About PIE

The Pooled fund on International Energy (PIE) is an international grant making platform. PIE works with foundations, peer re-granting organisations and civil society partners to support a transition to clean electricity worldwide. PIE was formed in 2013 and is hosted at the European Climate Foundation. PIE is comprised of a small and dedicated international team of exceptional people based around the world.

Context/Summary of the role

This role will be responsible to help grow PIE’s capacity to build impactful strategies to engage and advise governments around the decarbonization of their power sector. The director for energy diplomacy will help to unlock opportunities by implementing strategies with regional climate foundations and key diplomatic alliances and networks.

We are looking for an experienced strategist, who can lead both the development and implementation of successful energy diplomacy portfolios and the management of respectful relationships with grantees and other partners working on projects supporting these strategies. They will report to the Executive Directors of PIE and diplomacy networks through regular meetings.

The candidate for this role will care passionately about climate action and strengthening the capacities of civil society organisations to shape the way forward. They will have a clear understanding of the role of diplomacy in driving global ambition and will show experience working with governments and through diplomatic channels. They will value the grassroots & public campaigning, technical analysis, working with government, and all sectors of the economy in equal measure.

Key responsibilities

The strategist will be responsible for managing implementation of PIE’s diplomacy and workstream as well as keeping the strategy up to date. The director of energy diplomacy will also co-develop field-led strategies and share plans with our close re-granting partners responsible for major regions working on diplomacy.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Maintains a deep understanding of the key international venues and moments and diplomatic alliances on power sector decarbonization landscape and/or other issues relevant energy diplomacy, providing subject matter expertise.
• Implements the energy diplomacy strategy accounting to Executive Director(s). Operationalise the strategy and keep it up to date, related priorities and budgets; developing and executing a monitoring and evaluating process and impact of initiatives and grants; and acting as a liaison to report regular progress to funders, the PIE team
• Convene and develop a field of partners as co-developers of the strategy; maintain productive relationships with grantees and other partners, to support strong collaboration and a creative shared approach to problem-solving.
• Liaise with philanthropic foundations to advise strategy programme and prepare grant proposals and assist alignment of foundation engagement on the topic;
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external actors and opinion formers on clean energy to inform strategy and improve effectiveness - across civil society, labour, business and government.
• Proactively engages, builds and maintains strong relationships with relevant external actors with relevant expertise to inform strategy and improve effectiveness – across diplomatic platforms, senior officials and influencers; as well as with grantees and other direct partners, to support strong collaboration and a creative shared approach to problem-solving.
• Maintains a responsive, creative approach to public campaigns and identifies opportunities to tap into broader political moments and narratives.
• Grant-making: oversees grant making portfolio for the workstream including validating and refining proposals from potential partners that helps drive forward PIE’s established strategies, ensuring grant reporting is timely and accurate and drafting recommendations for the consideration of the team and funders.
• The postholder will be expected to maintain strong, productive and empowering relationships with key parts of these organisations including their senior leadership to establish joint strategies that are global in scale.
• Supports the development of revenues, by providing reports, helping to write proposals/presentations and/or meeting with funders e.g. attending funder convenings and participating in Steering Committees as required.

Experience

• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in bringing about change through public campaigning, advocacy, network mobilisation or inside a government or government agency, including specific experience in the field of multilateral/diplomatic processes, energy, as well as international and national climate policies, or related fields.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the international energy landscape including its intersection with diplomatic/multilateral processes,
• A specific deep knowledge and practical experience of understanding key multilateral institutions/government priorities as well as how NGO campaigning can impact these processes is essential.
• A specific understanding of energy and climate is essential.
• A good understanding of international climate politics and policy is essential.
• Excellence in strategic thinking, and demonstrable ability to translate strategy into implementation.
• Excellence in networking including demonstrable ability to maintain trusting professional relationships across different sectors, a diverse group of partners, including many working in different cultural contexts; including the ability to understand technical details and transfer them to government, corporate and societal agenda.
• Excellent written and verbal communications, with the ability to crystallise complex issues into effective and readable strategy documents.
• A commitment to the mission and values of PIE
• A demonstrable ability to self-manage and self-organise establishing your own workspace and schedule.

What we offer

• A 15 months assignment
• A unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international team who combine their passion to make a difference with a rigorous approach to work;
• An extended network of close partners with technical understanding of the issues, strong international and local change-making experience and a deep knowledge of grant-making and strategy development.
• A highly flexible self-managed approach in terms of day-to-day arrangements.

Location

Berlin, The Hague would be preferred locations, but other office locations are also possible. The role includes travel as required.

Candidates need to be in the possession of a work permit for the work location in case applicable.

Start date

Ideally start in October 2024. Fixed term 15 months contract.

How to apply

Ideally apply before August 3rd 2024.

Please download your CV and cover letter (both in English).