Global Technical Advisor, Sustainable Commodities

Job Description

Position: Global Technical Advisor, Sustainable Commodities
Reports to: Sustainable Commodities Lead
Position Managed: None
Location: Washington, DC (remote hub possible) Country
Program/Sector: US/Global Conservation program/Markets
Scope: Global
Position Type: Full-Time

Job Summary:

The Global Technical Advisor for the Sustainable Commodities Pillar as part of the WCS Markets Team plays a central role in advancing WCS’s mission to align conservation with sustainable commodity production. Reporting to the Sustainable Commodities Lead, the position combines strategic design of project interventions within land and seascape strategies, technical advisory, business development, and program support functions to help design, implement, and scale nature-positive, deforestation and conversion-free commodity initiatives across WCS landscapes.

The role involves close collaboration with the Markets team, global, regional and country teams, private sector partners, and donors to promote inclusive, rights-based approaches that deliver both biodiversity and livelihood outcomes. The Global Technical Advisor also contributes to enterprise development, blended finance strategies, knowledge sharing, and institutional capacity building.

Major Responsibilities:
Strategy Support and Implementation

• Provide technical support to the implementation of the sustainable commodity strategies across WCS priority landscapes, working closely with the Sustainable Commodities Lead, Markets team, and regional and country programs.
• Develop sustainable commodity strategies with country and regional teams focused on commodity- linked conservation models, enterprise development, deforestation-free supply chains, and community-based approaches.
• Co-develop “Greenscape” opportunities that integrate multiple market-based approaches to achieve biodiversity and climate outcomes at scale.
  
  

New Business Development

• Lead the design and development of new grant proposals, concept notes, and investment strategies that link sustainable commodity production with biodiversity conservation and inclusive rural development.
• Identify and assess prospective financial partners, donors, and innovative funding opportunities that align with the Markets team’s objectives and country program needs. Act as the point of contact as appropriate.
  
  

Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with companies, financial institutions, certification bodies, and multi-stakeholder platforms to advance WCS’s sustainable commodity agenda.
• Provide technical guidance to companies seeking to strengthen sustainability commitments and improve the environmental and social performance of their sourcing strategies.
  
  

Capacity Building & Knowledge Sharing

• Lead and facilitate training sessions, knowledge exchanges, and the development of tools to enhance institutional capacity and promote consistent approaches across WCS regions.
• Support the development and refinement of best practice frameworks—such as the Forest First Approach and Conservation Agreements—for integrating conservation and commodity production.
• Manage WCS’s internal technical working group on sustainable commodities, coordinating engagement with regional and country office staff, curating discussion topics, organizing regular meetings, and driving a global learning agenda.
• Maintain consistent engagement with field teams to ensure alignment, respond to technical needs, and promote peer learning across geographies.
• Represent WCS in global forums and technical working groups (e.g., Science-Based Targets for Nature, Business for Nature), helping to position the organization as a thought leader and build internal capacity on emerging sustainability topics.
  
  

Technical Support

• Provide technical support to work planning, budgeting, and donor reporting for selected projects and grants, ensuring timely delivery and quality outputs.
• Support field teams in the development and implementation of sustainable commodity activities and the Nature-Positive Tourism Fund, helping to align tourism models with conservation goals and community benefit.
• Collaborate internally with other teams at WCS i.e. Global Resources, Asia, Europe, Conservation Technology, Conservation Planning, Rights and Communities, etc.
  
  

Monitoring, Learning & Communication

• Design and implement monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks, ensuring alignment across WCS landscapes and with global best practices and manage the collection of necessary information for donor reporting.
• Oversee country programs in data collection and reporting to inform internal learning and donor communications. Take the lead in aggregating data for communications and reporting purposes.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, case studies, and technical guidance to showcase impact and strengthen program effectiveness.
  
  

Qualification Requirements

• Master’s degree in environmental science, geography, agriculture, natural resource management, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years’ technical experience in sustainable agriculture, supply chains and corporate engagement, or conservation program management.
• A minimum of five years’ previous experience working in the private sector, preferably in sustainability.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%
• Strong technical understanding of commodity sectors (e.g., cashew, rice, cocoa, palm oil, coffee, livestock, timber), deforestation and habitat loss drivers, and conservation finance tools.
• Experience managing multi-country programs, developing partnerships, and advising field teams across diverse geographies.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical content clearly and effectively.
• Fluency in English required; additional language skills (e.g., French, Spanish, Portuguese) is preferred.
  
  

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and engaging a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on gender, race/ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information or any other covered status or characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon a person’s membership in one of these protected categories in areas such as recruitment, selection, job assignment, supervision, training, promotions, job grading, transfers, termination, compensation, benefits, educational opportunities, WCS sponsored recreational activities and facilities.

Note that the salary offer will reflect the selected candidate’s individual experiences, skills and qualifications, internal equity, work location and country of work.

Salary Range

$90,000-$101,000