Senior Manager, Climate Strategy

Cushman & Wakefield; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 135,000 - 159,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Disability insurance

Job summary

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Manager, Climate Strategy to lead the firm's global net zero commitments and drive decarbonization across operations and value chain. You will own strategy development, governance, and performance tracking while partnering with Real Estate, Procurement, Finance, HR, and business lines to embed sustainability.

The role oversees Scope 1-3 accounting and climate tech tools.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in sustainability, ESG, climate strategy, or related field.
• Strong expertise in GHG accounting, climate frameworks (SBTi, CDP, GRESB, GRI), and decarbonization pathways.
• Proven experience managing complex, cross-functional programs and implementing change management initiatives.
• Advanced analytical and data management capabilities (Excel, Power BI, or similar tools).
• Experience in commercial real estate or professional services preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or relevant certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of enterprise-wide Net Zero and SBTI strategy, including roadmap development and execution planning.
• Develop and manage decarbonization and environmental initiatives across operations, supply chain, business travel, and real estate portfolio.
• Support internal control design, governance processes, and KPI frameworks for performance tracking and reporting.
• Partner cross-functionally with Real Estate, Procurement, Finance, HR, and business lines to embed sustainability.
• Oversee Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions accounting to align with GHG Protocol standards.
• Oversee climate-related technology stack including GHG accounting tools and building energy tools.
• Oversee data analytics, modeling, and scenario analysis for decision-making and reductions.
• Manage external partnerships including consultants, auditors, and data providers.
• Lead contributions to environmental disclosures including CDP, GRI, SBTi and annual reporting.
• Support business development and client engagement with sustainability thought leadership.
• Build and lead education and change management initiatives across the organization.
• Directly manage Net Zero Analyst; set priorities and coach for high-quality outputs.
• Build scalable processes, tools, and playbooks for program delivery.
• Drive partnerships with leaders to advance climate transition actions.

Skills

GHG accounting

Climate frameworks

Program management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Job Title: Senior Manager, Climate Strategy

Cushman & Wakefield is seeking a Senior Manager, Climate Strategy to lead the strategy, execution, and governance of the firm's global net zero and science-based target (SBT) commitments. This role will sit within the Corporate Sustainability team and will be responsible for driving enterprise-wide decarbonization across operations and value chain emissions. This leader will own the development and implementation of net zero strategy and environmental performance tracking, and partner with stakeholders across the business to deliver measurable emissions reductions. The role will combine strategic leadership, technical expertise, and program management, and will oversee junior resources including a Net Zero Analyst.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development of enterprise-wide Net Zero and Science Based Target (SBT) strategy, including roadmap development and execution planning


• Develop and manage decarbonization and environmental initiatives across operations, supply chain, business travel, and real estate portfolio


• Support internal control design, governance processes, and KPI frameworks to ensure the integrity, consistency, and auditability of performance tracking and reporting against environmental sustainability goals


• Partner cross-functionally with Real Estate, Procurement, Finance, HR, and business lines to embed sustainability into operations and relevant services


• Oversight responsibility across Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions accounting process, ensuring alignment with GHG Protocol standards


• Operational and strategic oversight responsibility for climate-related technology stack including GHG accounting tools, related APIs tool and building energy tools, as applicable


• Oversee data analytics, modeling, and scenario analysis to inform decision-making and emissions reduction strategies


• Manage external partnerships including consultants, auditors, and data providers


• Lead contributions to environmental disclosures including CDP, GRI, SBTi, and annual reporting


• Support business development and client engagement with sustainability thought leadership


• Build and lead education and change management initiatives across the organization


• Team Leadership: Directly manage and develop Net Zero Analyst; Set priorities, provide coaching, and ensure high-quality analytical outputs


• Build scalable processes, tools, and playbooks for sustainability program delivery


• Work with relevant business and operational leaders and stakeholders to drive partnership and collaboration for climate transition actions

Qualifications & Experience

• 7+ years of experience in sustainability, ESG, climate strategy, or related field


• Strong expertise in GHG accounting, climate frameworks (SBTi, CDP, GRESB, GRI), and decarbonization pathways


• Proven experience managing complex, cross-functional programs and implementing change management initiatives


• Advanced analytical and data management capabilities (Excel, Power BI, or similar tools)


• Experience in commercial real estate or professional services preferred


• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or relevant certifications preferred

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinker with ability to translate data into actionable insights


• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills


• Excellent written, presentation, and communication skills


• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, global environment


• Highly collaborative, self-motivated, and results-driven

Benefits

Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements. The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate's experience and qualifications. The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role. The compensation for the position is: $134,725.00 - $158,500.00

Equal Opportunity

Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email [e-mail]. Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.

About Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for occupiers and investors with approximately 53,000 employees in over 350 offices and nearly 60 countries. In 2025, the firm reported revenue of $10.3 billion across its core service lines of services, Leasing, Capital markets, and Valuation and other. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com