CEO, Water Resilience Coalition

About UsThe Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach and engagement to influence local, national, and international efforts in water sustainability and resilience. Our vision is to create a world where society, the economy, and the environment all have the water they need to thrive now and in the future. Since 1987, we have worked with diverse groups ranging from major corporations to frontline communities with a mission of creating and advancing solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. Our work is routinely featured in national and global top-tier media, and we engage with more than 270 partners, including NGOs, utilities, policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders.

The Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) is an industry-driven and CEO-led initiative led by the CEO Water Mandate. In partnership with the UN Global Compact, the Pacific Institute serves as the WRC's secretariat. The WRC aims to elevate the growing global water crisis and its connection to climate change to the top of the corporate agenda. It seeks to preserve the world’s freshwater resources through collective action in 100 water-stressed basins and ambitious, quantifiable resilience goals. 

The Pacific Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Diversity Is a Core Value At Pacific Institute. We Are Dedicated To Enhancing Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Within Our Team And Culture For Two Reasons

To stay true to our values and principles: We recognize that historical and current injustices have left out certain voices and perspectives from decision-making about accessing and managing water resources. We acknowledge that the representation of these groups in water-related decision-making and careers is an important step towards addressing past and current injustices. Because Pacific Institute participates in water-related decision-making, we acknowledge that hiring and retaining a diverse staff can contribute to a broader need to address systemic injustices.

To better achieve Pacific Institute's mission and vision: We know that having diverse perspectives makes for better research and creative solutions and can help us achieve our mission. We recognize that a diverse team with varied perspectives, skills, and experiences is essential for generating and scaling innovative ideas that solve increasingly complex challenges. We make an active effort to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, heard, validated, empowered, and celebrated across different identities and cultures. We aim to constantly evolve our approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion to reflect best practices in this work, just as we do with our water and climate research. About the Role:Reporting to the Pacific Institute President, Jason Morrison, and the Leadership Committee, the WRC CEO plays a pivotal role in driving the vision and operationalizing the strategic direction of the WRC, a global initiative focused on achieving a positive impact on water through corporate engagement. This role requires a business-minded executive who excels in leadership, partnership development, and strategic planning to ensure the sustainable growth and success of WRC’s ambitious goals. The WRC CEO will focus on critical areas such as advancing the WRC’s 2030 roadmap for collective action, scaling WRC’s reach and impact through recruiting 150 of the largest water-using companies in the world, and securing financial and institutional support for the Coalition’s sustainability.Key priorities include:

• Developing and executing WRC's 2025-2030 strategic plan (WRC 2.0), aligning water management and sustainability strategies with the business objectives of member organizations.
• Engaging senior executives to ensure active participation in the Coalition’s initiatives, integrating water resilience into corporate strategies, and positioning WRC as a leader in the global water space.
• Overseeing the financial sustainability of WRC, driving fundraising efforts, and managing the WRC budget to align with long-term goals.
• Guiding the evolution of governance and partnerships to scale WRC’s impact and foster cross-industry collaboration.
  
  

This role presents an exciting opportunity for a visionary leader with exceptional leadership, stakeholder engagement, and operational expertise to navigate the complexities of global water stewardship initiatives. The WRC CEO must excel in building and maintaining strategic partnerships, aligning diverse stakeholders towards common objectives, and overseeing the WRC's governance structure. Responsibilities:Strategy Development and Implementation

• Drive the execution of the WRC 2025-2030 strategy (WRC 2.0), collaborating with the Leadership Committee, member companies, and other stakeholders (including the leadership of the CEO Water Mandate, UN Global Compact, and the Pacific Institute).
• Lead achievement of the WRC’s 2030 Ambitions and 2050 goal of Net Positive Water Impact by enabling and securing active member engagement in WRC initiatives (including the 2030 Roadmap and associated Pathways).
• Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address water scarcity and related challenges.
• As needed or directed by the Leadership Committee, evolve the WRC strategic direction to address the global water crisis and corporate opportunities, risks, and needs.
  
  

Member Management and Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with current and potential WRC member organizations, including private sector and NGO partners, and measurably increase corporate participation and investment.
• Leverage strong C-suite relationships to accelerate membership growth, aiming to attract new companies and partners to expand the Coalition’s influence and collective impact.
• Understand each member company's business and goals and gather intelligence from C-suite executives to guide strategy, CEO participation, and commitments to align WRC priorities and support member companies in developing water strategies that promote business growth.
  
