Program Officer, Natural Resources and Climate Justice – International

The application deadline is on February 12, 2025. Please submit both a resume and a cover letter to be considered.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Ford Foundation’s International Program in Natural Resources and Climate Justice (NRCJ-I) seeks a collaborative, strategic, team-oriented Program Officer (PO) to join their team.

The NRCJ-I program’s portfolio of grants is focused on ensuring that natural resource governance serves the public interest and reflects the aspirations of historically disadvantaged communities and land-connected peoples from the Global South–including Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant peoples, and rural communities. NRCJ-I team members are based in Foundation offices in the Andean Region, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and Central America, Southern Africa, the USA and West Africa and make grants to partners working primarily in these regions and globally. This position will be based in the New York City office. The NRCJ-I team has recently completed a refresh of its strategy, retaining its focus on enhancing community rights in natural resources but with a particular focus on enhancing these rights in relation to two pathways of climate change mitigation: the governance of forested lands, and the decarbonization of energy systems (for a summary see here). The PO should have extensive knowledge and deep experience in the second of these fields as well as professional familiarity with the former. While their grantmaking will focus primarily on justice in decarbonization pathways, they will also be involved in grants and other activities related to forest governance and will collaborate closely, including in grantmaking, with the other PO in the New York office.

POs at the foundation ensure that grantmaking strategies are developed to support the foundation’s strategic development framework: building strong and impactful institutions, supporting the leadership of people and supporting impactful projects. Reporting to the International Director of NRCJ and as a member of the NRCJ international team working across most of the Foundation’s offices, the PO will hold a variety of responsibilities related to program strategy, grant portfolio development and management, leadership, communications, and people management.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

The Program Officer is responsible for the development and implementation of a grant portfolio and ensuring all related activities (grant making, convenings, thought leadership, civil society strengthening, government relations) are designed to deliver on the NRCJ-I team’s goals and strategies. They will assess and analyze the landscape of organizations and identify which actors to work with to shape agendas that would promote specific strategic outcomes and make grants to this end. The Program Officer shares lessons with Foundation colleagues worldwide; collaborates broadly with the international NRCJ team; and serves as a ‘connector’ of grantees. They work with leaders in a variety of sectors on issues of common concern to leverage resources towards common goals.

More specifically as part of a multi-disciplinary team, the Program Officer will:

• Manage, monitor and coordinate a grants portfolio, including: annual grant planning, identifying and working with the Foundation’s grantees to develop proposals for grant recommendations, undertaking periodic reviews of progress with grantees, performing grantee site visits, and reviewing financial and narrative reports from grantees.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of the team’s strategy, working to fulfill the international program goals.
• Develop grantmaking activities in a team-oriented way, that are aligned with global and local strategy goals, and designed to achieve significant and scalable impact.
• Contribute to ensuring that the lenses of gender, disability and youth justice are integrated into the programming across the portfolio of grants and non-grantmaking activities.
• Develop, implement and collaborate in grantee convenings and reflections to strategize and review opportunities, challenges and advances.
• Recommend and participate in learning and evaluation activities to guide the evolution of programmatic work, promote exchange and strategic partnership.
• Represent the Foundation and its work to the government, media, academia, business, philanthropic and civic leaders through meetings, updates, speeches, briefings and interviews, with guidance from the International Director.
• Play a leadership role within the team, working toward and influencing team collaboration, team building and team effectiveness, modeling these skills for the team.
• Serve as a mentor and coach to Program Associate, Program Assistant, Technology Fellow and other team members.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• A minimum of 8 years leading social justice strategies related to climate justice, natural resources or international development.
• Subject-matter expertise in energy systems and transitions, and in extractive industry governance with a particular sensibility to community rights and the complex politics of justice around these themes.
• Deep understanding of and experience with national and global policy processes and social movement agendas surrounding energy transition and extractive industry governance.
• Expertise and experience in the global dimensions of just energy transition and resource governance, complemented by in-depth expertise in a given region, preferably, though not necessarily, a region in which the NRCJ program currently works.
• Exceptional leadership presence – internally and externally.
• Exceptional communications skills – strong active listening skills, constructive verbal and written skills, strong public presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be a productive member of a community of people at work, respecting differences while working toward shared goals, comfort with periods of ambiguity, constructive participation in ongoing organizational development.
• Ways of working and engaging that align with the Foundation’s mission, core values, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor.
• Experience in change management and organizational transition is preferred.
• Master’s/doctoral degree in related field of study or baccalaureate degree and equivalent experience.
• Fluency in a language other than English and international experience in the Global South are strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND TRAVEL

This position is primarily a sedentary role. However, the person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with internal staff, attend meetings, and access files, office machinery and a copy machine/printer. The foundation requires all staff to be in the office three days a week. Additionally, domestic and international travel will be expected (approximately 30-35% of time) to visit grantees and attend discussions, convenings, workshops, retreats and conferences.

The Ford Foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact, talentacquisitionhr@fordfoundation.org.

SALARY: The Ford Foundation is committed to practicing salary transparency. The minimum salary for this position is $173,000 and maximum is $185,000. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of this range. The final offer is determined by a candidate’s relevant experience and our commitment to internal equity. We review global compensation on a regular basis to ensure market competitiveness and equity. The hiring range for this position has been carefully crafted in alignment with the market.

LOCATION: This position is based in the foundation’s New York office. We operate in a hybrid model and require staff to be in the office three days per week.

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Fixed-term for an initial three years with a possibility of further renewal(s).

WORKING AT FORD

• Commitment to creating diverse teams where everyone feels represented and respected and to embedding equity and inclusion practices across our work and philanthropy at large
• A hybrid working model and flexible work arrangement policies offer colleagues the opportunity to engage in meaningful ways and the space to maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Professional development and ample opportunities to build your expertise and expand your network
• Comprehensive benefits package designed for your well-being and work-life needs, including medical, dental, and vision benefits effective on your first day
• Generous time off, including personal, vacation, sick, extended holiday time off, and wellness days
• Generous parental leave policy, including birth, surrogacy, adoptive, foster parents, and resources for backup child and elder care that support our colleagues’ ability to attend to family responsibilities
• Comprehensive retirement benefits options (with employee and employer contributions of up to 13%), allowing you to invest in your financial future with confidence

Learn more about what it’s like to work at the Ford Foundation.

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at The Ford Foundation, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law. The Ford Foundation does not discriminate against formerly incarcerated individuals.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements