Location: London, UK (this position is 60% office-based, with Mondays and Fridays working from home)
Reporting to: Director of Special Interest Programme (who is based in Oak Foundation’s Geneva office)
Type of contract: Full-time, temporary maternity-cover position (1 year, with potential to extend)
Starting date: October 2024
Application deadline: 23 June 2024
About Oak Foundation:
Oak Foundation commits its resources to addressing issues of global, social, and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. With offices in Europe, India, and North America, Oak Foundation makes grants to organisations located in approximately 40 countries worldwide.
About the Special Interest Programme
Driven by the interests and passions of Oak’s Trustees, the Special Interest Programme (SIP) provides the space and flexibility to make grants outside of Oak’s other programme strategies. Special Interest grants are diverse, supporting grantee partners in a wide range of fields, including medical research, education, environment, humanitarian relief, mental health, access to the arts, and much more. Trustees support inspiring leaders, organisations, and projects from the local to global levels, helping them to thrive and succeed in their missions.
Purpose of the role
The Foundation is currently recruiting a programme officer for the Special Interest Programme based in its London office. Programme officers manage relationships with Oak partners, and make grants, as directed by our Trustees.
Main responsibilities include:
- managing a large grants portfolio, including: research and rigorous due diligence to prepare grant recommendations and progress reports for Trustees. This includes reviewing partner budgets and financial statements.
- supporting impactful partners by: providing ongoing contact, communications, and site visits; and monitoring progress and supporting adaptations to achieve desired impact;
- establishing and maintaining good relationships with applicants/partners and Oak Foundation’s other partners
- supporting partners with organisational strengthening and the development of child safeguarding policies as needed
- assisting partners to overcome challenges and draw out lessons learned in ‘end of grant’ reports when grants close
- working collaboratively on cross-foundation initiatives as required
Position requirements:
- An advanced university degree or equivalent experience
- Five to seven years’ experience of working in the not-for-profit sector and/or in philanthropy, including experience in grant-making and project and budget management
- Proven work experience and expertise in two or more of the following areas – social justice, child welfare, educational reform, access to the arts, humanitarian aid, development or environmental issues
- Excellent writing and editing skills, and ability to work quickly to meet deadlines
- An understanding of intersectionality and inclusive approaches to grant-making
- Proven experience in building and maintaining partnerships
- Ability to work independently but also flexibly and collaboratively, as part of a small team based in three different locations
- Fluent in English; additional languages would also be an advantage
- Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills
- Discretion, humility, flexibility and a good sense of humour
- A commitment to Oak’s organisational values
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About us:
Established in 2021, Opportunity Green is a fast-growing not-for-profit organisation that helps to identify and unlock opportunities to tackle climate change. We build ambitious coalitions, support climate vulnerable countries in international negotiations and find innovative legal pathways to fight climate change. We are now looking for a Climate Economics & Diplomacy Senior Director to expand our work on a climate just economy.
What’s the role?
Economics is the study of the distribution of finite resources across our planet. And yet the profession often seems to forget that resources really are finite, and that distribution must be equitable. The number one argument we hear against most climate measures is economic: what about growth? What about jobs? What’s the business case? Opportunity Green’s Senior Director will develop our narrative to ward off these questions but more fundamentally, bring economics systems change – and how to influence policymakers to incorporate this change into their thinking - to the forefront of all our work. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for any economist who believes that the climate movement needs more economic expertise and can bring ideas on how to embed the necessary change in economic thinking to climate policy. You will be OG’s first economist hire (other than the CEO) and you will have the opportunity to shape our economics strategy.
Initially you will work with our established international shipping policy team, working to ensure that the shipping sector which is historically undertaxed, begins to contribute in financial terms to climate vulnerable countries. Meanwhile, many large shipping companies have large revenue which goes to shareholders in the global north. One of your first projects could be to assess the current geographical imbalance of financial flows from the shipping industry, and work alongside our international shipping team to reimagine the economics of the shipping sector to meet our climate goals.
A very similar argument can be made on the aviation side. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) currently only covers intra-EU flights but soon a discussion will be had on whether that should also cover international flights. Opportunity Green believes the EU ETS should cover international flights and that, very importantly, some of the ETS revenue must go to support the climate vulnerable. We are looking for someone who can support both these goals but more fundamentally, raise the profile of both sectors as potential sources of climate finance in broader international climate finance discussions.
