Senior Manager, Data Systems, Regions and Partnerships at C40 Cities

Position Description:

• The Senior Manager, Data System Regions and Partnerships is a critical execution and coordination role supporting the global delivery, adoption, and impact of the AI-driven Data System and a coalition on cities, climate, and AI across the GCoM alliance (13,800+ signatories) and C40 cities.
• Reporting directly to the Head of Data System Regions and Partnerships, this role is responsible for managing and operationalizing key workstreams related to regional engagement and partnership coordination. The Senior Manager will execute the Data System's regional rollout by coordinating engagement activities with all GCoM Regional and National Covenants and C40 regional teams, while simultaneously managing the day-to-day operations of the AI Coalition to translate city demands into viable product pathways.
• A key function of this role is to facilitate partnerships with city networks, Data System developers, and data users to ensure the Data System is interoperable and user-friendly. This requires collaborating closely with the in-house development team to align technical solutions with strategic objectives and supporting regional teams in Data System testing, user requirement gathering, and the deployment of pilots.
• The postholder is expected to collaborate and coordinate closely with a Data System Development team to help ensure that GCoM alliance partner needs are sufficiently met, as well as a broader agile team focused on Data System development, engagement, and delivery.
• This role requires close engagement with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the European Commission, and various C40 and GCoM alliance teams to effectively catalyze city climate action.

Responsibilities: 

• Lead activity focused on global partnerships - collaborating with dedicated Data System regional teams, GCoM Regional and National Covenants, and the C40 Regional and Mayoral Engagement team - to facilitate Data System development, rollout, and uptake as well as a dedicated coalition on cities, AI, and climate. 
• Support coalition-building by managing the implementation of partnership projects that futureproof reporting, impact analysis and accompanying visual storytelling, and action-oriented data for multi-level climate action across GCoM and C40.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with Data System development partners, working in concert with the in-house team to translate user requirements and ensure they are sufficiently met during development.
• Execute the implementation of the Data System rollout strategy in tandem with the in-house team, managing the technical delivery of all relevant reporting and AI-assisted components to support the shared vision for simpler, faster, and actionable data.
• Act as a primary technical liaison with the Data System development team to maintain a detailed, working understanding of Data System capabilities and help identify new opportunities.
• Lead day-to-day engagement with GCoM alliance partners, including members of the Strategic Advisory Committee, as well as co-funders Bloomberg Philanthropies and the European Commission, ensuring that their requirements can be met through Data System development.
• Track and manage ongoing partner feedback and engagement on an ongoing basis in close coordination with the Head, Data System Regions and Partnerships.
• Support the generation of knowledge products and communication mechanisms to disseminate this information
• Lead day-to-day engagement between Data System development partners and cross-sector stakeholders - including other levels of government, financial institutions, academia, business, and civil society - to identify opportunities to utilise, display, and manage the information produced through the Data System.
• Facilitate dialogue and partnership through a coalition positioned at the nexus of artificial intelligence (AI) and city climate action, building on insights from the 2024-25 AI x City Climate Action Hackathon and Forum. Specifically, the Senior Manager will act as the primary technical liaison for the coalition led by GCoM to convene a space among networks, companies, governments, and other institutions at the nexus of cities, climate, and emerging technologies, managing relationships with partners and institutions to drive practical implementation.
• Lead delivery, organization and logistics convenings with AI-relevant organizations, GCoM and C40 partners, and other stakeholders, with the aim to signal city demands for AI, demonstrate viable pathways to product development, and update the understanding of how innovative projects and actions can be operationalized.
• Provide targeted, adhoc support to the Data System regional engagement team - in coordination with the broader Data System engagement strategy - to engage GCoM signatories and C40 cities, facilitate Data System testing and user engagement, and guide the deployment of demonstrations and pilots from both the coalition and Data Portal for Cities exploration

Person Specification:

• Proven experience in program and project management, including coordinating multi-disciplinary workstreams, managing consultants, and tracking project budgets.
• Proven ability to act as a key technical liaison between end-users (cities, practitioners) and developers, with a strong ability to translate user requirements into technical specifications.
• Strong technical literacy and a solution-oriented understanding of how to manage complex data sets, data visualization, and the software development lifecycle.
• Strong analytical skills, with the proven ability to analyze connections between datasets relevant to GCoM and C40 missions on climate action and its broader benefits (e.g., air quality, transport, jobs).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to manage technical workstreams and report on progress clearly to senior leadership and external partners.
• Outstanding interpersonal and partnership management skills, with a proven ability to convene and engage effectively with partners from government, city networks, and the private sector.
• Significant experience working in urban sustainability, Data System/product management, climate change, or a related field, preferably in a municipal or international context.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving, interpersonal and strategic thinking capabilities coupled with an outcome/delivery-oriented approach.
• International experience, particularly working across different cultures, languages and time zones.
• Fluency in English essential; proficiency in at least one of French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Arabic preferred. 

Deadline:16th February,2026