Director of Center for Thought Leadership

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

The organization also focuses on knowledge development activities which build a strong theoretical and empirical basis for green growth, and knowledge management and sharing activities that provide concrete options and guidance for policymakers, as well as help build the conditions for public and private green infrastructure investments.

The Center for Thought Leadership (CTL) serves as GGGI’s strategic hub for innovation, foresight, and knowledge leadership, strengthening the organization’s role as trusted global implementer on green growth, climate action, and sustainable development. Operating under the guidance of the Executive Director, CTL drives intellectual leadership that informs GGGI’s strategic direction and enhances the quality, coherence, and impact of its work across countries and regions.

Through a multidisciplinary team of experts, CTL delivers high-impact research, flagship knowledge products, analytical tools, and policy insights that support evidence-based decision-making and climate diplomacy. The Center bridges strategic foresight and operational delivery by translating global knowledge into practical solutions, while systematically capturing and sharing lessons across GGGI, its member countries, and international partners. CTL’s work directly supports key priorities under GGGI Strategy 2030, including green growth planning, climate policy and analytics, green growth indicators, innovation, and climate technology transfer.

CTL supports GGGI’s global, regional, and country-level programmes by:

• Demonstrating leadership in evidence-based planning, implementation, and knowledge generation
• Producing GGGI’s flagship and strategic knowledge products
• Conducting applied and policy-oriented research and developing analytical tools and methodologies
• Leading institutional knowledge sharing and South–South cooperation
• Advancing climate diplomacy and global policy engagement
• Providing technical and analytical support to operational teams
• Building and sustaining partnerships with international development and academic institutions

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of the Center for Thought Leadership (CTL) is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Center, with the ambition to strengthen GGGI’s role as a trusted global thought leader on green growth, climate action, and sustainable development.

In this role, the Director leads a multidisciplinary team delivering research, flagship reports, analytical tools, and innovation programs that governments and partners can use to inform policy and investment decisions. Working closely with senior leadership and engaging at the global level, the Director helps shape GGGI’s knowledge agenda and ensures its ideas influence international dialogue and country-level action.

PURPOSE

The Director of the Center for Thought Leadership (CTL) champions GGGI’s global knowledge and innovation agenda by integrating strategic foresight, evidence-based insights, and climate solutions into organizational programs. This role provides intellectual and managerial leadership to position GGGI as a trusted global thought leader, ensuring CTL operates as a high-performing hub that drives transformative impact across member countries and international platforms. In this role, the Director also provides strategic and institutional leadership for GGGI’s climate technology acceleration and innovation agenda, including the design, launch, and scaling of flagship initiatives such as CTAF, in alignment with national and global green growth and climate objectives.

ENGAGEMENT

The Director of CTL champions GGGI’s global thought leadership by forging strategic partnerships, influencing international policy dialogues, and mobilizing resources to advance green growth. This role inspires collaboration across internal teams and external networks, ensuring CTL’s work resonates with member countries, donors, and global stakeholders. Through advocacy and strategic positioning, the Director strengthens GGGI’s credibility and impact in climate and development forums worldwide.

DELIVERY

The Director of CTL is accountable for delivering strategic outcomes that advance GGGI’s global thought leadership and innovation agenda through:

• Shape and oversee the Center’s strategic program cycle, ensuring integration of knowledge, innovation, and institutional learning into GGGI’s global and country operations.
• Deliver Flagship Knowledge Products and Innovation Platforms, leading the design and delivery of high-impact knowledge products (e.g., Green Growth Outlook, Global Green Growth Index) and climate technology solutions that inform policy and accelerate green growth.
• Ensure systematic capture, scaling, and dissemination of knowledge through institutional platforms, fostering evidence-based decision-making and continuous learning.
• Strengthen Global Positioning and Partnerships by driving external engagement, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships to amplify GGGI’s influence in international policy dialogues and climate forums
• Accelerate climate technology innovation and deployment through flagship accelerator platforms (including CTAF), translating solutions from concept to scale.
• Strengthen climate-tech ecosystems and institutional capacity across member and partner countries, supporting replication and scaling.
• Increase investment readiness and mobilization of public and private finance for high-impact climate technology solutions.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced degree (Master’s required; PhD preferred) in economics, climate policy, environmental studies, international development, engineering, environmental studies, or other related disciplines;
• A minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience that combines intellectual, strategic, and managerial leadership in program and project management and demonstrate experience in thought leadership, policy analysis, applied research, or innovation leadership.
• A minimum of two years of international experience (living and working outside of home country).
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams in international organizations, think tanks, or global institutions.
• Demonstrated experience shaping organizational or programmatic strategy at institutional or global level;
• Experience in resource mobilization, donor engagement, or securing funding for knowledge or innovation programs;
• Strong track record of producing or overseeing high-impact knowledge products and engaging at senior policy levels

FUNCTIONAL

• Deep understanding of the concept of green growth and of sectoral issues and policy and regulatory approaches in developing and emerging countries, and international and country‐level approaches to promoting knowledge sharing;
• Strong knowledge of international and country-level approaches to knowledge generation, management, and sharing;
• Ability to translate complex research and analytical findings into practical, policy-relevant guidance and tool
• Proven managerial skills to lead and manage a multi‐cultural team effectively and deliver expected outputs on time;
• Experience in international organizations working with developing countries, and proven ability to effectively work with country teams, government partners, and international stakeholders are a strength;
• Fluency and exceptional written and oral communication skills in English; knowledge of another relevant language is an asset.

CORPORATE

GGGI needs a person who can bring more than knowledge and passion to the role: someone who has the grit and resilience to do this work. The successful candidate is a skillful coach with an ability to diagnose challenges in an organization and a team, an innovator, a decision‐maker, a powerful advocate, and a diplomatic change agent who understands the dynamics and tensions in this kind of diverse, global landscape. S/he should be:

• Excellent in knowledge development, management, sharing, and collaboration;
• Able to handle complex multi‐stakeholder relationships;
• Keen on maintaining a high degree of professional integrity with a stewardship of public resources; proactive in providing mentorship and guidance to staff;
• Able to effectively communicate, listen to others, and create and promote an environment for open communication; and
• Able to work effectively with other teams of a high degree of cultural/ professional diversity.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Director of Center for Thought Leadership is an G12 (previously X12), international grade level in GGGI's salary scale. For G12 International grade, the base salary starts from USD 140,208. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate's experience, academic background and internal equity. In addition, GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, for eligible candidates, an expatriate allowance of 20% of base salary, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision. 

GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members.