Role: ISSB Technical Staff - Project Lead | Industry

Reports into: ISSB Technical Director 

Location: Multiple locations available: San Francisco, California, USA; Montreal, Canada; Frankfurt, Germany 

Applicants must possess the right to work in the location for which they are applying.

Duration: This a 24 month fixed term contract. 

Job purpose: To support the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)’s work to develop Standards that will result in a high-quality global baseline of sustainability disclosures focused on the needs of investors and the financial markets. You will lead specific workstreams of industry-based research and standard-setting, including enhancements to the SASB Standards. 

Team: The Industry-based Approach team on the ISSB technical staff performs research and stakeholder engagement to support the ISSB's standard-setting. This work includes efforts to enhance the SASB Standards and other industry-specific aspects to the ISSB's standard setting, including research related to nature and human capital. 

Principal accountabilities:

• Oversee and support ISSB technical staff performing research and standard setting, with a focus on enhancing the SASB Standards  


• Project planning and execution, including coordinating within workstream and with other teams, providing visibility to leadership on project plan and progress  


• Represent industry-specific technical work that is within scope of responsibilities with internal and external stakeholders  


• Provide detailed technical guidance to staff including reviews of staff analysis, papers, and exposure drafts of the standards, and guidance on stakeholder outreach including use of the ISSB’s advisory groups. 


• Conduct research and stakeholder engagement, write analytical papers for meetings of the ISSB, present at the ISSB’s public meetings on specific aspects of the work as needed.  

Experience required & competencies in the following areas: 

Technical knowledge and thinking abilities 

• Extensive knowledge of the sustainability and financial reporting landscape, including relevant standards, frameworks and regulations. 


• Extensive and practical knowledge of capital markets and the links between sustainability-related risks, opportunities and value creation. 


• Excellent knowledge of how sustainability-related risks and opportunities manifest in specific industries, and how companies in those industries manage those risks and opportunities 


• Rigour, consistency and attention to detail in work. 


• Identifies, understands and analyses issues. 


• Synthesises information and proposes well-reasoned recommendations, and draws out implications, including cost/benefit analysis. 


• Displays impartiality, balance and openness in developing, defending and accepting alternative views. 


• Develops feasible solutions. 


• Understands the standard-setting process, including the roles of various parties. 

Managing self and relationships 

• Experience managing teams preferred. 


• Is enthusiastic, proactive, and motivated, working effectively under pressure, and remains positive even when faced with challenges. 


• Self-aware. Seeks and learns from feedback. Seeks to grow and continuously improve. 


• Demonstrates professionalism and respect for others. 


• Capable of working in a multi-location organisation, demonstrates awareness of cultural and behavioural differences across geographies. 


• Encourages and supports colleagues in a collaborative team environment. 


• Focused on team’s contributions over individual contributions. 


• Understands the roles and limitations of collective group responsibility. 


• Constructively addresses disagreements and conflicts in a timely manner. 


• Shares knowledge and information. 


• Flexible and open to change. 

Planning and delivering work 

• Delegates work effectively and appropriately. 


• Organises and manages own time and work across competing priorities. 


• Respects others' time (eg, providing adequate time for review, escalation, awareness of time zones). 


• Thinks ahead to identify what is needed to progress the work. 


• Sets and adheres to realistic timelines within the span of control. 


• Takes ownership and responsibility for the quality of the work output, regularly communicating progress and escalating issues appropriately. 


• Promptly communicates reasons for changes to plans, as necessary. 


• Strives for continuous improvement, within resources, priorities and deadlines. 

Effective communications 

• Communicates in a concise, clear and well-structured way, appropriately tailored to the audience. 


• Presents issues, evidence, analysis and recommendations in a neutral manner. Persuades based on evidence and balanced analysis. 


• Drafts and reviews Board papers and due process documents with robust analyses of alternative views, defensible support of recommendation and clear, simple, logical and consistent articulation. 


• Uses innovative design to enhance clarity and visual appeal to best convey the big picture. 


• Presents effectively to internal and external audiences and competently manages questions and comments. 


• Listens actively; understands and respects others' viewpoints; synthesises and summarises feedback accurately and completely 


• Advanced proficiency in both written and spoken English is required. 

Compensation

• The salary for our California location is targeted at $158,000 USD per annum, depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications. This salary does not apply for Montreal and Frankfurt locations. 

Application closing date: 14th March 2026

Please note that while we have a closing date for this application, we reserve the right to interview candidates and potentially close the role early should we find a suitable candidate.

About us

At the IFRS Foundation, we believe better information leads to better decisions. We set financial reporting standards that enable companies to meet the evolving information needs of the global capital markets. United by our purpose to foster trust, growth and long-term financial stability in the global economy, we engage in challenging, meaningful work every day—across all our areas of expertise.

If you share our passion for this mission, we want to hear from you.

Diverse perspectives. International expertise.

Working for our global organisation offers many benefits, including:

• rewarding work that serves the public interest;


• engagement with diverse international experts;


• inclusive and collaborative teams;


• intellectually challenging projects;


• flexible working arrangements;


• numerous areas of specialisation; and


• opportunities for professional growth and development.

Diversity and inclusion are seen as key strengths of our organisation. These qualities are essential for us to engage with and meet the needs of our varied global stakeholders, and they are part of what makes the IFRS Foundation a great place to work.

#LI-MM1