Head of Growth and Impact, Urban Transformation

Key Details

Please Note:

This role requires the ability to work on site 3 days per week per company policy. The annual salary range for this role is $220,000-$240,000 in New York.

The World Economic Forum is an international organization that brings together leaders from business, government, academia and civil society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. The Centre for Urban Transformation seeks to harness local impact to drive global prosperity.

We are seeking a Head of Growth and Impact, a senior leadership role that strengthens the Centre’s global business community, deepens executive engagement, and supports the evolution of senior executive engagement focused on trust, license to operate and place‑based impact.

Reports to the Head of the Centre for Urban Transformation and serves as a member of the senior leadership team. Internally, works with initiative leads on Infrastructure, Innovation Ecosystems, Travel and Tourism; partners with Forum business development, regional and industry teams; collaborates with other Forum Centres; manages the Lead, Growth and Engagement and associated communications and knowledge staff.

• Set the strategic direction for the Centre’s global growth, engagement and retention efforts, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Oversee and enable a globally distributed team responsible for engagement, communications and knowledge delivery.
• Refine and articulate a differentiated value proposition that delivers measurable strategic value to participating organizations.
• Cultivate and steward senior executive relationships, serving as a trusted advisor on growth, trust and place‑based impact.
• Partner with Forum business development and regional teams to achieve retention and growth targets, supported by clear performance metrics.
• Lead the continued evolution and positioning of a senior executive platform focused on how companies earn and sustain trust and license to operate through credible, place‑based impact.
• Build trusted relationships with executives shaping enterprise‑wide strategy, corporate affairs, sustainability and market presence.
• Advance place‑based impact as a driver of long‑term business performance, brand strength and talent attraction and retention across key markets.
• Catalyse cross‑sector collaboration by connecting business leaders with public officials and ecosystem partners.
• Translate executive dialogue into practical leadership frameworks, coalition‑based initiatives and strategic opportunities that strengthen communities while delivering enterprise value.
• Work closely with the Head of the Centre to guide and support teams delivering thematic initiatives and communities.
• Ensure executive engagement translates into strategic priorities, programme coherence and measurable impact.
• Integrate communications and knowledge strategies as core tools to enhance partner value and influence.
• Foster alignment, collaboration and shared accountability across focus areas and geographies.
• Strengthen the Centre’s overall positioning and effectiveness as a leading global platform for place‑based growth and impact.
• Set clear objectives, provide strategic guidance, support professional development, foster cross‑team alignment and ensure high‑quality execution.

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in the private sector, business associations, and/or government or civil society roles closely engaged with the business community.
• Advanced university degree in a relevant field.
• Experience engaging CEOs and C‑suite leaders, with a track record of driving growth, strategic partnerships or revenue.
• Strong commercial judgment and strategic instincts.
• Proven ability to build and lead multi‑stakeholder collaborations across business, government and civil society.
• Staff management experience with culturally diverse, matrixed teams across time zones.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, with comfort operating in ambiguity and evolving platforms.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation and executive relationship‑building skills, with experience leading high‑performing teams.
• Strong digital fluency,…