Senior Associate, Transforming Industrial Ecosystems

World Economic Forum · Geneva

(temporary position, from October 2026 to June 2027, Geneva based)

The World Economic Forum is an independent, not-for-profit organization, headquartered in Geneva, with offices in New York, San Francisco, Beijing, and Tokyo.

We are the trusted platform for public-private cooperation where leaders come together to understand global challenges and drive action across sectors and regions. We create spaces where different stakeholders engage openly, build trust, and collaborate to help solve shared global challenges.

Context and why we are recruiting?

The Forum’s Centre for Energy and Materials (CENMAT) serves as the multi-stakeholder platform that enables building new leadership coalitions and delivering cutting-edge insights required for a sustainable, secure, and equitable energy future. The Centre engages leaders from the public and private sectors to deliver new insights and collaborations at the global, regional, and national levels. Through our programmes and activities, CENMAT creates impact and value for constituents in business, government, and civil society

CENMAT’s Transforming Industrial Ecosystems (TIE) programme supports the transformation of industrial ecosystems to drive economic growth, employment and reduce CO2e emissions through the Transitioning Industrial Clusters (TIC) initiative.

The successful candidate will play a leading role in shaping and delivering the TIE programme’s initiatives, research and partner engagement. They will manage projects and workstreams, cultivate relationships with senior stakeholders, coordinate cross-functional teams and contribute to high-quality insights, events and knowledge products that advance industrial transformation.

The role requires a strategic thinker and experienced project manager who can translate complex energy and industrial topics into actionable programmes, compelling narratives and meaningful opportunities for collaboration.

Reporting line and how is this role embedded in the wider team?

The Specialist reports to the Senior Manager, Transforming Industrial Ecosystems.

The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across CENMAT and the wider Forum, as well as senior leaders and experts from business, government, academia and civil society.

What will you be responsible for?

Lead strategic projects

Lead selected TIE programme projects and TIC workstreams from scoping and planning through delivery, evaluation and follow-up.
Develop project plans, milestones and governance structures; coordinate internal teams, external experts and partners; and proactively manage risks, dependencies and resources.
Support industrial clusters in developing shared visions, practical action plans and collaboration models that can generate scalable approaches to industrial transformation.
Monitor progress and outcomes, capture lessons learned, and provide clear updates and recommendations to programme leadership.

Build and manage senior partner engagement

Develop and manage relationships with senior representatives from companies, industry associations, governments, international organizations and other stakeholders.
Support the execution of partner engagement strategies for the TIC initiative and broader TIE Program.
Prepare and lead partner meetings, consultations, working sessions, community dialogues and workshops, ensuring clear value and actionable outcomes.
Identify opportunities to expand participation, deepen collaboration and connect partners with relevant Forum initiatives and networks.
Represent the TIE programme in selected internal and external engagements, demonstrating credibility on industrial transformation and energy transition topics.

Lead foresight, research and thought leadership

Lead or substantially contribute to foresight products, research reports, strategic analyses, briefings and knowledge products on industrial transformation, decarbonization and related energy topics.
Translate quantitative and qualitative analysis into clear insights, recommendations and narratives for senior decision-makers.
Identify emerging trends, risks and opportunities, and oversee the development of presentations, dashboards and other communications materials that strengthen the Forum’s thought leadership.

Drive programme operations, events and institutional coordination

Support annual planning and the effective operation of the TIE Program, including internal coordination, decision tracking, meeting preparation, follow-up and knowledge management.
Lead or contribute to the design and delivery of sessions at World Economic Forum meetings and other high-level events, including agendas, speaker briefs, moderation materials and follow-up communications.
Coordinate programme input into wider CENMAT and Forum processes, ensuring alignment, consistency and timely delivery.
Contribute to process improvement, team effectiveness and the development of more junior colleagues through knowledge sharing, mentoring and informal guidance.

What core knowledge, skills and experience are we looking to add to our team?

Domain Knowledge and Experience

Master’s degree in international relations, business administration, sustainability, energy, industrial transformation or a related discipline.
6–7 years of relevant professional experience in the private, public or non-profit sector, with demonstrated expertise in energy transition, industrial transformation, decarbonization, energy systems, energy economics or climate policy. Experience working with business and industry stakeholders is highly desirable

Core Skills

Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects, research initiatives, communities or programmes, including planning, coordination, delivery, risk management and follow-up.
Strong analytical and data-management skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
Experience building relationships with senior stakeholders and working effectively across diverse, international and cross-functional environments.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop compelling reports, presentations, briefings and other materials for senior audiences.
A proactive, solutions-oriented approach, with sound judgement, strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and move work forward collaboratively.

Why join us?

Join an independent and impartial organization with over 55 years of connecting leaders to make sense of global challenges and move the world forward together.

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