Associate Director, Climate Programs, Global Energy Center

~ The Atlantic Council strives for a future in which everyone has access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. We work for a world where energy fosters cooperation instead of fueling conflict. ~

We aim for an open and transparent global energy governance and trading system instead of resource nationalism. We strive for an end to energy poverty and recognize the need to effectively address climate change in order to forge a pathway to a future powered by clean energy. To achieve this vision, the Global Energy Center is establishing itself as a leader on today’s most pressing global energy issues, including energy geopolitics, climate change, clean energy and innovation, and global and domestic market behavior.

Our Mission: The Global Energy Center promotes global access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. Alongside government, industry, and civil society partners, the Center devises creative responses to energy-related geopolitical conflicts, advances sustainable energy solutions, and identifies trends to help develop energy strategies and policies that ensure long-term prosperity and growth.

Our Impact: Since the Center’s launch in January 2015, our work has included 120 events across the United States, Europe, and Asia. We have hosted leadership from governments and organizations from around the world. The Global Energy Center has published more than 16 publications and 100 blogs and articles, which address a wide range of topics including European energy security, the reemergence of Iran in the energy market, Russia under sanctions, the North American energy boom, and the ascendance of non-OECD consumers.

Position Overview

The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center is seeking an entrepreneurial and organized Associate Director to manage our programs on climate change, including a multi-year grant-funded effort comprised of several distinct but related program areas, including climate change and national security, the clean energy economy, and bipartisan climate policy mechanisms and solutions.

The Associate Director will take a leading role in designing, implementing, and executing programming for the project. His or her primary responsibility will be, working with the Global Energy Center resident team and non-resident senior fellows, to take proposed program areas from concept to reality, translating ideas into concrete programming and designing and implementing a work plan to execute and deliver tangible results in the form of events, written products, and social media campaigns. In addition to program design and implementation, he or she will also be expected to drive the work plan, establish and meet deadlines, and conduct all necessary record keeping and reporting with rigorous attention to detail. 

The ideal candidate will be excited about the opportunity to help design and implement interesting and engaging programming, have significant climate-related subject matter expertise and project management skills, and a demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment. 

More concretely, the ideal candidate will have a graduate degree, preferably in energy or climate policy, international studies or a related field, and at least three years of relevant experience. In addition to subject matter expertise and strong organizational and administrative skills, the ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage senior fellows, stakeholders, and experts. Finally, the ideal candidate will have a sense of humor, and demonstrate persistence and self-motivation in exploring new ideas and setting and meeting goals and deadlines. 

Responsibilities

• Working with the Global Energy Center team, design and implement a work plan for climate-related programs. 
• Plan and manage events and other deliverables related to the project. 
• Conduct all necessary tracking and reporting, particularly with respect to foundation support. 
• Coordinate the work of senior fellows and external experts working on the various program areas and manage the project’s intellectual output, including written products. 
• Coordinate with GEC staff on the project’s design, implementation, and execution. 
• Seek opportunities to increase the visibility of the Global Energy Center and its work on climate-related programming in DC, the US more broadly, and internationally.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in International Affairs or related field, or in a field related to energy, climate change or environmental science.
• Minimum 3 years work experience in a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in project management.
• Proven organizational and administrative skills and an ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including an ability to work well in a team and deal effectively with individuals ranging from interns to top officials in government and the private sector.
• Knowledge of key issues and players in climate issues, including in government, private sector, academic and nonprofit sectors is strongly preferred. 
• Strong writing and editing skills in English are required. Proficiency in a foreign language preferred.