The European Climate Foundation (ECF) was established in February 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 UK Programme pursues a number of strategic initiatives to ensure decarbonisation of the UK economy. We aim to ensure that effective energy policies are adopted and implemented at the national level by convening networks of political contacts, grantees, business, institutions and other partners. Major initiatives since the end of 2007 have included:
- Preventing new unabated coal plants and ensuring CCS on industrial clusters;
- Seeking transformation of the electricity market in order to advance renewables;
- Securing high level targets including the 4th carbon budget and 100% RES target in Scotland;
- Securing a minimum energy efficiency standard for the private rented sector, maintaining energy efficiency funding, seeking a major scale up of energy efficiency;
- Securing demand side participation in the electricity market;
- Advancing the UK’s role as an active force in securing a European grid;
- Ensuring the UK is actively in pursuit of a deeper climate target in the EU;
The ECF team is a highly dynamic group of individuals. The team combines 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.
ECF is seeking to recruit a Senior Associate to lead its UK programme. The associate will be accountable for all aspects of the UK programme of ECF with the aim of achieving decarbonisation of the UK economy and ensuring the UK adopts a high ambition stance in the EU’s policy making.
The senior associate is responsible for:
- Strategy: setting programme priorities and budgets in partnership with ECF programme directors; co-developing and implementing political strategies with our network of grantees and partners.
- 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 and civil society communities across Europe; convening activities; representing the foundation at meetings and in all formal settings.
- Advising: maintaining partnerships with other climate funders in the UK and acting as a strategic resource for UK climate funding to bring about alignment of funders behind major priorities.
The Senior Associate may manage specific initiatives directly. This position requires travel to the Hague, Brussels and Berlin.
Key competencies and characteristics
- 10+ years of professional experience.
- Experience of working with international organisations
- Demonstrable deep understanding of ‘how change happens’; Demonstrable knowledge of how NGOs work, their strengths and weaknesses; understanding of government policies and procedures, of political parties;
- Demonstrable understanding and knowledge of advocacy and campaigning approaches; but above all ability to have standing and credibility with partners involved in advocacy and campaigning.
- Ability to advocate if necessary and track record of representing your former organisations with business, government, NGOs and other audiences in a formal setting.
- Demonstrable experience of interacting with the media and communications;
- Some background in energy policy and/or climate change policy desirable.
- Outstanding English writing and presentation skills. Additional languages a bonus. Good knowledge of energy economics desirable.
- Incisive, independent, analytic, creative mind. Active, results-oriented style. Enthusiastic personality; a positive, can-do attitude; teamplayer. Willingness to travel
- Proven track record of initiating and managing multiple priorities and projects.
- Self-starter capable of working outside an office environment.
- Excellent communicator capable of explaining your work in ways tailored to an audience.
Location: The UK in easy reach of London (candidates must be in possession of work permit for the UK, in case applicable)
Start Date: As soon as practicable
Compensation: Competitive
To apply: please send your CV and cover letter to employment@europeanclimate.org, to the attention of Nicole Smit. Please indicate ´Recruitment – Senior Associate for UK´ in the Subject line.
Application deadline: Friday 18 January 2013.
For more information on the ECF, please visit www.europeanclimate.org .
