Director Climate Justice

Director, Climate Justice

· Washington, DC, USA

· Employees can work remotely

· Full-time

· Department: Office of VP of Global Program

· Exempt Status: exempt

Company Description

Oxfam is a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty. We help people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, and save lives in disasters.

Job Description

PURPOSE OF POSITION & SUMMARY :

The Director, Climate Justice, will be responsible for the overall Climate Justice leadership, management, outreach, and fundraising efforts of OUS. The position requires strong vision, a strategic mindset, interpersonal skills, fundraising talent and networks, and extensive knowledge of climate change issues and their intersection with inequality, human rights, exclusion, and human development. The role will work closely with members of the Climate Justice team to provide strategic, technical, policy, fundraising, and thought leadership for Oxfam America's work on climate change. The position will oversee cross-divisional Climate Justice work at OUS, as well as climate work between OUS and the rest of the Oxfam International (OI) Confederation, and externally. The Director will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team and others to implement the OUS 2030 Strategic Framework, and will provide senior collaboration to the VP GPI in structuring, upgrading, and sustaining Oxfam America's engagement and portfolio on climate. The position will lead the development, and oversee a portfolio, of high-quality Climate Justice program investments and impact, as well as policy, advocacy, and research initiatives. The role will be a key spokesperson for Oxfam America on Climate Justice issues, bringing our unique perspective on inequality and poverty including our systems approaches. Together with the Climate Justice team, the position will also cultivate external peer relationships and represent Oxfam America's programs to stakeholders such as environmental and climate organizations, academic institutions, and the media, as well as - in conjunction with the Advocacy, Alliances and Policy Division - policy makers in the climate space.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Leadership and Representation

· Inspire, facilitate, and lead cross-divisional commitments on Climate Justice across OUS, including on advocacy, campaigning, partnerships, grantmaking, and capacity building.

· Lead the Climate Justice team in agenda setting, strategy development and execution of a body of work to achieve Oxfam America's new Strategic Framework and Oxfam's strategic goals.

• Inspire and support the research and learning agenda for Oxfam's climate work, leveraging and clarifying Oxfam's unique approach or added value in the broad climate space.
• Represent Oxfam externally, including with the media, influencing key external debates on climate change and related agendas such as the nexus of: climate change, gender justice and inequality; climate and food systems; climate financing, and aid effectiveness; climate and the private sector, etc.
• Oversee relationships development and cultivation with donors, Oxfam affiliates, and key country partners to support program development and implementation.
• Oversee the development of alliances, networks, and strategic partnerships with government, non-governmental, youth movement, academic institutions, media, think tanks, private sector actors, and donors to expand Oxfam's influence and impact on Climate Justice issues.

Strategic contributor to Oxfam International Climate and Energy initiatives

· Contribute, together with the Climate Justice team and other Oxfam America stakeholders, to the development of Oxfam International campaign strategies that integrate climate and energy issues, public engagement, and program implementation, and, conversely, link such strategies into Oxfam America's strategic directions.

• Provide policy and strategic inputs to Oxfam International campaign teams, participate in campaign management and execution.

· Contribute to, and where appropriate, lead, Oxfam International global teams responsible for delivering program interventions, including policy advocacy, aimed at influencing governments and other stakeholders in national, regional, and global spaces.

· Appoint and oversee Oxfam America's technical and other resources and contributions to the Oxfam Climate Initiative.

Leadership towards overall coherence and mainstreaming of the Climate Justice portfolio

· Oversee and ensure coherence across various teams - Oxfam country-level, regional, functional and thematic teams, relevant OUS staff and teams, Knowledge Hubs and affiliates - in their co-designing of relevant and high impact projects that center-stage Climate Justice as foundational to OUS's work, and that are aligned with and supportive of Oxfam country and regional strategies.

· Foster coherence and complementarity across OUS Climate Justice program investments, technical expertise, and other assets, to maximize influence and impact.

· Ensure Climate Justice analysis, awareness, and objectives are integrated and mainstreamed in Oxfam America's program efforts, in private sector influencing, and in project and program objectives and outcomes.

· Establish program and project management processes and implementation in line with Oxfam America's feminist principles, values, compliance, program quality standards, monitoring, evaluation and learning as well as communication.

· Assume and effectively discharge overall responsibility for Climate Justice project expenditure, financial accountability, planning requirements, grant reporting and donor compliance.

