Job Description
Position Overview
The Director for Climate and Food will develop and execute major activities at the intersection of two global imperatives: combatting climate change and building sustainable, resilient food systems. The Director will work closely with the United Nations, national and sub-national leaders, the private sector, and civil society to drive change and accelerated action aimed at tackling these interlocking challenges. This will entail building partnerships, convening meetings and events, identifying new opportunities for action, and more. The Director will work closely with the Managing Director for Climate & Environment and other members of the department and staff across the UN Foundation.
This position can be based in Washington, DC, or remote.
Essential Functions
- Lead implementation of key aspect of UNF’s climate-food work, working closely with the Managing Director
- Contribute to and help lead strategy development for UNF’s climate-food portfolio
- Develop and implement collaborations and partnerships with the UN, governments, civil society, the private sector, and foundations on food/agriculture and climate issues, including with and for the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate
- Author and co-author op-eds, memos, briefing documents, and other materials to advance UNF’s engagement on climate-food, including to support decisions and engagement of UNF leadership
- Act as the point of contact with key partners, inside and outside the UN, on climate-food-related activities
- Plan and convene meetings, workshops, and consultations as part of UNF’s climate and food efforts
- Coordinate with UNF colleagues to develop and execute UNF’s communications priorities and goals, with a particular focus on climate-food
- Represent UNF at outside meetings and professional gatherings
- Manage grants and contracts, including drafting and reviewing agreements and maintaining an understanding of all agreement terms
- Other duties as assigned.
Selection Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent in climate policy, political science, economics, food/agriculture science and/or policy, or related field required. Master’s Degree preferred
- Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience
- In-depth understanding of the intersection of climate change, environment, food, and agriculture issues and actors, including understanding of the major opportunities and challenges in these areas and with potential partners
- Experience working on and advocating around major international processes and negotiations
- Demonstrated experience building partnership with the UN, countries, the private sector, and civil society
- Self-starter with good judgment; proven ability to drive multiple aspects of projects from inception to implementation within limited timeframe
- Creative thinker and problem solver eager to build new initiatives and partnerships
- Stress tolerance and resilience; attention to detail; and ability to work with shifting priorities
- Ability to develop, maintain and enjoy effective working relationships with people from diverse organizations or cultures
- Ability to build strong, trust-based internal and external working partnerships with internationally diverse stakeholders
- Strong skills working in coalitions and teams: collaborator, relationship builder with strong interpersonal skills
- Strong communications, research, and project and event management skills.
- Willingness to travel
- Ability to meet regular attendance/tardiness policy
Benefits & Compensation
For full-time, benefit eligible employees, UNF offers an excellent range of benefits, including:
- a choice between two health plans through UnitedHealthcare (PPO or HDHP with HSA)
- dental insurance
- vision insurance
- flexible spending accounts
- 403b retirement savings plan with a generous matching contribution
- group term and supplemental life insurance
- short-term disability
- long-term disability
- health club discounts
- commuter subsidy
- back-up care
- employee assistance program
Additionally, all benefit eligible employees have 12 paid holidays, 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, 3 personal days, and 8 weeks of family leave care.
About the Organization
About Us
The UN Foundation, a public charity, was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. We are an advocate for the UN and a platform for connecting people, ideas and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems.
We help the UN take its best work and ideas to scale—through advocacy, partnerships, constituency building and fund-raising.
