CEO, Clinton Climate Initiative

Job Description

About the Clinton Foundation

Building on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together. For nearly two decades, that premise has energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world.

As an operating foundation, we work on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service. Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results faster – at the lowest possible cost.

We firmly believe that when diverse groups of people bring resources together in the spirit of true cooperation, transformative ideas will emerge to drive life-changing action.

Learn more at http://www.clintonfoundation.org, on Facebook at Facebook.com/ClintonFoundation and on Twitter @ClintonFdn.

Overview

The CEO, Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), is a member of the Clinton Foundation's senior leadership team with specific responsibility for leading and managing the Foundation’s climate change initiative with a focus on the Islands Energy Program. The Islands Energy Program, started in 2012, works with island nations to accelerate their transition to renewable energy through national strategic planning, project implementation, and local capacity building. This year the Islands Energy Program has expanded to three new countries in the Caribbean and will begin the project execution phase in a number of countries where we have developed national energy transition plans.

The CEO will provide leadership and guidance to CCI staff, collaborate closely with other Clinton Foundation programs, such as the Clinton Global Initiative, to advance the impact of CCI. The CEO will lead strategic planning for the climate change initiative and engage program stakeholders including government, the private sector and other NGO partners, and mobilize existing and new resources to support the program. As a part of a small team, the CEO will also be directly involved in the execution of project work. The CEO will lead efforts on grant applications and other funding opportunities in partnership with the Foundation’s development team. The CEO will also identify opportunities for investment in renewable energy projects, help develop applicable financing mechanisms and create new blended finance opportunities and capital stacks to expand and replicate the work.

The CEO will have responsibility for the strategy and direction of the CCI program. Working with Foundation leadership, the CEO will determine the strategic vision and funding path for the program.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategic Direction of the Clinton Climate Initiative

• Responsible for the strategy and execution of all energy and climate programs across multiple countries and regions.
• Manage and mentor the CCI team; provide day to day, hands on support, leadership and guidance for the team. Manage individuals and the team to meet personal and team goals.
• Support and guide the team in the delivery of program objectives, including:
  • Represent CCI and the Foundation with external parties at all levels, including heads of state, senior government officials, C-level executives and senior leaders of NGOs and academia, to advance renewable energy projects and help projects reach financial close. Oversee strategic partnerships in the delivery of program objectives
• Manage team to deliver projects and programs in a timely and effective matter, including providing appropriate development opportunities.
• Drive efforts so that program activities deliver results as expected by the Foundation Board of Directors, senior leadership team, and external funders.

Budgeting and Grants and Investment Management

• Oversee the CCI budget that includes multiple programmatic funders and scopes of work.
• Work with the Clinton Foundation’s Finance team to develop annual and quarterly budget forecasting, align budget spending with programmatic strategy, and execute within agreed-upon budget parameters.
• Maintain positive relationship with external program funders.
• Identify and cultivate new opportunities for private sector investment and blended finance approaches to support and expand renewable energy projects.
• Engage investment funds, private investors, impact investors and others to prioritize renewable energy investments in the Caribbean region.

Communication and Representation

• Serve as the key spokesperson and thought leader for CCI at both external and internal meetings and conferences/events, to keep CCI at the forefront of advancing renewable energy.
• Implement a communications and marketing strategy for CCI in coordination with the Communications team.
• Prepare materials and internal briefings and memos for Clinton Foundation Principals.
• Participate in Foundation senior leadership team meetings and Initiatives meetings.

Development of Future Opportunities

• Lead fundraising activities for CCI, including actively seeking opportunities to expand and innovate upon the work.
• Oversee the preparation of funding and grant proposals in coordination with the Clinton Foundation Development team and CCI staff; grow and maintain funding partners and investors.

Additional Responsibilities and Occasional Duties

• Serve on project steering committees, composed of senior members of relevant government departments to advise and oversee progress in implementing renewable energy transition.
• This job description is intended to convey information essential to understand the scope of the position, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the positions.

Qualifications

Education:

• Minimum Required: Bachelor’s Degree in relevant fields
• Preferred: Masters in Environmental Science, Engineering, Business, or Public Policy.

Work Experience:

• Minimum Required: 7 years’ experience leading high-performing teams, working in project/program management with a focus in climate change, green economy preferred. Experience working with high-level government officials and industry stakeholders preferred. Fundraising and grant writing experience required.
• Preferred: 10 years of experience in areas described above

Specialized Knowledge Needed for Performance of Job:

• High-level understanding and knowledge of environment and energy policy; international relations.
• Knowledge and experience related to strategic partnership management;
• Knowledge of project finance, impact investing and blended finance approaches strongly preferred.
• Exposure to multi-cultural issues and a cultural sensitivity.
• Experience with economic analysis and modeling, preferably as related to energy and utility projects

Skills:

• Strong team-work and collaborative approach capacity;
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and strategic thinking capabilities;
• Additional Comments
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, and work on multiple time zones, as necessary.
• Ability to work remotely, given projects will be based in a number of different countries.

Physical and Other Requirements

Office Environment: Constant computer work requiring repetitive motion, prolonged sitting and sustained visual/mental demands. Occasional lifting, bending, pulling, collating, and filing, some of which may be heavy (>15 lbs.) and require use of carts.

Travel Environment: Occasional long-distance travel (sometimes to developing countries) which may require walking distances, lifting and carrying luggage and boxes (>25 lbs.) or prolonged periods of sitting in tight quarters.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Clinton Foundation maintains a strong policy of equal opportunity in employment. It is our objective to recruit, hire, and retain the most qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Our equal employment philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, training, promotions, transfers, job benefits, and terminations.