Job opening!

European Climate Foundation is looking for a Director of Operations & Strategic Development

About the European Climate Foundation (ECF)

The European Climate Foundation was established in 2008 as a major philanthropic initiative to promote climate and energy policies that greatly reduce Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and to help Europe play a stronger international leadership role to mitigate climate change. The ECF is part of the international ClimateWorks Network that shares goals, strategies, and resources to address the global challenge of climate change mitigation with a global network of aligned organizations.

For more information, please visit www.europeanclimate.org

About this job opportunity

As the ECF is moving from a start-up phase to a more mature organization, more attention will have to be paid to core processes that drive excellence in terms of knowledge management and learning, performance management and evaluation of grant making, and innovation.

The Director of Operations & Strategic Development is a new position that will function at the junction of substance, processes and quality control. The tasks at hand call for experienced management of processes and projects, as well as passion about and interest in the issues relevant to the ECF to be able to integrate well with the team.

Based either in The Hague or Berlin the Director will:

• Report to the CEO and be part of the leadership team.
• Manage a team of 4-6 part-time and full-time administrative and IT staff.
• Build a service-oriented and participative culture across the leadership team and the wider organization.
• Travel frequently between the ECF offices.

Preferred starting date: as soon as possible.

Compensation: competitive.

Key competencies and characteristics

The ideal candidate has as a minimum the following competencies and characteristics:

• Experience in an international organisation with a proactive, results-oriented culture. 
• 5–10 years of professional experience.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills and proficiency in tool usage to prepare communications for executives (Powerpoint, Word, Excel, Databases etc.).
• Excellent command of English. Additional languages a bonus.
• Experience in IT project development and management. 
• Demonstrable record in managing complex processes and multi-level and multi-country projects. 
• A positive, can-do attitude with a flexible mind. He / she is entrepreneurial, solutions- and service-oriented, analytical and enjoys being hands-on and working towards tangible results. 
• Able to see the big picture while enjoying giving attention to detail. 
• A creative thinker with a sense of humour.

Main tasks and responsibilities

The Director of Operations & Strategic Development works with all levels in the organisation, from the CEO and Programme Directors to the support staff. The job involves the management of our internal processes, improving process quality and tools, with a view of enhancing impact and effectiveness of our role within the wider community of grantees and partners we work with. All these aspects are in a way a translation of the strategic direction and organisational design of the foundation, in which the Director of Operations & Strategic Development also has an active voice.

The main tasks are outlined below. The percentage numbers are indicative for the expected time necessary in 2012 in each area:

1. Process management of grant making (10%)
2. Implement knowledge management processes & systems (20%)
3. Build and maintain an evaluation framework and innovation process (20%)
4. Support CEO on board management (20%) 5. Improve infrastructure and inter-office synergies (30%).

To apply

Deadline for submission of your application is Friday 10 February 2012.

If you are interested in this position, please send your cv and cover letter by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , to the attention of Ms Arian Nooren. In the Subject line of the email, please put ´Recruitment – Director Ops & Strategic Development´.

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