USA: Senior Manager, Climate and Environment

Jul 12, 2021 | InterAction
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InterAction is the largest U.S. based coalition of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with 180+ members working around the world in low- and middle-income countries, fragile and post-conflict states, and emerging/growth economies. Member organizations are large and small, secular and faith-based, with a focus on people living in the world’s most poor and vulnerable places. The U.S. public, foundations, and governments support the work of our member NGOs that collectively invest and manage more than $15.4 billion a year. InterAction revenues come from dues, government grants, private foundation and corporate grants, and a fee-for-service program portfolio. Using its collective voice and convening power, InterAction seeks to shape important policy decisions and actions across a wide range of issues – including foreign assistance, humanitarian relief, development, economic equity, food security, and climate change – that advance human dignity, human potential, and self-determination.  

To learn more about InterAction's mission, DEI approach, values and more visit the link below: https://www.interaction.org/about-interaction/interactions-approach-to-diversity-equity-inclusion/   

Who We Are - InterAction 

About the Position: 

InterAction seeks a mid-career level Senior Manager in our Global Development, Policy, and Learning division (GDPL) to lead the climate program.  

InterAction’s climate program was developed in 2019 through the creation and member endorsement of the NGO Climate Compact – a foundational, strategic level pledge by 89 NGOs to advance urgent, unified work to address the impacts of climate on the world’s most vulnerable people and to mitigate any ways that relief and development contribute to climate change and environmental degradation. This program has multiple work streams in advocacy, programmatic changes in our members’ activities, internal organizational sustainability, and CEO engagement. This work is currently funded by the ClimateWorks Foundation and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.  

More broadly, the GDPL team creates practical opportunities for collective voice and networked learning across InterAction members. As advocates, we bring the membership’s united voice to bear with focus on the community’s core priorities: effective assistance resources and strong U.S. leadership and policy in support of sound human development outcomes. In pursuit of learning, our work identifies emerging issue areas, documents existing practices and needs, and responds with tools, research, training, or other solutions.   

The ideal candidate will be a strategic, self-starting, compassionate leader with excellent interpersonal and political acumen who is excited to use their skills in service of addressing the global climate crisis and its impacts on the most vulnerable people.  

The Senior Manager is a member of the Global Development Policy and Learning (GDPL) Policy Team and directly reports to the Director of Policy and Government Affairs. 

This is a full-time position based in Washington DC. Due to COVID-19, all staff are currently working remotely and following InterAction’s COVID-19 policies. InterAction aims to have staff transition back to the Washington, DC office beginning in September.

Essential Functions: 

Program & Stakeholder Management  

  • Oversee all aspects of the climate program and the three climate-related working groups associated with the NGO Climate Compact: the Climate Advocacy Working Group, the Climate Mainstreaming Working Group, and the Environmental Sustainability Working Group, including annual work planning and the strategic direction of all three streams 
  • Facilitate working group meetings and guest speaker engagements, develop and execute meeting agendas in consultation with co-chairs and other members, serve as an information resource and connector for members, and facilitate and build consensus on advocacy issues among members and partners 
  • Engage a range of U.S. government agencies and branches including but not limited to USAID, State Department, DFC, MCC, and U.S. Congress on climate and development finance issues; identify, lead, and report out on targeted opportunities for advocacy by the InterAction community; working with the Director for Budget and Appropriations and the Policy Team, engage in the annual Congressional appropriations process to advance community priorities; track and analyze climate-related legislation  
  • Manage all staff-level external partnerships on climate with InterAction members and partners, including with other domestic and international coalitions focused on climate; cultivate and maintain new strategic partnerships that align with the purpose of InterAction’s climate work 
  • Work with consultants to run InterAction’s annual greenhouse gas emissions study and advise the Executive Team on decisions related to organizational environmental sustainability based on industry standards and InterAction’s role as a sector leader 
  • Conduct program monitoring and run the data collection for the climate program’s monitoring plan 
  • In collaboration with the Executive Team, design and execute the Biannual CEO Roundtable on Climate Leadership  
  • Manage fellows, interns, and team members working on climate issues to advance the program goals; support their growth and learning through advising and networking support; ensure an inclusive work environment for all colleagues 

