Job Title: Senior Programme Officer – Environment Programme

Location: Geneva (Switzerland)

Reports to: Director of the Environment Programme

Salary: Internationally competitive for senior level of position

Background

Oak Foundation (www.oakfnd.org) is a group of philanthropic organizations,with its administrative office in Geneva, Switzerland. It commits its resources to address issues of global, social and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. Since its establishment in 1983, the organization has given over 3,000 grants to not-for-profit organizations around the world.

Oak Environment Programmes'vision is to achieve a low-carbon global economy and the recovery of marine fisheries and habitats. In keeping with this vision and mission, they aim to: protect the oceans and the climate by contributing to the development of responsible global and local governance mechanisms; and catalyse transformational changes in the way oceans and climate are perceived and exploited, for a more socially and environmentally sustainable society.

Purpose of Role

Oak Foundation is currently recruiting a Senior Programme Officer for their Environment Programme. S/he will work closely with the Director of the Environment Programme on a climate related grant portfolio.

Primary responsibilities

Based in Geneva (Switzerland) and reporting to the Director of the Environment Programme, the Senior Programme Officer:

• Provides oversight to the Climate Sub-Programme Team and to the overall Climate grant portfolio at Oak Foundation.
• Is directly responsible for the grant portfolio of North America and Europe, as well as to the large special grant to the ClimateWorks Foundation. Indirectly, supervises Oak Foundation's international work on Climate, including the Brazil, China and India portfolios and staff.
• Provides strategic direction to, manages, monitors and leads the evaluation processes for Oak's climate and energy portfolio of projects in Europe and North America; establishes and maintains a network of contacts, and develops new granting making opportunities and programme activities in line with strategic directions.
• Supervises and manages the joint and global work carried out between ClimateWorks (CW) and Oak Foundation, including ensuring strategic alignment and complementarity between Oak and CW's shared goals and objectives when appropriate. This position coordinates with the other climate programme officers, carries out due diligence as needed, and provides senior and informed advice to the Environment Trustee and Programme Director on the broader nature of the Oak-CW partnership.
• Works collaboratively with Oak's strategic partners and peers, such as ClimateWorks and those that are part of the Funders Table (i.e., the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, etc.)
• Manages the joint work carried out by the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and Oak Foundation. ECF, as part of the Climateworks network, functions as a primary sub-granting partner in Europe, and a major function of this position is to ensure strategic alignment and complementarity between Oak and ECF's common goals and objectives when appropriate.
• Represents Oak's Environment Team in its relations with both the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity and the European Environmental Funders Group. Fosters donor collaboration among European environmental grant makers, and among them and their North American counterparts.
• Leads the process of call for proposals, reviews solicited and unsolicited letters of inquiry received by the foundation, and ensures that all applicants to the climate sub-programme thematic areas, regardless of the foundation's interest, are sent an appropriate and timely response.
• Coordinates the process of due diligence for all project proposals under the position's responsibility. This process involves a high degree of understanding not only of the substantive thematic area, but also of organisational development and financial aspects of the work. In the case of larger or more complex grants, the contracting of expert opinion may be required.
• Adheres to Oak's project management technology (GMS) and procedures, including preparation of project summaries, grant recommendations, project standard reports, and end-of-grant reports. As such, the position is responsible for managing the day-to-day responsibilities of a grant portfolio from initial inquiry or proposal to assessment, recommendation, announcement of approval or rejection, monitoring grant implementation, reporting and closing grants, evaluating current or past projects according to needs, and drawing and sharing lessons from project, grant cluster, or sub-programme levels.
• Works with Oak's administrative and programme management staff to ensure efficient progress in grant making, monitoring, and reporting, as well as other administrative activities related to the programme. Upon request, represents Oak's environment team on organisation-wide task forces, study groups, etc.
• Prepares and submits mandatory travel reports, monthly progress reports, and other expert papers, upon request. Provides contributions to the preparation of Oak's six-monthly and annual reports (including texts and images), as well as to Board Meetings presentations.
• Conducts project-level monitoring, including site visits, and plans and supervises evaluations; prepares internal foundation reports on current grantees and enlists support of technical consultants and outside reviewers when appropriate.
• Under the supervision of the president and programme director, coordinates five-year sub-programme evaluations.
• Conducts research in connection with current and new initiatives. Convenes partner NGOs, scientists or peers from other foundations when the programme implementation so requires. Attends donor convenings; as well as relevant thematic conferences workshops and seminars; and works collaboratively with Oak staff and other foundation staff on strategic development.
• Manages a team of three climate programme officers, as well as a full-time programme associate for the Climate Sub-Programme Team.
• Performs all other relevant duties that may be assigned from time to time.

Profile

• Master's Degree in environmental studies, law, engineering, economics or equivalent and at least 15 years experience working on energy and climate issues in North America and Europe, in relevant organisations. Knowledge and experience are required in the following themes: policy design and advocacy; U.S. tax code requirements governing non-profit activities; climate change and energy policies (particularly transportation and power); status of international climate negotiations and the positions of the most influential countries, including the U.S, Canada, and the EU; North America and Europe's major national and State/Member State level programmes for greenhouse gases abatement.
• Proven capacity and experience in managing staff.
• Full-time dedication and readiness to travel, up to a maximum of 50 days/year, sometimes for extended periods.
• Experience in working alongside social development and environmental NGOs, field programme implementation and grant-making.
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills.
• Proven research and analysis skills. Capacity to plan and organise the work.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Working knowledge of French, Spanish, Portuguese or Chinese is a plus.
• Understanding of non-profit and/or governmental financial reporting and budgeting.
• Ability to work effectively and respectfully with grantees and other foundation staff.
• Poise, maturity, and ability to represent Oak Foundation in relevant fora.

• An EU or Swiss passport, or a valid Swiss working permit (the position is based in Geneva).