However, we recognise that agreeing to raise revenue from aviation and shipping sectors is only the first step. The next step will be to ensure that those revenues actually reach climate vulnerable communities. The Senior Director will work with the international shipping team to expand OG’s policy on the distribution of revenues, with the explicit goal of maximising their support for climate vulnerable communities. You will follow international climate finance discussions and strategically intervene for OG when our goals can be supported.
Initially you will report to the CEO, while the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer is on parental leave. You will manage a team of three, with one direct line report initially, who are already well established in supporting climate vulnerable countries in the International Maritime Organization.
About the candidate:
We are looking for someone who can think strategically about how to gain the support of policymakers in the global north to support the most climate vulnerable across the world.
We are looking for a candidate with:
- An inspirational leadership style, who is brave enough to tell the truth about the climate crisis but is also respectful of international policymakers, who can use detailed economic arguments to inspire ambition.
Desirable skills and experience:
We do not expect any candidate to have all the skills listed below but rather we look for transferable skills and potential as well as past experience.
- Economics degree or equivalent working experience
- Experience working with policymakers to improve and drive ambition
- Experience of generating ideas to drive economics systems change and crafting an easily understandable narrative that can be communicated to policymakers around that change
- Ability to get to grips with technological and policy detail around aviation, shipping, buildings, steel and agriculture as necessary and to know when that detail is needed in policymaker meetings
- Experience of leading a team and working with staff to inspire the greatest possible impact, including remote staff
- Ability to clearly articulate a theory of change and direct a team to articulate that theory of change
- Active listening skills, negotiation skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders
- An engaging public speaker
- Ability to think critically, independently and creatively
- Effective at building relationships at all levels of the organisation
- Experience of philanthropy and fundraising for an NGO
Diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are important principles at OG. We believe that diversity and inclusion make teams stronger and more effective. We are committed to fair and equitable employment practices, and are striving to ensure that a variety of voices and experiences are included in our organisation. Our commitment to diversity and our parental leave policy are available to view on our website.
We will consider all applicants who meet most or all of the essential competencies regardless of their identity or background. That said, we know that diverse candidates may be reluctant to apply for jobs where they don’t meet 100% of the criteria outlined in the job description. We encourage anyone to apply who can demonstrate the variety of skills and experiences relevant to meeting the requirements of this role.
We recognise that many diverse experiences and perspectives are not represented in our current workforce, and are seriously underrepresented across the non-profit sector in general, and as such, we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, people of colour, people from marginalised backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities. We will use positive action under the Equality Act 2010 to appoint from these groups if two candidates are equally qualified. We also value flexible working and are open to those who would want to work part-time in this role.
To learn more about our application process and receive advice on how to prepare in such a way as to showcase your full potential, please find our Application Guide on our website.
What we offer
The successful candidate will be offered an annual salary of £80,000 plus 10% employer-contributed pension. Please note that OG has fixed salary scales, with the possibility of step increases with strong performance. When hiring we always hire at the bottom of a band and do not enter negotiations with new employees as negotiations have been historically shown to disadvantage women and minorities.
We take our team’s wellbeing and professional development seriously. In addition to a competitive salary, we offer:
- A commitment to work/life balance, with a 4-day work week at 28 hours
- A generous holiday entitlement of 20 days holidays per year, plus bank holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year’s that does not count towards your holiday entitlement (and expectation that you fully disconnect when taking time off)
- A market-leading pension of 10%
- A progressive parental leave policy, including 26 weeks paid leave for both parents
- Flexible working with plenty of opportunities to come together as a team.
- Support for your professional development as part of Opportunity Green, with a budget to support your learning & development plus opportunities to lead projects, publish content, learn from experts, work directly with policymakers and stakeholders, and take part in conferences and events.
- However, it is important to note that while this role is permanent, employment is always reliant on Opportunity Green continuing to receive philanthropic support from our funders, which we expect every member of the team to play their part in working towards.
How to apply:
Please click the relevant link to apply through our software: Applied.
To minimise the risk of unconscious bias, we ask that applicants remove certain identifying elements from their CVs. If you do not remove these details, we reserve the right to withdraw your application from review.
- Photos
- Name – if needed, please use ‘Applicant’
- Age
- Email and/or phone number
Unfortunately, if you do not already hold the right to work in the UK and/or require sponsorship to continue working in the UK, OG will not be able to consider your application at this time.
