Senior Manager, Air Quality Analysis and Policy

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis, and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

C40’s team of 200+ staff is headquartered in London, with offices in New York, Joburg, Singapore, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Beijing and Paris, and individual staff based across 25+ different locations, with the Office of the Chair based in Los Angeles.  

The strategic direction of the organisation is determined by an elected Steering Committee of C40 mayors which is chaired by the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. Three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, which is responsible for operational oversight. A nine-person management team, led by Executive Director, Mark Watts, leads the day-to-day management of C40. C40’s three core strategic funders are Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and Realdania.

Diversity Statement

At C40, we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment, where diversity is valued and there is equality of opportunity. We therefore encourage a diverse pool of applicants and welcome applications from all sections of the community and would like to request you to complete the recruitment and diversity questionnaire, to help us monitor our recruitment and selection procedures. Although optional, we encourage you to complete these questions.  For how C40 handles your personal information, please review our Privacy Notice – Recruitment.

C40's Air Quality Programme

C40’s Air Quality Program works with city governments at the political and technical level to raise mayors' ambition, overcome gaps in data and evidence, and design and deliver effective air quality-climate solutions. The C40 Air Quality Program provides a range of support, from deep engagement in pilot cities to technical assistance across a broader group, while connecting cities through a peer to peer network and creating tools and resources available to all cities. The Program supports cities by facilitating peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, providing direct technical assistance, organizing trainings, capacity building, and conducting research and pilot studies in collaboration with city staff.  The technical assistance program deploys projects within cities in the areas of air quality monitoring, health impact assessment, air quality modeling, data analysis, and policy development.

Project Description

The Air Quality Program is a cross-sectoral program, supporting air quality work across various C40 programs and initiatives and working with technical staff in the 40+ cities that are part of the Air Quality Network. In 2021-2024, the Program will launch a new set of technical assistance opportunities and technical training workshops, designed to improve air quality management, staff capacity, and understanding of air pollution sources and mitigation strategies in the C40 cities and beyond. The program will work closely with C40 sectoral networks to evaluate local air quality and public health benefits of climate policies and programs to build support within cities for implementation, evaluate the health-related economic benefits of emissions mitigation, engage with the health sector and local communities around the benefits of reducing emissions, and to better understand and communicate the risks of air pollution and disparities in health impacts within cities.

Position Description  

The Senior Manager for Air Quality Policy and Analysis is a managerial role within the Air Quality Program, responsible for coordinating technical air quality assessments in support of city air quality planning and policy development, including in-house modeling, data analysis, report writing, and public communication. The post holder will be an effective manager, strategist and collaborator who can build strong connections within C40 and with key C40 partners stakeholders.  The Senior Manager will have knowledge and experience in analyzing air quality data to support policy development, including applying concepts of health impact analysis or cost-benefit analysis using relevant air quality databases, models, and tools.  While technical in nature, the successful candidate will also be adept at translating complex air quality concepts into materials for city leaders to support decision-making, increase local capacity in air quality management, and expand awareness of air pollution risks and benefits of control.

The Senior Manager will work with the Technical Lead for Air Quality, as well as other C40 Networks and Programs, to identify city analysis needs and opportunities and to respond to technical assistance requests.  The Senior Manager, working across C40, will strategically select cities and projects where C40 assistance can help accelerate local action using data-driven public health evidence.  They will develop workplans, conduct analyses, oversee modeling and data analyses, and develop reports and other communications products. The Senior Manager will manage an Air Quality Analyst to conduct high quality assessments of proposed or hypothetical air quality-related policy changes, focusing on co-benefits for health and climate in communicating results. Example projects include air quality and health analyses of cities’ Climate Action Plans, analyses to strengthen quantitative evidence for air quality management planning, assessing disparities in air pollution and health impacts within cities, cost-benefit analyses of proposed policies, and work specific to C40’s African Cities, to be done in support of the African Cities for Clean Air Mayors’ Forum.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the coordinator and lead of C40’s air quality policy analyses, working with Technical Lead for Air Quality and Air Quality Analyst, as well as other air quality team members as needed.
• Prioritize city air quality analysis needs, by working with the Senior Manager for Air Quality to solicit and select cities to support, then develop and implement project plans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Work with C40’s transportation, buildings and energy, waste, inclusive climate action, and benefits research teams to develop new projects, studies, and communications materials to support city climate action priorities.
• Engage with city air quality and climate staff to assemble existing evidence or create new studies that make a public health case for climate actions, including cost benefit analyses.
• Manage an Air Quality Analyst, to run in-house models and tools that evaluate the impacts of policies and strategies, such as the Pathways-AQ scoping tool for GHG/CAP co-benefits work, as well as commonly used databases and models such as those developed by US EPA and the World Health Organization.
• Coordinate relevant technical assistance processes, procurement, and reporting, including budgeting, contracting, and progress monitoring. Carry out all procurement tasks associated with the project, ensuring compliance with C40 policy and liaising with C40’s Finance and Legal teams where necessary.
• Work with city staff to collect data necessary for impact analyses and decision support, including source activity data, emissions, air quality measurements, and baseline health data.
• Present assessments to city staff and C40 leadership, including translating complex analysis into accessible advice to decision-makers.
• Work with the African Cities for Clean Air Program Manager to devise technical trainings for city staff in air quality and public health impact assessments.
• Plan and develop overarching analyses to describe air quality trends and possible changes, across C40 cities.
• Undertake analytical work in support of the Clean Air Cities Declaration and signatory cities, including ongoing assessments of trends in health outcomes associated with air pollution.
• Manage and update city air quality databases, including data from monitoring networks, satellite data, emissions data, and baseline health information.
• Develop a workplan, timelines and other materials to define delivery capacity building activities and agreed upon projects.
• Contribute to development of knowledge products based on technical assistance projects, including white papers, articles, and presentations for disseminating project learnings.
•  Respond to C40 and city requests for short-term support, where new assessments and public health modeling can support cities in making the case for action.

Person Specification:

• Experience working in air quality, including participating in quantitative analysis and/or modeling. Technical experience with air quality, health, and/or climate modelling preferred.
• Project management experience, including creating work plans, charting progress, and communicating results.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, international organization while balancing multiple projects.
• Proactive approach to work, with an interest in taking ownership of crucial tasks and seeing them through from idea to completion. Ability to manage projects, partnerships, and teams independently.
• Experience in authoring sections of public-oriented documents such as air quality management plans, public outreach materials, or similar.
• Strong English written and verbal communication skills essential.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills important.
• Academic training in air quality (preferred), quantitative modelling, energy studies, public health, or a closely related discipline.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in the country where they apply. Infrequent travel may be required as part of the role.

Location: UK, or any C40 City

Term: Fixed term contract until 31 March 2024

Salary: £49,922 London, gross per annum

Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a cover letter.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday, 31 May 2021.