Senior Associate for Finance, Energy Efficiency Programme

Senior Associate for Finance, Energy Efficiency Programme

The European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) was established in 2008 as a major philanthropic initiative to promote climate and energy policies that greatly reduce Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and to help Europe play a stronger international leadership role to mitigate climate change. The ECF is funded by major multi-year commitments from donors in Europe and the United States. The ECF is part of the international ClimateWorks Network that shares goals, strategies and resources to address the global challenge of climate change mitigation with a global network of aligned organizations.

The ECF team is a highly dynamic group of individuals, combining ambition and passion with a rigorous, results-oriented and analytic approach to work. The ECF’s culture is one of intensity, enthusiasm and mutual support.

The position – Senior Associate for Finance

The Energy Efficiency Programme pursues a number of strategic initiatives to increase energy efficiency in the European economy. We aim to ensure that effective energy policies are adopted and implemented at the EU and national levels by leveraging a network of political contacts, grantees and other partners. The Energy Efficiency Programme strategically invests at the EU level and in a range of key member states targeting three main areas:

1. Creating a regulatory and market framework for large-scale energy efficiency investments. This includes a suite of policies, such as a binding EU-wide energy saving target, public financing using EU-wide funds and market rules, and national energy efficiency obligations.
2. Supporting a multifaceted approach to significantly scale energy efficiency investments in buildings. This includes the promotion of regulatory measures and financial incentives that lead to the construction and retrofit of net-zero or low-energy buildings.
3. Reducing significantly the energy consumption of appliances and equipment via stringent Minimum Energy Performance Standards and associated labelling requirements set according to the Eco-design and Energy Labelling Directives.

Energy Efficiency Programme is seeking to recruit a politically savvy Senior Associate for Finance to support the Energy Efficiency Director in a number of areas:

• Strategy: helping set programme priorities and budgets; co-developing and implementing strategies with our network of grantees and partners, with a particular focus on addressing the demand and supply for energy efficiency finance.
• Grantmaking: soliciting and helping develop proposals from potential grantees; drafting recommendations for board consideration; managing consultants and occasionally commissioning studies; monitoring and evaluating progress and impact of initiatives and grants; and reporting to donors.
• Networking: building partnerships with stakeholders across the policymaking, business, finance and civil society communities; convening meetings; representing the foundation at events.

The Senior Associate may manage specific initiatives directly. This position requires frequent travel between the Hague, Brussels, Berlin, London and other EU capitals.

Required:

• At least 10 years of professional experience, with experience working in or closely with a financial institution a plus.
• Demonstrated understanding of the barriers and drivers for energy efficiency investments.
• Experience in financing energy efficiency projects, with experience in national policy implementation a plus.
• Understanding of EU and national policy-making processes, particularly for energy and climate change.
• Experience in an international organisation with a proactive, results-oriented culture.
• Outstanding English writing and presentation skills. Additional languages a bonus.
• Incisive, independent, analytic, creative mind.
• Proven ability to initiate and manage projects.
• Enthusiastic personality; a positive, can-do attitude; team player.
• Sense of humor.
• Willingness to travel (up to 50% time).

Location:                    The Hague, Berlin or London

Start date:                  As soon as practicable

Compensation:        Competitive

To apply: Please send your CV and cover letter in English to employment@europeanclimate.org. Please indicate ´Recruitment – (Senior Associate, Energy Efficiency Programme)´ in the Subject line. Telephone calls will not be forwarded to the recruitment team. All candidates will however receive a written reply.

Application deadline: 5 July 2015

For more information on the ECF, please visit www.europeanclimate.org