  

Governance and Leadership

• In collaboration with the Leadership Committee chair and membership, oversee the implementation of the WRC 2.0 governance model.
• Lead and inspire a dynamic, mission-driven team to execute WRC’s strategy and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Maintain alignment in critical areas such as member engagement and growth, Task Force operations, Pathway activation, approval of priorities for basin action, technical stewardship development, communications, and events.
• Provide regular updates and strategic insights to the WRC Leadership Committee to support decision-making.
  
  

Financial Management and Fundraising

• Manage the financials and reporting for the WRC budget, collaborating with the Leadership Committee and Pacific Institute Finance/Operations team to track revenue, expenditure, and budget projections aligned with strategic objectives.
• Assume a central role in fundraising efforts to advance the initiative's mission and ensure its sustainability.
• Identify new revenue streams and partnership opportunities to support the WRC, including the mobilization of funding for water-related investments and projects.
• Collaborate closely with the Pacific Institute Development team to identify and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders, including corporate foundations and strategic partners seeking to secure multi-year support for the initiative.
  
  

Events, Communication, and Meetings

• In collaboration with the WRC Leadership Committee and Pacific Institute Strategic Communications and Outreach team, create annual events plan and editorial calendar of compelling events geared toward specific audiences.
• Shape and manage the strategy for CEO Circle meetings during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting and the United Nations General Assembly/Climate Week.
• Manage agendas to ensure content is responsive to CEO interests and WRC strategy.
• Lead WRC staff to:
• Ensure strong CEO/CSO attendance and participation in the program.
• Advise high-level speakers to drive CEO attendance and engagement.
• Work with the WRC communications team to support engaging the C-suite in related strategic communications opportunities, leveraging current members to raise the profile of water and the WRC.
• Manage the quarterly meetings of the WRC CEO Circle Co-Chairs.
• Distribute regular communications/newsletter to members and partners.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to identify additional event opportunities for C-suite participation.
• Ensure WRC remains at the forefront of global water-related conversations, leveraging the Coalition’s influence to drive change and build the WRC brand and reputation.
  

Requirements

• Executive leadership: Minimum of 10-15 years of senior leadership experience, ideally with a background in business, corporate sustainability, and global corporate strategy.
• Business acumen: Strong business acumen, with a deep understanding of the private sector and corporate sustainability initiatives.
• Partnership development: Experience building coalitions, driving cross-industry collaboration, and building networks.
• Strategic thinking: Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate vision into actionable goals.
• Building teams: Experience in leading cross-functional teams, managing diverse stakeholder groups, and working with multinational organizations.
• Strong communication: Excellent communication, negotiation, and public speaking skills, with the ability to represent WRC effectively to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Stakeholder engagement: Demonstrated ability to influence and engage senior executives, governments, and NGOs.
• Adept at managing change: Demonstrated ability to work in evolving, fast-paced environments with multiple stakeholders.
• Financial acumen: Proficiency in financial management, budgeting, and reporting, with the ability to track and analyze financial data to inform strategic decision-making.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven track record in driving large-scale partnerships, particularly in the areas of corporate sustainability, water management, or climate resilience.
• Experience in strategic planning, partnership development, and project management.
• Strong understanding of global water issues, corporate water stewardship, and the United Nations Global Compact framework.
• Experience in leading the organization of international events and executive-level communications materials.
• Knowledge of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their relevance to water management and corporate sustainability.
• Passion for environmental sustainability and social responsibility, committed to advancing the WRC's mission.
• Fluency in multiple languages, particularly those relevant to the geographic regions served by the WRC.
  
  

Compensation and Benefits This is a full-time exempt position with a salary range of $190,000–$210,000 per year, commensurate with qualifications, geographic location, and inclusive of a competitive benefits package. In addition to salary, this position includes a $20,000 retention bonus, payable after six months of continuous employment.

The Pacific Institute offers a generous benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid vacation, and an Institute-matched retirement plan. If selected for an interview, a salary range specific to your geographic location within our hiring range will be shared.  To ApplyPlease submit the following:

• A cover letter of no more than two pages, including:
• Your interest in the work of the WRC and Pacific Institute, and specific fit for this position
• Your CV/Resume
  

No immigration or relocation assistance is available for this position.

No phone calls, please. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

We don’t expect a perfect fit for every requirement we’ve outlined. If you can see yourself contributing to the team, we want to hear your story.