Executive Director

Work group:

Gerics - Climate Service Center

Area of research:

Scientific / postdoctoral posts

Starting date:

16.07.2026

Job description: Executive Director

reference code: 1041 - 2026/KG 4
Location: Hamburg / Germany
Application deadline: 09/13/2026

The Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), a scientific organizational entity of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, invites applications for the 'Executive Director' of the Global Coordination Hub for Future Earth, starting as soon as possible. The position is limited to 5 years and the place of employment is Hamburg.

Equal opportunity is an important part of our personnel policy. In principle, the full time position (39 h/week) is also sharable.

GERICS develops science-based prototype products and services in support to government, administration and business in their efforts to adapt to climate change. It builds up a national and international network structure in order to integrate existing competences and knowledge, and to link various actors within the complex area of climate change.

The Global Coordination Hub is jointly hosted by GERICS and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU) as part of a shared hosting cooperation agreement - and is seeking an Executive Director to lead the coordination of Future Earth?s globally distributed Secretariat (currently consisting of nine Global Hubs).

Future Earth is a global network advancing research to support transformations toward global sustainability. Its vision is a sustainable and equitable world for all, where societal decisions are informed by openly accessible and shared knowledge.

Your tasks
- lead the strategic and scientific development of the Future Earth network overseen by the Governing Council, the decision-making body of Future Earth
- lead and develop the Global Coordination Hub at GERICS/Hereon and GFL/ASU
- coordinate the globally distributed Secretariat of Future Earth (9 Global hubs in different parts of the world) and operationally lead the Global Coordination Hub
- coordinate collaboration with Global Research Networks and National/Regional Entities in alignment with Future Earth?s mission
- represent the Future Earth Network at external engagements
- engage with custodian organisations, partner organisations, funders and stakeholders
- support the Future Earth governing bodies
- ensure operations are aligned with Future Earth principles: inclusiveness, diversity, sustainability, transparency and impartiality
- lead resource mobilization to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Future Earth
- oversee preparation of the Secretariat?s annual budget located at GERICS/Hereon

Your profile
- PhD in an area of sustainability science, Earth system science, science policy, or a closely related field
- strong international scientific credibility in sustainability science or a related domain
- proven senior leadership experience in complex, international and multi-stakeholder organisations or networks
- experience working with governance bodies, including preparation of materials and implementation of decisions
- experience coordinating teams across multiple geographies, cultures and time zones
- demonstrated experience in partnership development across research, policy and societal actors
- proven experience in resource mobilization and fundraising
- experience overseeing financial planning, budgeting or financial reporting processes
- excellent communication and representation skills in international contexts
- high level of interpersonal skills and ability to work across disciplines, sectors, cultures and geographies
- fluency in English

Informal enquiries can be directed to Dr. Sebastian Sonntag ([email protected]).

We offer you
- a unique opportunity to lead the coordination of a global research network at the forefront of sustainability science
- an exciting and varied job in a research centre with around 1,000 employees from more than 60 nations
- a well-connected research campus (public transport) and best networking opportunities, subsidy for the Deutschlandticket if certain conditions are met (job ticket)
- individual opportunities for further training
- social benefits according to the collective agreement of the public service and remuneration up to pay group 14 according to TV EntgO Bund
- an excellent technical infrastructure and modern workplace equipment
- 6 weeks holiday per year; company holidays between Christmas and New Year's Day
- very good compatibility private and professional life; offers of mobile and flexible work
- free assistance program for employees (EAP)
- corporate benefits
- office location in the heart of the city of Hamburg in the historic Chilehaus

Severely disabled persons and those equaling severely disabled persons who are equally suitable for the position will be considered preferentially within the framework of legal requirements.

Interested?
We are looking forward to receiving your application until 13 September, 2026.
Please use the application link from our homepage:

This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.

Company

The Helmholtz Association contributes to solving major challenges to assure the future of our society. With more than 47.500 people on staff in 18 national Research Centers and an annual budget of more than 6 billion euros, the Helmholtz Association is Germany’s largest scientific organization. The name Helmholtz stands for concerted research, in which networks form the key principle behind inquiring thought and action.

The profile of the Helmholtz Association

The Helmholtz Association performs cutting-edge research which contributes substantially to solving the grand challenges of science, society and industry. To succeed in meeting these responsibilities, Helmholtz concentrates its work in six research fields: Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Information, Matter, as well as Aeronautics, Space and Transport. Within each of these fields, research programs are developed by our scientists and regularly evaluated by renowned international experts. Their evaluation forms the basis for the program-oriented funding that is allocated to Helmholtz research. Within the six research fields, Helmholtz scientists cooperate with each other and with external partners – working across disciplinary, organizational and national borders.

Moreover, Helmholtz specializes in large-scale research infrastructures – from accelerator facilities, earth observation satellites, research ships to supercomputers. They form the basis for scientific advances in tackling global societal challenges. Managing national research infrastructure is part of the Helmholtz Association's mission.

Promoting young academics

Helmholtz scientists, a high-performance infrastructure and modern and efficient research management are the ingredients to the Helmholtz Association‘s success and global impact.
Promoting young researchers is a major priority for the Helmholtz Association. Its qualification schemes for young researchers are geared mainly towards PhD students, postdocs and young managers. The Helmholtz Association has set high standards for its talent management. Its strategy begins with targeted recruitment of highly qualified staff at all levels, followed by comprehensive support aimed at further developing their potential. Ensuring equal opportunities is an essential element in all talent management activities undertaken by the Helmholtz Association.

The Helmholtz Graduate Schools and Research Schools at almost all Helmholtz Centers provide doctoral students with the general and specific skills and training they need, as well as ample opportunity to network. The period following a doctorate is decisive in determining the direction and success of a scientific career. For this reason, we established Career Development Centers for postdoctoral researchers in the Helmholtz Centers. This equips young researchers with the skills they need to go on to head a Helmholtz Investigator Group , for example. As an Investigator Group leader, junior scientists can independently set up their own group to conduct research in their specialist field and acquire management skills.

Within its talent management strategy, the Helmholtz Association pays special attention to the increased recruitment of talented female scientists both from Germany and abroad. To this end, there are currently two funding programs supporting this policy: and Helmholtz Distinguished Professorship – Funding for the recruitment of leading international female scientists (W3) .

The increasing complexity of the content, structures and framework conditions of scientific work today requires researchers to organize their projects, their employees and, of course, themselves in a highly professional and effective way. In response to these demands, we have set up the Helmholtz Leadership Academy to provide leaders in science with professional management training. Furthermore, the Helmholtz network provides a platform for the alumni of the Helmholtz Leadership Academy to come together and share their experiences of leadership, career development and lifelong learning.

All of this combined makes the 18 Research Centers of the Helmholtz Association a highly attractive environment for talented researchers from all over the world.

Company info

Telephone

0049-30-206329-0

Location

Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2
Berlin
Berlin
10178
Germany