Executive Director; OC

Our Climate empowers young people to advocate for science-based and equitable climate solutions that build a livable world. Young people are overwhelmingly supportive of climate action and eager to work for an equitable transition to clean energy; over the past year, millions of young people across the world have taken to the streets to demand action from elected officials. Our Climate provides young leaders with the education, tools, and experience to advocate for concrete policy solutions to mitigate the climate crisis and protect our shared future.

Our Climate is committed to passing policies that will limit pollution and ensure a just transition to clean energy. We focus on winning state-level policies that will measurably reduce emissions and lay the groundwork for federal action, and we partner closely with state coalitions to strategically engage youth in efforts to advance these policies. Our Climate's leadership development programs train youth leaders to become informed, confident, and capable advocates.

Our curriculum comprehensively covers climate policy topics, challenging students to make connections between other movements for social and environmental justice, as well as training on how to engage the media, meet with decision-makers, and organize their communities. By combining targeted climate advocacy with youth leadership development, we work to win concrete climate policies while empowering the next generation of leaders.

Currently, Our Climate has 5 full-time and 4 part-time staff members, most of whom work remotely in Our Climate’s target states. While the majority of our funding comes from family foundations, our individual donor base has grown significantly over the past three years; our 2020 combined budget is $600,000. To learn more about Our Climate’s vision and approach, see our Strategic Framework and 2019 Annual Report.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for organizational leadership, staff supervision, fundraising, board development and engagement, operations, and fiscal and legal oversight. The Executive Director is tasked with leading Our Climate, a 501(c)(4) organization, and its 501(c)(3) sister organization, Our Climate Education Fund.

Key responsibilities include:

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Ensure Our Climate’s programs are focused, cohesive, and aligned with our mission of empowering the next generation of climate leaders to advocate for climate policy.
• Strategically support staff and youth leaders to meaningfully advance strong and equitable climate policy, in collaboration with state and national partners.
• Manage staff and board members in the creation of robust strategic and annual plans that outline the organization’s goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes.
• Develop organizational and campaign goals through a participatory, inclusive process that fosters a culture of shared leadership and continued learning. Incorporate feedback and evaluation into every aspect of the organization to ensure programs are continuously improving.

STAFF SUPERVISION

• Hire, manage, and support qualified and diverse staff to achieve successful implementation of short and long term goals.
• Support the Deputy Director in creating and implementing an inclusive workplace that celebrates cultural differences, identities, and backgrounds, and approach all levels of work through an anti-racist lens.
• Foster a work environment that encourages growth, learning, collaboration and empowerment.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for staff to participate in relevant training, workshops, and networks for professional development.
• Embody a grassroots ethic by seeking intel from the field and empowering field staff to respond to what they and their student leaders see and need on the ground.
• Actively engage and energize Our Climate’s volunteers, donors, committees, and partners.

FUNDRAISING

• Create and implement a robust fundraising plan that supports existing programs and the organization’s continued growth.
• Actively engage staff, Boards of Directors, and Development Committee members in fundraising activities.
• Initiate and…