Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

We are seeking a Program Director to lead the development and implementation of Global Sustainability programs. The ideal candidate will bring strategic insight, a pragmatic approach, innovative solutions, and the ability to liaise with multiple stakeholders—setting a program vision, strategy, and plan to ensure successful execution and delivery.

Details specific to this job posting are provided in the following section. However, please note that programs may evolve or change over time, while the core accountabilities of the role will remain consistent.

As part of a global team, you will have a unique opportunity to:

Tap into diverse perspectives, Enhance productivity through round-the-clock work cycles, Engage in cultural exchanges that foster understanding and collaboration, Develop essential skills like communication and adaptability, Expand your professional network for future opportunities, and Boost creativity through exposure to different viewpoints and experiences.

If you are a strategic thinker with proven experience in program management and a passion for driving programs to success, steering teams, and liaising with key stakeholders to ensure successful implementation, we encourage you to apply for the Program Director position with us.

Global Sustainability Human Rights and Community Engagement Program 

Vision: Arcadis promotes and respects human rights throughout and beyond its value chain, improving the quality of life for all.

Mission Statement: We will provide policies, tools, procedures, processes, and opportunities that enable Arcadians to respect and promote human rights throughout and beyond Arcadis’ value chain.

Objectives: 

Enable Arcadis to assess its clients’, projects’, and own performance with respect to human rights and facilitate addressing any identified issues as part of Arcadis’ ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. Provide meaningful opportunities for Arcadians to engage in promoting human rights beyond Arcadis’ value chain.

What Does Success Look Like?

Regular and ongoing human rights due diligence is conducted on Arcadis’ clients, projects, and own operations, with response actions tracked and completed in a timely manner. Arcadians are offered a range of volunteering opportunities to promote human rights beyond Arcadis’ value chain.

This role is global and not location-specific. It involves remote work from any Arcadis office location but requires availability for some office hours in both Australian and US time zones (remotely).

Role accountabilities:

Develop and articulate the program vision, strategy, and objectives in alignment with the company's goals and the Global Sustainability team’s objectives. Identify impact indicators and metrics and commit to targets. Deliver at minimum a quarterly report, reviewing indicators and proposing actions for improved results. Create a detailed program plan including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation that aligns to the overall Global Sustainability plan and tools, supporting the Global Sustainability PMO. Lead the design and implementation of Arcadis’ human rights due diligence program, facilitating coordination among multiple stakeholders. Accountable for response plan coordination for any identified human rights issues Provide direction and oversight to Arcadis’ community engagement and education programs (i.e., Shelter, Local Sparks, and Talent Next). Act as line manager for two or more subject matter experts. Plan, align, and collaborate with stakeholders to meet program requirements and goals. Conduct stakeholder mapping, plan engagement and communication at each program development stage, discuss and report risks to implementation for actions, and proactively implement solutions. Collaborate and support in-business stakeholders to leverage commercial opportunities generated from the program. Monitor and track program progress, identify risks, and proactively implement solutions, supporting the Global Sustainability PMO. Identify potential risks and challenges related to the program and develop mitigation strategies to address them. Proactively assess and manage risks to ensure program success and compliance with appropriate standards. Proactively manage changes in project scope, schedule, and costs, reporting to the Global Sustainability PMO and other stakeholders. Provide effective communication across all levels of the organization Periodically present the program to senior stakeholders (Executive Leadership Team – ELT, Supervisory Board – SB, GBA leadership/management teams, or others) and external stakeholders, representing Arcadis in conferences, for example. Assign and align with a GBA champion for the program in each GBA and work in close collaboration to foster implementation through the business. Motivate, inspire, and help drive team results, reviewing performance and providing timely feedback to team members and counterparts. Cultivate a collaborative, multi-cultural environment where diverse requirements and legislation are navigated with sensitivity and expertise. Understand and address compliance needs while exploring opportunities beyond standard requirements. Introduce and evaluate alternative solutions and technologies to optimize program effectiveness.  Establish and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders in the community and human rights advocacy groups. Advocate for human rights principles and social justice initiatives both within the organization and externally. Collaborate with partners, coalitions, and networks to amplify the impact of community engagement efforts and advance community engagement and human rights causes.

Key Shared Accountabilities: 

Establish and maintain function structures and processes to facilitate smooth implementation in coordination with Global Sustainability PMO. Collaborate with global (technical) discipline leads and regional counterparts as needed to achieve program objectives. Collaborate with Global Sustainability program directors and team members to support Global Sustainability team objectives, which may include contributing to various training initiatives, sustainability ratings agency responses, and the annual integrated report, among other activities. Prepare regular reports and updates on program status for management and stakeholders, in coordination with the Global Sustainability PMO. Support budget and forecast cycles, by planning initiatives and identifying and managing program costs, supporting the Global Sustainability PMO.

Qualifications & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Human Rights, Law, Political Science, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or a relevant field associated with the program. Master’s degree or equivalent in Human Rights, International Development, Sustainable Business, Law (e.g., LLM in Human Rights Law), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), or Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) studies is preferred (not mandatory). Minimum 12 years of experience in human rights, sustainability, or corporate social responsibility (CSR), with at least 5 years in leadership roles. Experience working with industries facing significant human rights risks (e.g., manufacturing, retail, mining, energy, or agriculture). Certifications in sustainability, human rights, or ESG are valued (but not mandatory), such as UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) training, Certified Sustainability (CS) Professional, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Certification, or ISO 26000 (Social Responsibility) expertise. Proven experience advising clients on human rights issues and developing/implementing human rights strategies for organizations. In-depth knowledge of international human rights frameworks, including UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), International Labour Organization (ILO) standards, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, Modern Slavery legislation (e.g., UK Modern Slavery Act, Australia’s Modern Slavery Act), and global reporting standards (e.g., GRI, SASB, and TCFD). Experience integrating human rights into corporate policies, processes, and decision-making frameworks. Solid understanding of program management techniques, methodologies, and relevant international standards, practices, and tools. Experience managing business relationships at the executive level. Proficiency in project management software and tools. Knowledge of flexible work hours to accommodate international business operations. Fluency in written and verbal English.

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day, which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people.

 

 

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