About the European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) was founded in 2008 as a major philanthropic initiative to help tackle climate change by fostering the development of a low-carbon society at the national, European and global level.

We support over 280 partner organisations to carry out activities that contribute to the public debate on climate action, drive urgent and ambitious policy in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement and help deliver a socially responsible transition to a net-zero emissions economy and sustainable society in Europe and around the world.

About the role

In line with the Paris Agreement and the EU net zero 2050 target, the ECF Climate Finance Strategy aims to support strategic projects to facilitate a change to the way capital is allocated to enable the transition to a Paris-aligned net zero economy by (i) supporting strategies, regulation, tools and capacity development to integrate climate risks and opportunities into the financial system and (ii) by working with all public and private financial institutions to shift their financial flows towards a Paris-aligned net zero economy. This means supporting activities such as the following:

• Supporting the implementation of the EU Green Deal and Sustainable Finance Action Plan and the development of an ambitious EU Sustainable Finance Strategy

• Working to leverage Europe’s role in global approaches to integrating climate risks and opportunities in the financial system and increase transparency and disclosure, e.g. through the EU taxonomy

• Leveraging the European Investment Bank’s leadership on climate finance to align financial flows from public banks in Europe and globally with the Paris Agreement and EU net zero 2050 targets

• Increasing climate finance ambition in Europe and globally by facilitating commitments by private financial institutions and investors to aligning their portfolios with Paris agreement targets and a net zero economy and by supporting the development of portfolio alignment methodologies as well as innovative climate finance solutions

• Creating opportunities for dialogue between all financial sector stakeholders

• Supporting national level processes and building capacity for sustainable finance at national level

The Programme Manager, Climate Finance is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic grant program to implement the ECF Climate Finance Strategy. These grant programs are developed in collaboration with our funders, our grantees and the wider ECF team and ECF-hosted platforms. The Programme Manager, Climate Finance will also contribute to the further development of the ECF’s climate finance programme, its monitoring and reporting.

The Programme Manager, Climate Finance reports to the Programme Director, Climate Finance.

Key responsibilities

This job offers an excellent opportunity to engage with and support a growing ECF programme at an important stage in the development of the climate debate.

The post holder will play a key role in implementing the ECF Climate Finance Strategy, thought leadership in response to important developments related to sustainable and climate finance in Europe and globally, providing strategic advice, co-developing the strategic grant program, dealing with grant management, and monitoring and evaluating the progress of different work streams. There will be direct engagement with other ECF programmes, partners and funders in designing and aligning grant programs.

The Programme Manager will be responsible for:

• Thought leadership on climate finance developments in Europe and globally: Closely follow, analyze and provide input to important strategic developments regarding public and private climate finance in Europe (such as the Green Deal, Strategic Europe Investment Plan, Sustainable Finance Strategy etc.) and globally (including in the context of the UNFCCC COP processes), develop thought leadership inside and outside of ECF

• Strategic grant-making: anchored in the ECF Climate Finance Strategy, co-developing and implementing strategic grant programs with our network of grantees and partners; developing the scope of work for ECF grant projects; soliciting and validating proposals from potential partners; drafting recommendations for the consideration of the ECF board and our donors.

• Grant program management: monitoring and evaluating progress and impact of initiatives and grants; facilitating coordination amongst grantees; identifying areas for improvement, acting as a liaison to report regular progress to donors, managing reporting requirements.

• Research activities & prospecting: supporting the Director in scoping the landscape around global, European and national climate finance project opportunities, identifying potential new projects & grantees.

• Internal coordination and communication: liaising with ECF’s other programmes, as well as other ECF country programmes and the organisation’s operations and communications teams to ensure proper and timely dissemination of information, and consistency and complementarity of different projects and work streams.

• Networking: contributing to growing the stakeholder network of the ECF climate finance programme. including policy makers, public financial institutions, private banks and investors, regulators, industry associations, CSOs, philanthropy et al., building partnerships with key individuals across the policymaking, business and civil society communities at national, European and global level; convening meetings.

Experience and competencies

• A genuine interest in the mission and values of the ECF;

• An in-depth knowledge of the private financial sector, with minimum 7 years relevant working experience strongly encouraged, including in a bank, asset manager, rating agency, audit firm, consulting company or comparable institution

• A reasonable knowledge of the EU agenda on sustainable and climate finance;

• Understanding of public climate finance;

• Strong networking skills that enable effective collaboration with a diverse group of partners; existing networks in climate finance are welcome;

• Strategic agile leader, with the ability to follow through with smart and adaptive implementation plans and operate in a networked organization;

• Proven project management skills, including monitoring and evaluation and impact analysis;

• Excellent collaboration and influencing skills;

• Proven communication and public presentation skills;

• English language essential, knowledge of French would be an advantage, knowledge of other European languages welcome but not essential

• Additional financial sector qualifications, such as the CFA, would be welcome.

What we offer

• The unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international group of individuals who combine their passion to make a difference with a rigorous and results- oriented approach to work;

• A flexible work environment and a space to develop and challenge yourself;

• A full-time permanent position.

Location

ECF offices in Brussels – Paris – London – The Hague are possible.

Start date

As soon as possible.

How to apply

Please upload below:

1. CV
2. short cover letter expressing your motivation for this role
3. both in English!