The closing date for applications is 24th June, 2024 at 9:00am UK time.
What happens next?
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online peer interview to discuss their experience and suitability for the role. After this, candidates that are most suitable for the vacancy will be invited for an in-person interview in our London office, for which there may also be a short task. Travel will be reimbursed for non-London-based applicants.
Online interviews are likely to take place w/c 8th July. In person interviews will likely be shortly after this the following week.
We reserve the right to ask for references during the recruitment process.
We actively encourage applicants to reach out if there are any reasonable adjustments we can make to help them demonstrate their full potential in the hiring process.
Please get in touch to discuss how we can make the recruitment process as accessible and comfortable for you as possible.
Senior Climate Resilience Adviser (2053)
Location: OGB London/Oxford or Kenya (Nairobi)
Hours: 36 hours per week
Salary: £49,601- £58,940 FTE for UK location (or in accordance with local salary scales)
Job Type: Open ended
Closing Date: 28 June 2024
Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.
Do you have experience of designing and implementing resilience programmes and influencing strategies across a variety of conflict and fragile contexts?
Do you have strong technical knowledge of climate resilience and anticipatory action in conflict and fragile contexts?
If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you.
The Role:
Oxfam is looking for a Senior Climate Resilience Adviser to drive the development and execution of resilience programmes and strategies integrating community driven approaches to resilience and increasing Oxfam’s work in the area of humanitarian, development and peace nexus. As the Senior Climate Resilience Adviser, you will be the linchpin in our efforts to design, implement, and lead climate resilience programmes and strategies across fragile and conflict-affected areas.
This role involves:
- Strategic Leadership: Working with country and regional partners to support the development and delivery of climate resilience programmes and strategies within conflict and fragile contexts, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and the triple nexus approach.
- Technical Guidance: Provide expert advice and support on integrating climate resilience and anticipatory action into triple nexus programming for conflict and fragile contexts, employing a decolonised and intersectional lens to ensure interventions are culturally sensitive and locally led.
- Partnership Development: Foster strategic influencing partnerships with climate resilience leads in UK with FCDO, UN and international bodies, academic and other strategic organisations to enhance programme impact policy discussions and research, and drive policy and practice change to enable funding mechanisms and partnerships.
- Fundraising and influencing: support or lead fundraising efforts and, using programmatic and sector-wide learning, influence donor practices and policies to better achieve Nexus programming and adoption of decolonised resilience approaches .
- Learning and Innovation: Develop and test innovative approaches that integrate climate resilience and triple nexus programming in fragile and conflict contexts. Promote a learning culture, encouraging the documentation, communication and integration of lessons learned into programmes and policy (especially UK government humanitarian and development policy).
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Collaboration: working collaboratively across disciplines, broker dialogue and build shared agendas between teams for integrated programming and influencing, listen and build consensus amongst diverse stakeholders.
What we are looking for:
We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam's mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability and inclusion in all you do.
An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:
- Demonstrated ability in resilience and climate change initiatives, particularly in humanitarian settings, conflict and fragile contexts.
- Experience in technical advice and programme development and/or programme delivery and evaluation in climate resilient initiatives, inclusive of anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction, early warning systems.
- Exhibit a deep understanding of climate resilience principles within fragile and conflict contexts. Experience in strategy development, bid writing, proposal development & programme design with diverse teams in person and online.
- Demonstrable experience of integrating the triple nexus (humanitarian, development, peace) approach in programme design and implementation.
- Experience in facilitating, mentoring, and coaching teams, with a strong track record of working collaboratively with country teams and leaders in the Global South.
We offer:
The role will give you an opportunity to join a strong team of passionate people working to tackle the persistent global challenge of climate resilience in conflict and fragility and moving beyond the status quo to promote economic and climate justice. This role will have the opportunity to collaborate across regions, countries and diverse technical areas. We offer a competitive benefits package, opportunities for professional growth, and the flexibility to bring your whole self to work.
We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits.
From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more.
Flexfam:
We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you.
How to apply:
As part of your online application, please upload your CV and a detailed cover letter highlighting your journey, experiences, and why you're the perfect fit for this transformative role. Let's collaborate to build a resilient future for communities worldwide.
Our values and commitment to safeguarding
Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.
We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
About us
Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.
Oxfam GB is a member of international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.
A thriving diverse Oxfam:
It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.
To do that:
- We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
- We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
- We want and need everyone, and that means we need you!