Regional Director - GRI ASEAN

About GRI

GRI is the independent global standard setter for sustainability impact reporting. GRI provides the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards and works with businesses, regulators, investors, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to advance transparency, accountability, and sustainable development.

Through a multi-stakeholder process, GRI develops standards that reflect global best practice and public interest. With staff in more than 20 countries, we combine global perspective with local relevance, supporting long-term value creation for organizations and society. 

GRI’s regions play a critical role in advancing adoption and implementation of the GRI Standards globally. Through advocacy, partnerships, training, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, market development, and capacity building, GRI’s regional teams help translate global standards into local impact across diverse jurisdictions and markets. GRI currently operates across East Asia (China), ASEAN, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

About the role

The Regional Director – GRI ASEAN is the senior leader for one of its most critical and dynamic regions. Reporting to the Director of GRI Regions, the role sets and delivers GRI’s strategy across ASEAN and is accountable for increasing the uptake and meaningful use of the GRI Standards, influencing policy and market developments, building a sustainable regional business model and revenue base, strengthening strategic partnerships, and leading a high-performing regional team.

Working across GRI, the Director translates global priorities into differentiated country strategies, makes deliberate choices about where GRI invests its resources, and ensures that regional insights inform global strategy. The role carries the GRI flag externally at senior level and contributes, with the Director – GRI Regions and the Management Board, to the future operating model of GRI’s Regions.

Location and travel: Preferably based in Malaysia. Applications are also welcome from candidates based in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines or Vietnam, subject to GRI’s ability to employ in the relevant country. Significant travel across ASEAN is required.

Responsibilities

Regional strategy and Standards uptake

• Set and lead GRI’s strategy across ASEAN, translating global priorities into differentiated country strategies, implementation plans and measurable goals.

• Own the regional portfolio and make clear choices about priority countries, markets and opportunities based on potential impact, policy relevance, revenue prospects and available capacity.

• Be accountable for measurable growth in the uptake and meaningful use of the GRI Standards, using programs, partnerships, capacity building and stakeholder engagement as routes to impact.

Market development and financial sustainability

• Develop and execute a commercially viable business model for GRI ASEAN that builds on and augments GRI’s education, services and membership offerings in response to the specific needs of ASEAN markets.

• Identify, create and convert opportunities for earned revenue through GRI Community, the GRI Academy, services, training, partnerships and other relevant offerings, delivering against agreed commercial and financial targets.

• Build and manage a diversified regional pipeline that also includes institutional and grant funding, strategic partnerships and other forms of resource mobilization.

• Work with relevant global teams to shape compelling country-level value propositions and adapt GRI’s offerings so that growing uptake of the GRI Standards translates into sustainable regional income and engagement.

Policy influence and external leadership

• Anticipate, shape and respond to sustainability reporting developments across ASEAN, working with governments, regulators, stock exchanges and other market institutions to position the GRI Standards effectively within evolving disclosure systems. 

• Carry the GRI flag across ASEAN as a visible, credible and influential senior representative with business leaders, investors, civil society, labor organizations, professional bodies, funders, media and other market-shaping stakeholders.

• Build high-value partnerships and multi-stakeholder platforms, converting senior relationships into concrete policy, uptake, partnership and market outcomes while safeguarding GRI’s reputation and values.

Portfolio delivery, financial stewardship and risk

• Ensure effective delivery of the regional portfolio and funded programs, maintaining strong relationships with donors and partners and meeting contractual, legal, financial and quality requirements.

• Oversee the strategic positioning, quality and timely submission of proposals, progress reports and financial reports, ensuring strong delivery through the team rather than relying on direct drafting by the Director.

• Co-create the regional budget with Finance; oversee forecasting, expenditure and cost control; and allocate resources across countries and priorities to maximize impact and financial sustainability.

• Use monitoring, evaluation and market intelligence to assess performance, inform decisions and actively manage operational, financial and reputational risk.

People, organizational and global leadership 

• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing regional team, setting clear priorities and accountability, allocating capacity effectively and fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture.

• Work effectively across GRI’s global matrix, connecting ASEAN priorities and delivery with Standards, Policy and Research, Services, Communications, Development, Finance and other relevant functions.

• Bring ASEAN intelligence and implementation experience into GRI’s global decision-making, and share lessons, successful approaches and opportunities with other Regions.

• Contribute with the Director – GRI Regions and the Management Board to the evolution of GRI’s Regions operating model, including its approach to impact, governance, collaboration, funding and revenue.

Requirements

Work experience

• A bachelor’s degree in sustainability, business, public policy, international relations, development, management or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.

• At least 10 years of progressively senior leadership experience in corporate sustainability, business and commercial development, international development, professional services or another relevant multi-stakeholder environment.

• Demonstrated success leading a multi-country strategy, portfolio and distributed team in ASEAN or a comparable complex regional context.

• A proven record of developing markets or business models and meeting financial targets through earned revenue, strategic partnerships, fundraising or other forms of resource mobilization.

• Senior-level experience influencing regulators, policymakers, stock exchanges, business leaders or other market-shaping institutions and turning relationships into measurable outcomes.

• Strong experience in financial management, budgeting, resource allocation, program oversight and risk management, including accountability for complex grants or partnerships.

• Established knowledge of ASEAN’s policy, business and stakeholder landscape, supported by relevant regions and credibility.

Knowledge and abilities

• Strong understanding of sustainability reporting, impact reporting, ESG disclosure and the role of standards in policy and market development; familiarity with the GRI Standards is highly desirable.

• Commercial judgment and entrepreneurial appetite, combined with the discipline to build and convert a pipeline and deliver against targets.

• Strategic planning, prioritization and decision-making skills, with the ability to use financial, performance and market information effectively.

• Excellent influencing, negotiation, public-speaking and written communication skills, with credibility at executive and policy levels.

• Diplomatic and culturally aware leadership, with the ability to operate across diverse ASEAN contexts and within a global matrix organization.

• Excellent command of English; proficiency in an ASEAN language is an advantage.

• Strong alignment with GRI’s mission, values and commitment to transparency and sustainable development.

Perks of the role

• Location:  Remote and/or hybrid work – Preferably based in Malaysia. Applications are also welcome from candidates based in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines or Vietnam, subject to GRI’s ability to employ in the relevant country. Significant travel across ASEAN will be required.

• Working hours:  Full time (40 hours/ week)

• Salary: For Malasysia the base salary range for the role is MYR  202.204 - 257.810 gross per annum on full-time basis. For other locations of work, we will communicate the applicable local salary range ahead of the interview stage.

• Flexible work schedule

• Generous leave allowance

• Access to the GRI Academy

Applications for this position will close on Monday 12 October October at 10:00 CEST time. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

We aim to create a recruitment process that champions diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring all candidates have equal opportunities and are evaluated based on their unique skills and experiences. If you need any support or adjustments during the application process, please reach out to us.

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