Manager, Climate Learning Initiative — San Francisco, CA

Organization: Skoll Global Threats Fund

Job Title: Manager, Climate Learning Initiative

Location: San Francisco, CA

Hours and Compensation: full time with competitive salary

Application Deadline: open

Posted On: Jan. 28, 2013

Organization Overview

Jeff Skoll launched the Skoll Global Threats Fund in 2009 to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. With Dr. Larry Brilliant as President and CEO, the Skoll Global Threats Fund has a mandate to drive large-scale global change on the most critical issues facing mankind. The organization identifies and supports innovative high-impact initiatives to combat climate change, water insecurity, pandemics, nuclear proliferation, and Middle East conflict. The Skoll Global Threats Fund is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Please visit www.skollglobalthreats.orgfor a comprehensive look at the organization.

Description

The Fund is seeking a creative and energetic team player to help build and manage the new Climate Learning Initiative. Reporting to and working closely with the Climate Change Director, this key staff member will lead implementation of the program. In addition to maintaining relationships with key partners, the Manager, Climate Learning Initiative will manage a grant portfolio around U.S. climate engagement. This position will work with the team to drive deliverables and produce tangible results in climate advocacy. The Manager, Learning Initiative will also be a strategic sounding board and thought partner to the Director, brainstorming solutions and translating those into action.

Responsibilities

Strategic Support and Operations Management:

• Lead implementation of the Climate Learning Initiative plan
• Work with the Climate Change Director to build out a work plan, participate in collective strategy building, and determine how to operationalize the learning component
• Anticipate and meet deadlines, maintain records, track meetings, team duties and budgets

Partner Relationship Management:

• Cultivate, nurture, and maintaining partner relationships. Knowing the players in government, NGOs, foundations, and non-profits who focus on the climate will be essential to success.
• Facilitate connections to partners, organize convenings; use strong project management skills to provide planning and logistical support for meetings, workshops, conferences, and events related to climate advocacy

Grant Management:

• Build grantee relationships, screen prospective grantees, draft and edit grant proposal summaries
• Make grant recommendations for management and board review
• Respond promptly and respectfully to a variety of inquiries and grant proposals
• Help deliver services, in addition to grants, that will provide value to grantees
• Monitor grant processes, prepare key funding documents
• Participate in the development of processes to measure, learn from, and improve impact

Qualifications

• Outstanding communication skills which manifest in high quality written documents, presentation and meeting materials, and verbal communication

• Consensus builder who is tactful in interactions with partners and grantees
• Ability to multi-task, maintain exceptional attention to detail, and proactively manage project timelines and deliverables
• Capacity to creatively address problems and find solutions
• Independent and self-motivated, able to take initiative in an entrepreneurial environment
• Professional decorum and discretion necessary to work with highly confidential information
• Humility and capacity to accept feedback regarding contribution to team performance in the interest of continuous improvement
• Strong working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Practical understanding of tools for managing online collaborative work environments is preferred in order to facilitate a productive and connected work environment

Five or more years of project management experience is highly valued. Candidates need a foundation in climate change in order to understand the issues and have credibility with multiple partners and potential stakeholders, attend conferences, and contribute to producing tangible results in climate advocacy. Experience working in grant making or philanthropy and the private sector is valued. Advocacy experience is an advantage and an understanding of U.S. Climate Engagement is required. A Master’s degree in public policy, business or social science is strongly preferred.

How to Apply

Please send a 2-page resume and cover letter expressing how your interest and accomplishments align with our needs and mission. Please use ID252 in the subject line and ddress materials to Jill Lindmeier at [email protected].