As the climate crisis intensifies, businesses are under increasing pressure—not just from regulators, but also investors, employees, and consumers—to prove they’re serious about sustainability. The climate emergency is no longer just an environmental issue; it’s a business-critical priority. That’s where Climate Impact Managers and Climate Resilience Managers step in. These two emerging leadership roles are quickly becoming indispensable for future-ready organisations. Whether you’re hiring a Head of ESG, a Director of Climate Strategy, or a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), the need for specialised climate leadership is clear.
🌱 What is a Climate Impact Manager?
A Climate Impact Manager is responsible for reducing an organisation’s environmental footprint. They lead the charge in developing decarbonisation strategies, embedding net-zero targets, and ensuring the business aligns with evolving climate frameworks such as TCFD, SBTi, and CSRD.
Core responsibilities include:
- Developing and managing carbon reduction and net-zero pathways
- Leading climate risk disclosures and reporting
- Overseeing supplier and value chain emissions
- Advising executive leadership on climate strategy and governance
- Collaborating across departments to reduce operational impact
- These managers work at the intersection of strategy, operations, and compliance, ensuring that sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a measurable business outcome.
🌦 What About Climate Resilience Managers?
While Climate Impact Managers focus on how the business affects the climate, Climate Resilience Managers focus on how the climate affects the business.
With increasing weather volatility, rising sea levels, and global supply chain disruption, resilience is key. Climate Resilience Managers identify vulnerabilities and build adaptation strategies that safeguard long-term operations and profitability.
Their work includes:
- Risk assessments of physical and transitional climate impacts
- Scenario modelling and continuity planning
- Working with infrastructure, finance, and risk teams
- Aligning resilience measures with TCFD and climate governance
- Ensuring facilities, logistics, and suppliers are future-proofed
- This role is vital for sectors like real estate, agriculture, retail, logistics, and financial services, where exposure to environmental disruption can be financially devastating.
📈 Climate Strategy is Business Strategy
Hiring a Climate Impact Manager or Resilience Lead is more than a tick-box exercise—it’s a declaration of intent. It signals to stakeholders that your business is serious about sustainability, resilience, and future growth.
Whether you’re scaling ESG initiatives, preparing for climate disclosures, or building net-zero roadmaps, the right leadership will shape your legacy.
🎯 Recruiting Climate Leadership: What to Look For
When recruiting these niche roles, we look beyond technical qualifications. The ideal candidate brings:
- A strong background in climate science or environmental policy
- Commercial acumen and board-level influence
- Experience navigating global reporting frameworks (TCFD, CDP, GRI)
- The ability to embed sustainability across complex organisations
- Strategic vision combined with data-driven decision-making
- Our team provides tailored recruitment campaigns—including fractional consulting, diversity focused sourcing, and branded microsites to attract the best climate talent globally.
Let’s Find Your Next Climate Leader
If you’re ready to future-proof your business with climate leadership, let’s talk. We’re currently partnering with organisations across the UK and globally to appoint:
- Directors of Climate Strategy
- Heads of ESG
- Net-Zero Transformation Leads
- Climate Risk & Resilience Managers
📩 Get in touch today to book a discovery call or learn more about our tailored executive search process.
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