Climate Action Director

At Iberostar we are looking for a Climate Action Director to join our Sustainability team, but before knowing more about the position, we think it’s important that you learn a little about us:

• We are a 100% family business (specifically, a family of more than 30,000 employees).
• We are operating in 35 countries and our headquarters is based in Palma de Mallorca.
• Our values (Passion, Responsibility, Transparency, Creativity and Humility) are very important to us, all our actions are aligned with them.
• We are pioneers in sustainable tourism (Check out our Wave of Change movement to learn more).

If this sounds interesting to you… maybe this is your place!

Job Description

Working within the Sustainability Office the Head of Climate Action will guide the organization’s efforts in understanding and addressing climate change through scientific research and leadership and in close coordination with the Nature and Nature & Nature Based Solutions team, the Science team as well as with managers and destination stewards.

Location: the role could be based in the United States (ideally in Washington, D.C. or Miami) or in Spain (ideally at the headquarters in Palma de Mallorca) where we have offices.

What will your day-to-day work be like?

Reporting to the Global Sustainability Office Director, you’ll be in charge of:

Leadership and Direction:

• Set the strategic vision and research agenda for climate change science and action.
• Conduct or guide research projects on various aspects of climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, and impacts.
• Ensure the quality, accuracy, and scientific rigor of research outputs.
• Stay abreast of current advancements in climate science, climate action and integrate them into research programs.

Risk, Risk Mitigation and Coastal Health Assessment:

• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments to evaluate potential threats to businesses, infrastructure, and communities.
• Quantify the probability of extreme weather events, sea-level rise, temperature changes, and other climate impacts.
• Assess the vulnerabilities of different regions and properties.

Carbon Sequestration:

• Develop a portfolio of carbon sequestration initiatives to help achieve Iberostar’s Carbon Neutrality goal by 2030.
• Identify and select partners to collaborate with.
• Prioritize and define own carbon sequestration projects, with a special focus on blue Carbon projects.
• Be familiarized with the different certification schemes for carbon sequestration projects.

Decarbonization of Scope 3:

• Stay up to date on trends, technologies and initiatives in value chain decarbonization.
• Work with the Product Sustainability Team to drive the goals of decarbonization and support value chain efforts.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Translate complex climate findings into clear and concise communication for stakeholders like policymakers, the public, and industry leaders.
• Collaborate with other climate change institutions and researchers to advance collective knowledge on climate change.
• Foster internal communication within the organization to ensure everyone understands the scientific basis of climate action.

External Engagement and Influence:

• Represent the organization at climate conferences, workshops, and policy discussions on climate change.
• Advocate for science-based solutions to address climate change challenges.
• Build partnerships with policymakers, NGOs, and industry to translate scientific knowledge into real-world action.

Who is the ideal person for this position?

The successful candidate must be an English/Spanish bilingual speaker. An energetic team player with strengths in maintaining positive relationships with team members, with excellent communication skills, and passion for leveraging science and data-driven insights to address climate related challenges. As well was excellent interpersonal skills, creating and promoting positive and productive working environment with internal and external partners; Strong leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and manage a team.

Studies:

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Engineering (Environmental, Civil, or related field), Biology (Conservation Biology, Ecology, or related field), or Environmental Science.

Experience:

• Experience with climate and climate risk models (e.g., WRF, CMIP models).
• Experience with climate risk vulnerability analysis, including social and economic considerations.
• Experience with project budgeting, scheduling, and stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change.
• Experience with valuation techniques for climate change impacts and ecosystem services.
• Experience working with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, including government agencies, NGOs, businesses, and communities.

Skills:

• Proficient in statistical software (e.g., R, Python, STATA) for data analysis and manipulation.
• In-depth knowledge of climate change science, impacts, and mitigation strategies.
• Ability to develop, manage, and implement climate mitigation and adaptation plans.
• A team player, with strengths in maintaining positive relationships with team members.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, creating and promoting positive and productive working environment with internal and external partners
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to motivate and manage a team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific information into clear and concise language for diverse audiences.
• Independent worker with initiative and ability to problem solve.
• Public speaking experience.
• Spanish and English language fluency.
• High skill-level in Microsoft office, Google and modeling programs.

Willingness to travel frequently.