Senior Director, Climate and Rights; position

Senior Director, Climate and Rights (12-month position)

Washington DC, (possible consideration to CA, NY, NJ and MA)

ABOUT GREENPEACE
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest, creative communication and people power to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. In just the past year, we’ve secured a Global Oceans Treaty to protect wildlife and people who depend on healthy oceans. We persuaded the Biden Administration to phase out single‑use plastics from federal operations.

And we safeguarded healthy spaces, from national marine sanctuaries to bans on seabed mining to stopping liquefied national gas terminals poisoning Gulf Coast communities. Our work spans more than 50 years of fights and successes.

As an independent campaigning organization, Greenpeace does not accept funds from any corporations or government entities. The global Greenpeace network is headquartered in the Netherlands, with offices around the world in over fifty countries. Greenpeace USA is headquartered in Washington, DC.

POSITION SUMMARY

The United States is at a historic crossroads. Climate impacts are accelerating, democratic institutions and civic rights are under sustained attack, and corporate power continues to undermine both environmental progress and people’s ability to shape the future. The decisions made in this moment will reverberate for generations.

Greenpeace USA seeks a dynamic, strategic, and values‑driven leader to serve as Senior Director, Climate & Rights
—a senior role responsible for leading and integrating our climate and democracy campaign portfolios as a unified, coordinated body of work. This role recognizes a core truth of our time: a livable climate depends on a functioning democracy, protected civic space, and the right to dissent. The Senior Director, Climate & Rights is a highly visible leadership role within the Programs Department, and will collaborate in close partnership with the Senior Oceans Campaign Director and other senior program leaders across GPUS’s Program, Legal, Communications, Engagement and Development teams.

This position will also manage two direct reports – the Democracy Campaign Director and the Climate Campaign Director.

The Senior Director, Climate & Rights is a highly visible leadership role within the Programs Department and reports to the Chief Program Officer. The Director manages the Climate Campaign Director and Democracy Campaign Director, and works in close partnership with the Senior Director of Oceans and other senior program leaders.

The Senior Director, Climate & Rights is a 12‑month contract full‑time, exempt, benefits‑eligible, hybrid, position, preferably based in Washington D.C. Candidates in other GPUS‑authorized locations (CA, NY, NJ, MA) will be considered. This role reports to the Chief Program Officer.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership and Integration

• Provide senior leadership and strategic direction for Greenpeace USA’s integrated Climate & Rights portfolio, in partnership with the Chief Program Officer and Executive Director.
• Ensure that climate and democracy strategies are aligned, coordinated, and mutually reinforcing, with clear priorities and outcomes.
• Translate organizational strategy, risk appetite, and capacity constraints into focused, executable campaign direction.
• Identify opportunities where democracy and rights strategies strengthen climate outcomes—and vice versa.
• Provide leadership for our work to defend speech and peaceful protest against SLAPP lawsuits.
• Partner with Development and senior leadership to support fundraising efforts, helping translate Climate & Rights strategies and impact into compelling donor narratives, funder briefings, and strategic opportunities that advance Greenpeace USA’s revenue and growth goals.

Management of Senior Campaign Leaders

• Directly manage and support the Climate Campaign Director and Democracy Campaign Director, serving as a coach, thought partner, and accountability point.
• Ensure Directors and their teams are aligned on strategy, timelines, resourcing, and ways of working.
• Support Directors in…