VP, Product & External Affairs

Vice President, Product & External Affairs

Based in Paris or Toronto (hybrid: 3 days per week in office)

Travels : 20% 

Full time position, local contract

Beginning: ASAP 2024

PUR Description

PUR is a global, impact-focused B-Corp specializing in supply chain sustainability. We design, develop, and implement nature-based solutions projects to help our corporate partners reduce their environmental footprint and meet their ESG targets. Many of PUR's projects fall within the categories of insetting, regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, forest conservation, and landscape restoration.

These projects aim to introduce more sustainable agricultural practices, regenerate and preserve ecosystems, and socially and economically empower local communities. Today, we employ 200 staff across 16 countries, with key offices in Paris (HQ) and Toronto.

www.pur.co

Industry Description

PUR operates within the dynamic and rapidly evolving sector of environmental consultancy services and nature-based solutions (NbS) markets. The NbS market has recently gained traction as society recognizes the invaluable services provided by nature and the need to preserve, restore and harness these services to mitigate and adapt to environmental challenges. To be considered a nature-based solution, projects must address real societal challenges and offer strong environmental, economic and social benefits for local communities.

Market KPIs:

• If combined with deep decarbonisation efforts, NbS projects could provide up to 30% of the mitigation needed to limit global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels by 2030 (World Economic Forum, 2023)

• NbS project credits make up the largest volumes of carbon credits available in the VCM (voluntary carbon markets ) with $9bn invested between 2020 and 2022 (Sylvera, 2023)

• 5,307 companies have set science-based targets - a 4.2x increase since 2022 – and a significant driver of demand within the NbS and VCM markets (SBTi, 2024)

Team description

PUR’s Product Team oversees the design, development, implementation, management and monitoring of nature-based solutions – offered to support corporates in addressing their Scope 3 emissions and impacts at the agricultural landscape level.

These Nature Based Solutions include activities such as Agroforestry, Regenerative Agriculture, Reforestation, Forest Conservation, contextualized at the agricultural landscape level to:

• Drive resilience of ecosystems and agricultural production at the landscape level;

• Reduce and remove carbon in line with the GHG Protocol’s Scope 3 Land Sector Guidance;

• Address nature strategies in line with the Science Based Targets for Nature; &

• Benefit the livelihoods of local communities to drive permanence.

Such activities are supported through upstream advisory related to context specific Scope 3 strategies, and MRV activities to value the diverse impacts of project activities in line with prevailing certification standards and frameworks. PUR’s activities are to be delivered to meet or exceed best in class due diligence requirements required by industry, clients, impact investors and granting organizations.

Role Description + Reporting Structure

The Product Team is seeking a dynamic and experienced product management professional with strong knowledge of the NBS, supply chain linked accounting, and impact investment industry, to lead the development, commercialization, and maintenance of PUR’s product suite. This role presents a unique opportunity to lead the transformation of PUR into becoming a product-centric company.

As the VP Product, you will identify strategic product priorities in line with commercial goals and manage the development of these priorities within the product development lifecycle.

You will collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to help manage and further develop the use cases and contribute to the commercial success of PUR’s offerings. Furthermore, in the role you will become a content expert involved in answering client queries and joining client presentations.

The ideal candidate will have experience in product development in the nature/climate/sustainability sector and deeply understand client requirements and needs, particularly related to the Science-Based Targets Initiative Forestry, Land-Use & Agriculture Guidance (FLAG), the GHG Protocol’s Scope 3 Land Sector Guidance (LSG), the Science Based Targets for Nature (SBTN), and concepts of Living Income. The candidate is also expected to be familiar with global climate and biodiversity policy.

Overall, this leadership role requires someone who excels in a global, start-up environment; has strong technical knowledge and experience in the NBS sector; strong cross-team collaboration skills; and is commercially oriented. You will join a dynamic and strategically important team and lead the development of a vibrant community of product managers at PUR.

The role will report directly to the Chief Product & Development Officer, Andrew Nobrega, and will be a key member of the Product Steering Committee (PSC), an Executive Committee responsible for informing, developing, leading and guiding the execution PUR’s global product strategy.

Summary of Responsibilities

Product Design & Development

• Lead the global team in the evolution of the design of PUR’s current product suite, and the design of new products on a go forward basis.

• Through effective leadership, communication and collaboration, foster strong global alignment for the implementation of PUR’s products.

• Ensure global teams (in particular the global Operations and Data Teams) adopt the design principles, data collection protocols, operations and deliverables in line with company strategy.

External Affairs, Strategy & Engagement

• Monitor evolving Policy, Frameworks and Industry Initiatives for their risk and opportunity relevant to PUR’s investments and product design.

• Lead the development and execution of strategies to engage global Policy, Frameworks and Industry Initiatives, in line with company strategy and with the goal to both stay current and to inform such frameworks with PUR’s knowledge and experience.

• Support key topic leads and specialists to engage prospective Strategic Partners for co-development of potential partnership opportunities ensuring to further and protect the interests of PUR in development and negotiations; manage contract and agreement workflow with Legal Team.

Team Management

• Ensure the global team aligns with the processes, practices and protocols required for global collaboration among teams, in support of global reporting, and following best management practices.

• Support the growth and development of the product team through direct mentorship, provision of appropriate structure and resources, the tracking of team performance and implementation of strategic improvement programs.

• Provide an empowering work environment that is capable of attracting top industry talent to reinforce the commercial team in its respective disciplines; and actively support recruitments.

• Work in collaboration with other departments within the company to maximize synergies, avoid conflict and to align the efforts made towards the company’s growth and development.

Qualifications

• Masters level degree (or equivalent experience) in a discipline related to nature-based solutions or environmental markets such as ecology, ecosystem services or sustainable development

• A minimum of 15 years of experience working in the technical and commercial development, evaluation or certification of nature-based solutions

• Material experience engaging with the context, logistics and impacts of nature-based solutions at the field level

• Experience engaging with diverse industry stakeholders including corporates, impact investors, grant financers, Government, NGOs, academia and certification bodies

• Knowledge of product management best practices.

• Strong sense of accountability for product quality and their commercial success.

• Strong analytical skills with curiosity and a drive to stay on top of market trends and developments. Ability to be data-driven and provide insights based on relevant indicators.

• Enthusiasm for working in a fast paced, dynamic and growing international business, in a rapidly evolving market

• A skilled collaborator, who has demonstrated the ability to develop constructive strategic partnerships across the industry with clear and measurable outcomes

• Experience working in an international setting, and effective management of global teams

• Demonstration of robust people management & change management skills

• Highly structured and effective communications skills

• Full working proficiency in English is required. Working proficiency in French or Spanish considered an asset.