Thought Leadership and Strategic Planning 

  • Identify, research, synthesize, and promulgate new ideas and approaches related to addressing climate change that fill gaps within the NGO relief and development sector; work with the director-level Steering Committee and vice-president-level Policy Advisory Committee to elevate key issues for learning, deliberation, and advocacy 
  • Draft policy briefs, reports, blogs, talking points, and other multimedia materials on the climate program and, to lesser extent, development finance issues  
  • In coordination with the Communications Team, manage the monthly Climate Digest email newsletter as the main communique to 450 NGO staff, executives, and donors   
  • Work with the Executive Team and GDPL team members to envisage the next phase of the NGO Climate Compact (current iteration is up for review in December 2022) and drive a community-wide effort to take stock, articulate relevant, new objectives and accountability measures, and increase ambition and deepen impact of the work; develop a communications plan and methods of member endorsement for the next phase  

Representation 

  • Serve as the primary subject-matter expert on climate issues for InterAction, representing the NGO Climate Compact and its history, impact, and vision for a wide range of public and private audiences 
  • Represent InterAction at external and internal events and working group meetings; articulate the goals and activities of the climate program and DFC working group; participate in and regularly present at InterAction’s Public Policy Committee 

Fundraising and Grants Management 

  • Work with the Vice President for Development Policy, Advocacy, and Learning, as well as the CEO and Executive Team to raise funds to support the climate program from diverse sources with either new or existing donors 
  • In coordination with the Finance and Administration Team, manage existing grants, track financial data, and report out to donors and Executive Team on progress 
  • Communicate regularly with existing and potential donors 

Internal Collaboration 

  • Report out weekly to the Policy team and the Director of Policy and Government Affairs on current climate policy issues 
  • Support members of the GDPL and HPP teams to learn about climate impacts on a range of humanitarian and development sectors; advise on their efforts to engage their own working groups on climate and conduct advocacy and practice improvements 
  • Contribute to team-wide advocacy products including Aid Delivers, Choose to Invest, Board reports, CEO Corner, staff surveys, and more; feed climate program monitoring results into team-wide databases 
  • Learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in relief and development work; apply these learnings to program and stakeholder management and thought leadership engagements; actively participate in organization-wide efforts to advance DEI in the NGO sector 

Qualifications and Skills: 

The candidate must have: 

  • 8-10 years of professional experience with at least 2 years of focus on climate and/or environmental issues 
  • Experience in international development, humanitarian work, climate change, and/or environmental issues 
  • Advanced strategic planning skills and demonstrable experience building and maintaining one or more coalitions 
  • Experience working in Federal or state government executive or legislative branches or multilateral organizations OR experience as an advocate toward those institutions 
  • Self-directed leadership and ability to manage up; ability to advise staff and executives on climate and environmental issues 
  • Effective program management and ability to manage multiple grants from different donors at once 
  • Effective interpersonal and people management skills internal to the organization and externally; ability to manage relationships with InterAction members, partners and other external stakeholders 
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to produce work and engaging presentations quickly on tight timelines 
  • Experience working as part of a team and facilitating cross team collaboration; ability to work well and contribute effectively under pressure and in response to rapidly changing needs 
  • Demonstrated interest in the NGO sector  
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and abilities to effectively manage data, communications and work products while keeping track of varied information with ease and efficiency 
  • Professional values aligned with those of InterAction 

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Experience with fundraising for a non-profit organization with private donors; successful grant acquisition  
  • Experience mainstreaming climate into international development programs or humanitarian response 

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

  • The Senior Manager supervises fellows and interns on a rolling basis and will oversee the work of a Program Associate on climate. 

Base Salary & Benefits

$80,000 - $95,000 and excellent benefits package

There are no extraordinary physical requirements for the performance of the essential functions of this position. InterAction will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform in the role.  

Additional Application Instructions:

Please include cover letter, salary expectations and writing sample with your online application. Position will remain open until filled, but applications received before 7/23/21 are preferred.  Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.  

Due to the volume of applicants, only those moving forward with next steps in the recruitment process will be notified.  No phone calls please! 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.