About the European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) is a major philanthropic initiative working to help tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net-zero emission society at the national, European and global level.

We support over 300 partner organisations to carry out activities that drive urgent and ambitious policy in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, contribute to the public debate on climate action and help deliver a socially responsible transition to a net-zero economy and sustainable society in Europe and around the world.

The ECF is brings together diverse perspectives and backgrounds to find the best innovative solutions to tackle climate change. We are focusing on engaging and hiring great people from a wide diversity of backgrounds to strengthen the cause. If you share our values of respect, innovation, and collaboration, join us.

We are looking for a seasoned strategist to work with partners around the world to bring a rapid shift towards clean electricity supply through influencing the policy and behavior of business.

Context of the role

The International Energy Programme is working with partners around the world to foster the acceleration of clean electricity to displace polluting coal and gas. 63% of electricity demand is from industry, commerce and the public sector. Most of these users of electricity have no particular reason to favour fossil fuels, they primarily just want cheap and reliable electricity supply. Our intention is to work with and also to challenge the business sector to demand clean electricity on a scale far greater than ever before. Today total global demand for renewable electricity supply through major buyers’ initiatives is ~2% of global coal generation. This is simply not enough to influence policy decisions in countries with high levels of coal generation.

The general nature of the role is to identify and work with partners to co-develop strategy. We make grants, convene actors and initiatives and build forward looking strategies based on robust facts and analysis.

This role will require an individual with a strong campaigning sensibility who can work with and be credible to business allies, but also can work with and be credible to NGO campaigners who can target corporations to become advocates for clean energy and clean up their own supply chain. The postholder will need to work across borders and have a strong affinity for Asia-based organisations working on energy policy. The postholder will need to understand the context of electricity supply for business and have an understanding of how business lobbies.

Key responsibilities

The programme manager will be responsible for developing and recommending strategy to the core partners in the initiative and managing implementation of the clean energy demand initiative.

• Support our network around the world by developing a global strategic approach to this area;
• Lead implementation of strategy with our network and lead international grantmaking;
• Build a productive network across the regional climate foundations;
• Convene and develop a field of partners as co-developers of strategy; maintain productive relationships with grantees and other partners, to support strong collaboration and a creative shared approach to problem-solving;
• Lead grantmaking on the theme in the international energy programme and enable well aligned grantmaking from regional climate foundation partners. Work with the International Energy Programme grants management and finance team monitoring grants performance;
• 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 business such as influential corporations, business associations and networks, business NGOs;

Experience and competencies

• At least eight years of relevant professional experience. In this case relevant experience is around a track record of bringing about change through, for example, public campaigning, advocacy, network mobilization or inside an agency, business or government setting;
• University degree or equivalent;
• International experience ideally touching on Asia;
• A specific understanding of clean energy policy is desirable but not essential;
• A good understanding of international politics and dynamics on climate change and energy;
• Excellence in strategic thinking, and demonstrable ability to translate strategy into implementation;
• Proven management and leadership skills;
• 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;
• Excellent written and verbal communications, with the ability to crystallise complex issues into effective and readable strategy documents. The ability to speak relevant languages is welcome;
• A commitment to the mission and values of the international programme and ECF;
• A demonstrable ability to self-manage and self-organise establishing your own workspace and schedule.

What we offer

• 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 grantmaking and strategy development;
• A highly flexible self-managed approach in terms of day-to-day arrangements.
• A full-time position with a permanent contract.

Location

Position hosted in one of the ECF office (The Hague, London, Brussels, Berlin, Paris).

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

How to apply

Please upload your CV and a short cover letter, both in English!

All applications will be treated confidentially. We will store your information in our internal database unless you specifically request otherwise.