Principal, Market Shaping
Principal, Market Shaping
Location: UK-based, within reach of London
Salary: £75,000 – £90,000 commensurate with experience
Contract: Full-time contract, for an initial 20 month period (with an intention to extend as additional funding is secured)
Working arrangements: Flexible working arrangements, primarily home based, with some travel expected for events in the UK and internationally
Start date: May 2026
About Ostara
Ostara is a social enterprise with a mission to catalyse an economy in service of life. A core way we pursue this mission is through the design and execution of market-shaping mechanisms that accelerate the adoption of climate and nature-positive technologies. With an initial focus on innovations in agriculture and aquaculture, we seek to reshape underlying market conditions so that sustainable innovations move from niche to scale.
The Role
We are seeking a high-calibre Principal to work directly alongside a Senior Fellow in the design and execution of market-shaping strategies that scale nature and climate friendly innovation in agriculture and aquaculture. This is a senior role for someone who can operate at the intersection of market diagnosis, coalition management, strategy design, and partner delivery.
The role combines the analytical rigour of private equity or strategy consulting with the system-level ambition of market transformation. You will help shape market missions, structure coalitions of leading corporate, philanthropic, and NGO actors, translate market analysis into actionable mechanisms. You will also support partners through early-stage execution via sub-granting and coalition coordination. You will also co-develop thought leadership reports and events that help progress the field of market shaping and establish Ostara as an emerging expert in the field.
Key Responsibilities
Market Diagnosis & Strategy Design
- In partnership with technical experts, lead structured diagnoses of priority markets, including value chains, barriers to adoption, and intervention points.
- Translate market insight into a draft market mission and KPIs for change that industry and NGO partners can respond and build from.
- Help identify and prioritise market-shaping mechanisms (e.g., offtake aggregation, AMCs, demand guarantees, blended finance, regulatory signals).
Coalition & Partner Management
- Day-to-day management of multi-stakeholder market coalitions (corporates, NGOs, financiers, policymakers, researchers).
- Design and run working group calls, and project working groups.
- Build trusted relationships with senior counterparts across partner organisations.
Research
- Coordinate relationships with academic and research partners.
- Shape research briefs, oversee delivery, and ensure outputs directly inform mechanism design and market strategy.
- Integrate technical, commercial, and policy insights into decision-ready materials.
- Co-author thought leadership reports, blogs and events.
Mechanism Development
- Support partners in initial design of market-shaping mechanisms.
- Help stress-test mechanisms for commercial credibility, political feasibility, and impact.
- Support co-design of pilot execution plans.
Sub-Granting & Programme Support
- Support management of sub-granting to delivery partners.
- Oversee proposal assessment, contracting, reporting, and performance tracking.
- Act as the central point of coordination across multiple workstreams.
Senior Fellow Support
- Act as a strategic thought-partner to the Senior Fellow.
- Prepare high-quality decks, briefings, and investment-grade documents for funders, boards, and senior partners.
- Support external engagements, convenings, and new partnership development.
About You
- 8–10 years’ relevant experience in one or more of:
- Private equity, impact investing, or venture capital
- Top-tier strategy consulting, strategic finance consultancy
- Market transformation, climate finance, or systems-change programmes
- Market shaping mechanism development and execution
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-actor initiatives.
- Experience in designing value-chain strategy, not just single-organisation projects.
- Ideally, but not critical, experience in climate, nature and agriculture or aquaculture.
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting to a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment. Ability to translate emerging ideas into practical programmes of work.
- Strong financial and commercial literacy
- High-confidence communicator with senior-stakeholder presence.
- Excellent writing and synthesis skills.
- Systems thinker with a strong execution bias.
- Alignment with Ostara’s mission and values.
We are committed to ensuring our team is representative of the diverse world around us and therefore we encourage candidates with a diversity of backgrounds to apply.
Why Work With Us?
This role offers a unique opportunity to grow alongside Ostara and build an expertise in the cutting edge field of market shaping. You’ll gain direct exposure to senior leaders, high-level events, and a global network of collaborators, while building skills. You’ll be part of a small, dynamic team re-shaping how the economy works and pioneering new methods and approaches. Creating value and growth whilst also improving nature and the climate.
How to Apply
To apply for this role, please send your CV and a cover letter to jobs@ostaracollective.org, by 20 April 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.