Job Detail

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS SPECIALIST
CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS INDUSTRY The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. 
Why we are recruiting The Forum’s Chemical and Materials industry community consists of the world’s leading manufacturers of basic and specialty chemicals, including polymers, coatings, agrochemicals, and advanced materials. The Chemical and Materials team leads efforts to enable the sector’s most relevant companies to expand their sustainability leadership, to identify new ways to conduct their business, and to get ready for the future.It supports activities to strengthen the community, as well as the establishment of the industry value network which includes executives, academics, policy makers and experts related to the industry. To join this team, we are seeking a Research and Analysis Specialist who will conduct cutting-edge research and analysis to establish and maintain strategic intelligence on trends, developments and key influencers within the industry ecosystem initiatives involving the industry and covering a wide range of critical issues of the greatest relevance to the sector. 
Reporting Lines & Interactions  The Research and Analysis Specialist will report to the Head of the Chemical and Materials industry, within the Centre for Global Industries. Internally, this person will work mainly with colleagues in the broader Energy and Materials cluster and with teams across the Forum covering issues of relevance to the industry (i.e. sustainability, production, or science and technology), and with the Knowledge, Networks and Analysis team. Externally, the Research and Analysis Specialist will interact with members of the Experts Community (academics, thought leaders) and with members of the industry transformation community including start-ups and disruptors). 
Main responsibilities 

• Researching trends and developments: Constantly monitor relevant information sources to identify themes of importance for the sector. Stay abreast of academic research and discussions in the media on topics relevant to the chemical and materials industry. Capture relevant knowledge and insight, and review and synthesize content generated by community experts. Map issues, assess them against established criteria for leveraging the Forum’s platform and maintain an updated overview of trends.


• Analyzing trends and developments: Extract insights from researched information and communicate clearly their implications on the sector and other relevant stakeholders. Propose best path to integrate into the Forum’s work. Conduct internal validation sessions with peers.


• Assembling a portfolio of initiatives: Identify and characterize existing collaborative initiatives lead by chemicals and materials companies. Seed and build new collaborative efforts around issues of great relevance for the sector. Author project briefs to build internal and external awareness and support using project management methodologies.


• Curating digital knowledge: Understand and advance the Forum’s digital knowledge and analysis tools and contribute to their further development to maximize value to our partners and constituents; help curate Transformation Maps on topics of great relevance to the industry communities.


• Integrating within the Forum: Develop channels with other system initiatives and centers at the Forum, especially with future-oriented activities and communities (experts, Global Future Councils, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution) and in the area of sustainability. Carve new industry-focused work streams and dialogues.


• Delivering value across the Forum: Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders support the partner engagement cycle and partner management activities. Enable internal colleagues to enhance and deliver the Forum’s value proposition. Contribute to the design and implementation of internal processes and tools.

The successful candidate will be assessed on 

• Insights quality and relevance: the number, quality, and relevance of trends and issues uncovered, mapped, analysed, and positioned for further work at the Forum 


• Dynamism of the industry value network: the number of engaged experts and industry disruptors, and their level and quality of engagement.


• Value delivered to the Forum: quality participation in teams delivering Forum activities including project and institutional events; contributions to the Forum’s thought leadership, to the refinement of the industry value proposition, and to initiatives outside of own portfolio.


• External impact: extent to which the planned milestones and overall objectives of selected alliances and coalitions are achieved, positively impacting society in general.

Preferred requirements and experience 

• Knowledge of the chemical and materials industry acquired through 3-5 years of professional experience in areas such as market or business analysis, corporate or technology strategy, or corporate communications. Candidates with industry consulting experience in the chemicals or closely-related sectors (e.g. oil and gas, consumer) are encouraged to apply.


• Broad intellectual background and interests with a Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant subject: business administration, economics, engineering or the physical sciences.


• Superior ability to conduct fast-paced information research, to turn information into insights. Ability to deploy systems and analytical thinking to identify trends and patterns of transformation.


• Experience with project portfolio management methodologies and tools, and familiarity with project management practices; demonstrated ability to cultivate digital communities


• Outstanding communication skills in English, both verbal and written, with great emphasis on clarity.


• Able to research, analyse, synthesize and communicate topics to corporate executives and multi-stakeholder audiences. Strong interpersonal skills and contextual and emotional intelligence


• Ability to meet tight deadlines, and to deliver to the highest quality standards; collaboration abilities to work within the team, across Forum teams and with external parties.


• High level of adaptability and flexibility; autonomy and initiative, self-motivation, persistence and results orientation; dependability and reliability.

Why work at the Forum We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to improve the state of the world by building awareness and co-operation, shaping mind-sets and agendas and driving collective action. Join us and become a driver for positive change!