Sustainability advisor, finance

The role

We are looking for an experienced sustainability professional to join our growing Sustainability Advisor team and accelerate the adoption of best-in-class corporate sustainability programs. This is an opportunity to work directly with some of the world’s leading financial institutions representing over 300mt CO2e including 5 of the 6 largest U.S. banks, 6 of the 10 largest private equity firms, and a growing list of some of the worlds largest LPs.

As a Financial Institutions specialist on the Sustainability Advisor team you’ll operate as a trusted advisor to our finance customers, while partnering across product and go-to-market teams to serve as a thought leader and embed best-in-class sustainability intelligence into our products.

Watershed's customers represent over 2 gigatons of annual emissions; if they were a country, they would rank sixth globally. In this role, you'll partner directly with the finance and corporate leaders reshaping our planet's future. You'll be on the front lines of the climate fight - crafting the sustainability strategies that make business sense, and set the stage for bold action.

This role will be based out of our New York City office. In this role You will

• Advise sustainability leaders at many of the world's leading financial institutions and companies on advancing their sustainability programs. You'll independently lead strategic engagements across target-setting, decarbonization, environmental impact management, and voluntary and regulatory reporting, partnering closely with customers to craft the business case for sustainability across every step of the journey.
• Build sustainability intelligence by staying ahead of emerging frameworks, regulations, and market developments. You'll translate the latest sustainability trends and regulatory changes into actionable guidance for internal teams and customers, ensuring they stay compliant and competitive.
• Help Watershed develop new products and services by exploring sustainability needs across various verticals within the financial services sector on emerging topics and prototyping how we bring value to customers. You'll expand Watershed's impact by identifying opportunities and building solutions at the intersection of sustainability, advisory, and technology.

You might be a fit if you have

• 8-12+ years of professional experience including at least 2 years at a consulting firm or financial institution with demonstrated excellence in client-facing roles and at least 4 years in sustainability (experience can overlap) with an emphasis on supporting financial institutions on their sustainability programs (e.g., scope 3.15 financed emissions).
• Have expertise with key climate frameworks such as GHGP, PCAF, and SBTi and key reporting frameworks such as SFDR, CSRD, CCDAA, OSFI, ISSB, CDP, etc.
• Think clearly about complex problems and are comfortable using and speaking to data. You are systematic, detail-oriented, and thrive in fast-paced environments.
• Are an excellent verbal and written communicator. You can present complex analyses and recommendations to C-suite audiences and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excel at driving strategic initiatives in complex organizations. You can influence decision-making while managing multiple internal and external stakeholders across different organizational levels.
• Are passionate about solving climate change and excited to define the future of corporate sustainability at a high-growth startup.

Considered nice to have if you have

• Have direct experience leading sustainability programs for a financial institution (e.g., scope 3.15) across measurement, target setting, decarbonization, and reporting
• Have previous experience working in SaaS climate tech
• Have an advanced degree in sustainability, climate science, environmental engineering, or related technical fields.
• Are fluent in multiple languages (English, Spanish, French, or German).

Must be willing to work from an office 4 days per week (except for remote roles)

Watershed has hub offices in San Francisco, New York, London, and Mexico City and satellite offices in Denver, Sydney, Paris, and Berlin. Where we have offices, employees are expected to be in office for 4 days per week. Certain jobs are open to being remote and will be specifically noted on the jobs page and in the job description if so.

What’s the interview process like?

It starts the same for every candidate: getting to know the team members through 1 to 2 conversations about Watershed, your experience, and your interests. Next steps can vary by role, but usual next steps are a skill or experience interview (e.g. a coding interview for an engineer, a portfolio review for a designer, deeper experience call for other roles) which leads to a virtual or in person interview panel. We prioritize transparency and lack of surprise throughout the process.

What if I need accommodations for my interview?

At Watershed, we are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. We provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, mental health needs, religious observances, neurodivergence, or pregnancy-related support requirements. If you need assistance during your process, please contact your recruiter.