Centre for Health and Healthcare Lead based in China. The Initiative is co-led with another Climate and Health Lead based in the Forum’s Centre for Nature and Climate.

Main responsibilities 

Project implementation

• Set the strategic direction, framework, and scope for the Climate and Health Initiative and its workstreams to delivery significant impact.
• Oversee several Project Fellows, manage two direct reports, and ensure delivery of agreed targets within respective workstreams to meet organizational objectives.
• Manage working plan and deliverables for project chair/s, including quarterly check-ins with lead stakeholders to ensure progress on mutually agreed upon outputs.

Content curation

• As needed, serve as a Forum’s spokesperson and subject matter expert for the initiative, integrating initiative outputs into broader Health platform events, strategic direction, and public engagement assets.
• Strengthen the Forum’s physical and digital platforms to promote a continuous exchange on the topic, integrating project activities and progress, lessons learned, and opportunities for collaboration with Forum members and constituents.

Community management

• Provide strategic guidance to support the Community Lead in community engagement for the initiative.
• Plan and facilitate leadership opportunities for the initiative community.

Partner engagement

• Support the Forum’s efforts to increase the range of organizations engaged in the climate & health initiative across sectors, industries, and geographies.
• Work with teams across the Forum’s global Centres to enable the successful engagement of Partners and Members in Forum activities and events.
• Lead climate & health related event planning for relevant Forum meetings and regional events, as well as external workshops and partner meetings. Key priorities include – but not limited to – the Annual Meeting, Sustainable Development Impact Meetings, and the COP events.
• Responsible for the impact measurement and management of the work to ensure partners are deriving value and the initiative is achieving the intended impact.

Preferred requirements and experience

• Advanced university degree in public health policy, climate and health, or other relevant field with 8+ years of professional experience and a strong knowledge of climate and health. Knowledge and understanding of climate change financing also would be an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to lead the strategic design, implementation and evaluation of coalitions, programmes and/or projects, including in multi-stakeholder or cross-sector settings.
• Significant experience in building and managing stakeholder networks across a range of sectors, including WHO, UN and COP.

• Executive level presence and presentation skills with the ability to interact efficiently and with global leaders. A flexible, agile, and politically astute mindset necessary for working with fast-paced teams in dynamic environments. Ability to understand multi-stakeholder interests, align those to meaningful societal action and drive impact.
• At least three years of people management experience and working in a matrix structure.
• Proven project management and coordination skills; attention to detail; capacity to apply critical thinking, synthesize various viewpoints, effectively communicate critical messages, and consult broadly across diverse stakeholders.
• Outstanding command of English, with excellent written, digital, and verbal communication skills; knowledge of other languages would be an asset.
• action and drive impact.
• Ability to travel internationally at least 25% of time

Why work at the Forum:

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and cooperation, shaping mindsets and agendas, and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!