Regional Director, Latin America

Location: Santiago, Chile. 

Contract: Three years full-time, with the possibility of extension. Probationary period of six months.

Working arrangements: Working from home in Santiago with regular travel to Lima, La Paz and Quito.

Salary: US$50,000 to 65,000 per annum depending on experience, with additional benefits including private medical insurance and a non-contributory pension.

Closing date for applications: Monday 22nd September 2014 at 13:00 GMT.

Written exercise (90 minutes, by email): This will take place at any time of your choosing on 26th or 27th September. Please check your email on 25th September for an invitation.

Interviews: 6th-7th October 2014 in Santiago.

Climate Parliament is a global network of legislators working to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.  We raise awareness of climate change amongst MPs, as well as of the multitude of other risks of a reliance on fossil fuels.  We support legislators in taking political, legislative and budgetary initiatives to promote solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. Our approach involves developing policies that promote investment in renewables from the smallest scale: the rural standalone and mini-grid technologies that can transform lives in the poorest communities, to the largest: inter-regional renewable energy supergrids that will give humanity the power to ditch fossil fuels for good.

Already active for several years in Africa, Asia and Europe, Climate Parliament is entering an exciting period of expansion into new regions. Over the next few months, we hope to establish parliamentary networks in China, Latin America and elsewhere.

In Latin America, our initial focus will be in four of the Andean countries: Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. We are recruiting a Regional Director, to be based in Santiago de Chile, who will coordinate the formation of parliamentary groups in all four of these countries, offering practical and policy support on climate and energy to legislators across the Andean region.

The successful candidate will be an experienced political networker with a robust understanding of the Chilean political system, and preferably also a good working knowledge of the political process in at least one of the three other countries. S/he will probably be a native of the region, but outsiders with several years’ immersion in the region and flawless Spanish will also be considered. Please don’t apply if you do not meet these key criteria.

In addition to a proven commitment to urgent action on climate change and a flair for political strategy, the role requires someone who has sufficient self-discipline and focus to achieve results without close supervision. A proactive approach to work is essential, with a track record in proposing initiatives without waiting for others to lead. Fundraising experience that can be deployed to grow our team and projects in the region would also be an important asset.

Person specification

Essential – candidates must be able to demonstrate ALL of the following:

• Established personal commitment to urgent action on climate change;

• Good university degree in a relevant discipline;

• Fluent written and spoken Spanish and English;

• Familiar with climate and energy policy, particularly in terms of options, impacts and implications for the Andean region;

• Experience working in – or a detailed professional knowledge of – the political institutions of Chile, particularly the National Congress;

• Self-confident personality, comfortable liaising with senior politicians – an outgoing individual who enjoys meeting and networking with a diverse range of political actors;

• Proactive approach, with sufficient independent initiative to achieve results without daily supervision;

• Highly organised individual and efficient administrator – please note that since we are a small organisation with low overheads, even senior staff largely manage their own logistics and administration in addition to their core work;

• Confident and autonomous user of web-based technologies, including online applications and smartphone apps (most of our team collaboration is managed online);

• A willingness to travel frequently, with regular periods of a week or more away from home in Latin America and worldwide;

• Co-operative, team worker; and

• Calm under pressure.

Desirable – several of the following:

• Experience working in the energy sector, whether in government, civil society or the private sector;

• Experience working in – or a detailed professional knowledge of – the political institutions of either Ecuador, Peru or Bolivia;

• Legal experience, or experience of drafting or implementing legislation;

• Fundraising experience with institutional or individual donors; 

•  Experience of implementing bilateral and multiateral donor projects including producing donor reports;

• Experience working with members of parliament;

• Experience of managing staff;

• Experience organising international conferences;

• A working knowledge of Portuguese.

Job description – the Regional Director will:

• Through visits to key regional capitals, as well as phone and email contact, build up a network of interested MPs in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador;

• Working with expert advisers, identify opportunities for parliamentary action to advance Climate Parliament's policy goals;

• Assist MPs in arranging and preparing meetings with heads of government, Ministers and officials, and in drafting parliamentary questions, letters to ministers and policy proposals;

• Work with Climate Parliament’s member MPs, trustees and senior staff to develop and expound the network’s policy objectives;

• Organise national and regional international parliamentary committee hearings, and arrange participation by MPs in the annual inter-regional Climate Parliament Forum;

• Support Climate Parliament's networks across the Spanish-speaking world;

• Raise funds from development agencies, business leaders and foundations to expand Climate Parliament's work in the region and worldwide;

• Explore joint initiatives by heads of government in the region, possibly as part of a global head of government initiative, to promote regional supergrids and large-scale renewable energy trading across borders;

• Take the lead on Climate Parliament’s presence at COP20 in Lima in December 2014; and

• Carry out any other tasks that Climate Parliament may require.

To apply, please send a CV (resumé) and covering letter - both in English - explaining how you meet the person specification to recruitment@climateparl.net. Files must be in PDF format and must be attachments rather than links. Put “Latin America Director” as the subject line of the email. Please ensure that your CV contains full contact details, including a mobile phone number. Please state where you first saw this job advertisement.

In the interests of attaining a gender balance within our secretariat, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

Kindly note that since we are a small organisation, we cannot respond to applicants individually, provide feedback or answer any enquiries about this post. If you believe you meet the person specification, we encourage you to submit an application, even if you are unavailable on the specified interview dates – simply state this on your covering letter. In the first instance, we will contact shortlisted candidates by email on 26th and 27th September. If you have not heard from us by early October, you may assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. Thanks for your understanding.