Senior Director, Complex Systems

Who We Are

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organization working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalyzing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With 30 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change.

CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world.

Program Context

CATF's Complex Systems portfolio brings together its work across Land, Transportation, and Industry, three programs with distinct missions that are central to addressing major sources of climate pollution. These sectors are difficult to decarbonize and shaped by connected policy, technology, finance, infrastructure, and market challenges. This role exists to set a cohesive portfolio strategy while preserving and strengthening each program's mission, leadership, and subject‑matter expertise.

Reporting to the Chief of Programs & Advocacy and serving on CATF's Impact Leaders Group, the Senior Director will help direct resources, strengthen program effectiveness, and expand CATF's influence across regions. The role's overall purpose is to translate systems-level strategy into stronger stewardship, greater program impact, and durable climate solutions across Land, Transportation, and Industry.

Responsibilities

• Enterprise & Portfolio Leadership – Shape enterprise priorities and lead the Complex Systems portfolio with clear direction, sound judgment, and accountability, while ensuring the individual missions of Land, Transportation, and Industry remain central to portfolio decisions.

• Systems Strategy – Develop and advance a cohesive strategy that connects technical expertise, policy, infrastructure, finance, innovation, and markets while identifying opportunities for greater impact across programs, portfolios, disciplines, and regions.

• Program Effectiveness – Strengthen impact, stewardship, and people leadership across the portfolio by supporting program leaders, clarifying outcomes, monitoring progress, building leadership and technical capacity, and helping teams navigate trade‑offs and barriers to their missions.

• Policy & Advocacy Leadership – Guide globally relevant policy and advocacy priorities grounded in technical, economic, political, and market realities, partnering with regional advocacy teams to adapt strategies to local contexts and influence policy outcomes.

• Resource Stewardship & Operational Excellence – Direct portfolio planning, budgeting, prioritization, and shared investments so resources are aligned with the highest-impact opportunities and teams have the structure, information, and support needed to deliver.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Build alignment across programs, solution portfolios, regions, and organizational functions while respecting program ownership and subject‑matter expertise and creating practical ways to collaborate.

• External Influence & Thought Leadership – Serve as a senior external representative, shape a clear narrative for systems‑level climate solutions, guide policy positions and thought leadership, and build trusted relationships across government, industry, finance, academia, media, philanthropy, and civil society.

• Fundraising & Partnership Development – Partner with Development, Communications, and senior leadership to set fundraising strategy, cultivate and steward funder relationships, pursue aligned opportunities, and secure resources that advance portfolio and program priorities.

You will succeed in this role by…