People management and culture

· Clarify - and, with the VP GPI, resolve - roles, gaps and needs on the Climate Justice bench of Oxfam America, in particular ensuring that all roles are complementary and mutually supportive; that staffing gaps and needs are promptly and expertly identified and resolved; and that staff experts are supported and facilitated to add value to Oxfam's Climate Justice ambitions.

· Demonstrate in management style as well as ways of working Oxfam's core values and culture in line with feminist principles, racial and gender justice, safeguarding standards, and other relevant policies and practices.

· Lead, mentor and develop the Climate Justice team by setting clear goals and expectations, and ensuring they receive professional exposure, guidance, and development opportunities.

· Set clear goals and expectations and manage execution within teams to enable and enhance performance and accountability.

Fundraising

· Provide inspiring, senior-level leadership, presence, and representation towards funders for the development and expansion of OUS's Climate Justice resources, collaborating with Resource Development on fundraising initiatives and ideas.

· Identify, create, cultivate, and exploit fundraising opportunities, seeking to build a large, high-leverage program & policy portfolio that supports quality programming in priority countries and regions, and in the US.

· Lead in the writing and development of fundable and effective program proposals for Climate Justice.

· Coordinate the gathering and sharing of information on existing and emerging donor opportunities and liaise with appropriate Oxfam America teams to secure funding.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Master's degree in Climate Sciences, Environment & Development, Sustainability, International Development, Public Policy, Law, Economics, or related fields.

Experience and Core Competencies:

1. Thirteen or more years of related work experience , including in the international development, public policy, climate change, energy, Aid/Debt/Trade/Private Sector issues, in either a non-profit setting, or a combination of non-profit and other experiences such as government, academic, multilateral settings, think tanks, or the private sector.

2. Has strong leadership experience and presence, and demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence.

3. A minimum of nine years of management experience and demonstrated ability to develop, lead, motivate and manage a team, or teams.

4. Ability to, develop, motivate, manage, and inspire teams and other audiences to act towards desired impact.

5. Deep knowledge of US climate change policy and legislation and international climate change law and policy, and institutions.

6. Ability to speak in public and effectively represent Oxfam to a range of different audiences, including the media and high-level public, multilateral, and private sector officials.

7. Ability to make sound, independent decisions and judgment calls.

8. Strong demonstrated written and verbal communication skills, writing for a variety of audiences.

9. Experience in financial management including preparing and managing budgets.

10. Strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills; imagination and creativity to find and marshal information.

11. Strong ability to conduct policy analysis and to include policy and advocacy in programming to achieve systemic change.

12. A collegial nature and ability to develop good relationships with multiple constituencies and work as a team member.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Work experience in the Global South.

2. Cross-cultural understanding of how international development agencies operate.

3. Working experience on Capitol Hill, an executive agency of government, or in government affairs for a for-profit or non-profit organization

4. Ability to communicate in Spanish or French

Additional Information

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct leadership and management of the Climate Justice team; matrixed/‘dotted line' leadership and oversight of other staff as required; and project-focused, variable, adaptive leadership of some collaborative relationships - given the cross-cutting nature of a significant portion of Climate Justice work at Oxfam

EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS POSITION:

The incumbent will work effectively and collaboratively to:

• Build a team-based culture of work, perform all duties appropriately for a multilateral and multi-cultural environment, treat all persons with dignity and respect, and be familiar with Oxfam America's mission, goals, values, and culture.
• Stay abreast of professional issues, standards, trends, and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field.
• Maintain and encourage a positive attitude and energy, assisting colleagues wherever possible in solving problems.

· Understand and display racial and gender justice and diversity within key areas of responsibility, and showing a commitment to promote diversity in our workplace and programs.

· Provide a safe environment for staff, partners, and change agents, and promote safeguarding in our workplace, programs, and the communities we serve.

· Understand the importance of investing in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), and have the will and capability to adapt strategies and programs based on evidence produced from such MEAL processes.

· Travel as needed, in the US and globally. Given the level of responsibility of the role, such travel may be significant.

Oxfam America is a Gender Just organization and an equal opportunity employer. We have a zero tolerance policy for any sexual harassment, exploitation, and/or abuse. We welcome all persons to apply and do not discriminate. We take measures to prevent discrimination against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.