Senior Project Manager

Company Description Systemiq is a system change company and certified B Corp, driving the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. We work across five critical systems—energy, nature and food, materials and circular economy, sustainable finance, and urban transformation—to deliver real, lasting impact. We believe systems change starts with people change. That means curiosity, collaboration, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work.

Since our start in 2016, we have grown to more than 300+ people working across locations in Brazil, Germany, France, Indonesia, Netherlands, UK and the US. We are a pure-play sustainability-focused company, dedicated exclusively to sustainability projects.

Senior Project Manager – Himalayas Systems Change

Location: India (with regular travel, including to the Himalayan region)

Contract: 6-month contractor role (January–June, with potential to convert to a full-time position at SYSTEMIQ)

About SYSTEMIQ

SYSTEMIQ is a system-change company committed to achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement by transforming markets and business models in five key systems: nature and food, materials and circularity, energy, cities, and sustainable finance. As a certified B Corp, we combine strategic advisory with high-impact implementation and partner with business, finance, policy-makers and civil society to deliver system change.

We work as a collaborative system designer, developer and “good disruptor” – building coalitions, shaping policy, mobilising capital and incubating solutions that are nature-positive, climate-resilient and inclusive.

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Project Manager to lead a flagship systems-change programme focused on the Indian Himalayas – one of the world’s most critical regions for water, climate resilience, food security and livelihoods.

You will be the orchestrator at the centre of this work: bringing structure to a highly complex agenda, connecting national priorities with state and local realities, and integrating perspectives from policy-makers, communities, business, investors and technical experts. Your role is to turn a bold vision for the Himalayas into clear strategies, robust workplans and tangible outcomes on the ground.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead end-to-end project delivery for the Himalayas programme – design and manage workplans, workstreams and governance across multiple partners and geographies.
• Structure complex systems challenges – translate cross-cutting issues (climate risk, nature loss, livelihoods, finance, infrastructure, tourism, etc.) into clear hypotheses, analyses and decisions.
• Connect across domains – work at the intersection of policy, business, finance, technology and communities; ensure these perspectives are integrated rather than siloed in the Himalayas context.
• Manage stakeholders and coalitions – build trusted relationships with central and state government counterparts, Himalayan partners, businesses, investors, philanthropies, technical experts and civil society; prepare and facilitate high-stakes meetings and workshops.
• Drive high-quality insights and products – oversee analysis, synthesis and storyline development for reports, slide decks and decision materials focused on the Himalayas.
• Lead and coach the team – manage small, multidisciplinary teams; provide day-to-day direction, feedback and support; help embed SYSTEMIQ’s ways of working in the programme.

Mindset, Skills & Experience We’re Looking For

Experience

• Typically, 7–10 years of relevant experience in some combination of: strategy or management consulting, public policy / government advisory, development or blended finance, climate & nature programmes, impact investing, or large-scale multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Experience in a top-tier strategy consulting firm or equivalent high-performance environment strongly preferred.
• Strong academic track record from a leading university (e.g. economics, engineering, public policy, environmental sciences or related fields).
• Relevant technical expertise: grounded knowledge in at least one of climate and resilience analytics, water / basin management, land-use / agriculture systems, natural capital / ecosystem valuation, or sustainable finance and investment instruments – with the ability to engage credibly with technical experts and translate for decision-makers.
• Experience leading complex projects in India or similar emerging-market settings; experience with or exposure to mountain / river-basin / landscape contexts is a plus.
• Exposure to at least two of the following topics is highly desirable:
• Climate resilience / adaptation
• Nature and food / agriculture / land use
• Landscape or basin-level programmes
• Sustainable finance / blended finance / investment architecture
• Technology, data or geospatial tools for public-good applications

Core skills

• Project management excellence: strong grasp of project design, work planning, dependencies, risk management and governance; comfortable running a “transformation office” style cadence across multiple partners.
• Systems-change toolkit: able to see connections across sectors and actors in the Himalayas; comfortable working on both big-picture design and detailed next steps.
• Stakeholder management: proven ability to engage senior decision-makers and grassroots actors with empathy and respect; confident facilitating workshops and co-creation sessions.
• Analytical and problem-solving strength: able to work with both qualitative and quantitative inputs; synthesise complex material into clear storylines and practical recommendations.
• Communication: excellent written and verbal communication; strong slide-writing and narrative skills for senior public and private sector audiences.

Mindset

• Evidenced passion for SYSTEMIQ’s mission and for advancing sustainable, inclusive development in the Himalayas and India more broadly.
• Optimistic, solutions-oriented and resilient – able to hold a long-term systems vision while navigating short-term constraints.
• Collaborative, low-ego team player who brings energy and care to colleagues and partners.
• Entrepreneurial and comfortable with ambiguity; enjoys building something new in a complex, evolving context.

Languages

• Fluent English (written and spoken) is required; Hindi and/or another Indian language is a strong advantage.

Diversity & Inclusion At Systemiq, we believe that diversity and inclusion are crucial to system change and our mission. We are committed to:

• Embedding diverse and inclusive practices in all aspects of our work, including recruitment, performance management, and people processes and policies.
• Providing a supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and perform at their best, regardless of background, personality, gender, sexual orientation, race, mental health, religion, or other characteristics.
• Supporting our people through all life stages, accommodating personal priorities, and promoting a sustainable approach to work and life.

Reward and Recognition The remuneration and benefits package will reflect the successful candidates experience and expertise.

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