The Organization
ABOUT US
Climate change is governed by physical facts—about carbon sources, accumulation, impacts, and timing, and more importantly, about solutions that work. These facts must inform strategy: they show that avoiding dangerous climate change is only possible through strong policy to cut carbon, promptly, in the biggest countries.
To address these issues, Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology LLC (Energy Innovation) was established in 2012 as a clean energy and environmental policy firm to provide timely research and analysis on low-carbon energy policy options to policy makers, thought leaders, and members of the media. The Energy Innovation team has expertise in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable urban development, technological innovation, and energy policy design. In addition to conducting policy research, Energy Innovation also works with clients to facilitate philanthropic investments into technology and advocacy that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Innovation also staffs the Climate Imperative Foundation.
Climate Imperative is focused on the most important climate policy decisions in the world and to do so equitably. Each Climate Imperative initiative targets one policy area and, by informing policy change, aims to save billions of tons of CO2e cumulatively by 2050. For each initiative, we are convening and supporting a talented, proven team of grantees, and supporting them to do whatever is needed: providing world-class technical advice, undertaking targeted communications, and/or building public support. The decisions targeted represent the largest near-term carbon abatement opportunities around the world.
Position Overview
Global Energy Initiative Director
LOCATION: San Francisco, CA or Washington, D.C.
FULL/PART TIME: Full-time
REPORTS TO: Bruce Nilles, Executive Director
POSITION SUMMARY
Climate Imperative Foundation seeks a skilled, creative and innovative climate change professional with well-honed strategic campaign skills to serve as its Global Energy Initiative Director, with a specific focus on working with policymakers and advocates to align the export of U.S. fossil fuels with its national climate goals. This includes supporting the development of clean energy alternatives in importing countries. The successful candidate will have strong leadership and diplomacy skills, outstanding communications abilities and a disposition toward finding and driving solutions in a complicated arena. Climate Imperative Foundation has contracted with Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology LLC (Energy Innovation) for its staffing needs.
OUR COMMITMENT
Energy Innovation is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and to a transparent recruitment process that fosters belonging. Our goal is to hire and advance people regardless of race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, military service, medical condition and any other protected characteristic under local, state or federal law. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to an accessible application process and employee experience. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please email jobs@energyinnovation.org.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy
- Position a phase out of U.S. fossil fuel exports as a central and essential part of addressing the climate crisis globally, creatively considering all advocacy options
- Identify the near-term opportunities to support policymakers and advocates to replace plans for new or expanded fossil fuel export terminals with a suite of clean energy alternatives
- Ensure the policies we are promoting and winning are equitable so that all community members are able to afford and enjoy the benefits of this transition
- From a global vantage point, see opportunities to knit regional efforts into a cohesive strategy, amplifying and replicating wins in other jurisdictions
Campaign Coordination & Coalition-Building
- In collaboration with global advocates, policymakers and funders, determine how to rapidly secure a global commitment to eliminate the exporting and importing of liquefied natural gas (LNG), including how to intensify existing efforts
- Ensure that you and our partners have a deep understanding of how to win in each decision-making venue
- Ensure that racial justice and equity and an economic transition strategy for affected workers are central to the design, implementation and impact of the initiative
- Build a clear, concise, metric-driven campaign strategy to win, in consultation with relevant experts
Grantmaking & Convening
- Identify the grantee partners who can execute the initiative strategy and develop a portfolio of grants so they can lead this initiative to success
- Regularly convene grantee and funding partners to ensure strong coordination, track progress, repair problems, expand, contract or phase down elements of the initiative, as necessary
- Report, without bias, on progress and stalls to the Board of Directors
- Serve as a thought leader to the broader philanthropic and NGO community on strategy and grantmaking
- Serve as a sounding board and resource for other Climate Imperative staff
CANDIDATE PROFILE & EXPERIENCE
The United States is the largest exporter of liquified natural gas and oil in the world. This initiative focuses initially on proposals to expand LNG exports in the U.S., located primarily in the Gulf South region (Texas and Louisiana). In addition, this initiative will support efforts to help would-be importing countries meet their energy needs with clean energy.
This role requires a leader with outstanding relationship- and trust-building skills and cross-cultural competence to work with a diverse group of partners, from grassroots advocates to high level policymakers and aligned philanthropies. The director is an equity-centered, authentic and strategic leader who knows what it takes to win, sees opportunities for leverage and communicates powerfully and persuasively about ending fossil fuel dependence. The ideal candidate will also bring deep relationships and an understanding of the politics, culture and context of the fossil fuel industry in the Gulf South region of the U.S.
Core/Required
- 7+ years of experience leading successful campaigns to achieve policy change at broad scale and in multiple geographies
- Deep interest, passion and commitment to reducing climate change; understanding what is at stake and ready to boldly tackle some of the most complex challenges facing humanity
- Keen sense of what it takes to make lasting change in various venues (political, business, community) and high-level facility with international diplomacy and cross-cultural competence
- Leads with integrity and cultural sensitivity and brings a sophisticated analysis of the intersection of racial, economic and climate justice across geographies
- Ability to identify, evaluate and collaborate with grantee partners, understanding and actively working to dismantle the traditional funder-grantee power dynamic
- Ability to track multi-dimensional global efforts and see opportunities for leverage and scaled impact
- Team player with a commitment to working on a diverse team
- Delivers timely and direct feedback that contributes to partners’ and team members’ ongoing development
- Promptly resolves problems through timely consultation in an environment of mutual respect
- Seeks out and uses feedback as a developmental opportunity for self and others
- Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with high level industry and government officials
- Eager to take on a wide variety of tasks and help with all aspects of a small company
- Willingness and ability to travel, consistent with COVID policies
Preferred
- Understanding of and experience with the fossil fuel industry and clean energy landscape
- Prior philanthropic or grantmaking experience
- Prior staff management/supervision experience
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Energy Innovation provides a competitive compensation package, including a salary commensurate with qualifications and experience, and a comprehensive benefits package. Benefits include:
- Up to 100% of premium paid for medical, dental and vision
- STD & LTD disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Carrot fertility and family planning benefits
- Student loan repayment assistance
- 401k retirement plan with a company match contribution
- Public transportation benefit options
- Cell phone and health/wellness reimbursement
- 14 paid holidays and four weeks of paid time off (PTO)
- Regular staff lunches and team building activities
- SF and DC office stocked with healthy snacks and beverages
- An innovative, collaborative, welcoming work culture
How To Apply
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To apply please send a resume to search consultant Cathy Schreiber at cathy@energyinnovation.org with “Global Energy Initiative Director” in the subject line. PDF or Microsoft Word file is preferred. This position is open until filled, with an initial application deadline of 5PM PT on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Candidate review and phone screens will begin immediately. Please include the answer to these questions in the body of your email:
- Why are you passionate about reducing climate change?
- Describe the best team you have ever worked with and what made the team great?
- Briefly share a success in your career that sets you up well for this position.