Director of the Center for Market Innovation

The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth.

Position Overview:

The Director of the Center for Market Innovation (CMI Director) will have the unique opportunity to be at the interface of market innovation and high-level public policymaking. The Director will be responsible for setting CMI's priorities; developing strategic relationships; mentoring and reviewing CMI staff; interfacing with NRDC's program staff and executive leadership; and managing major donor relationships.

The Director will also collaborate with NRDC's Energy and Climate programs to build on the Cap 2.0 project and manage NRDC's relationship with Environmental Entrepreneurs, a national community of individual business leaders that work with NRDC to advocate for good environmental policy.

Responsibilities:

Includes the following and other duties as assigned:

• Manage a dozen professional staff with deep expertise in energy and climate and business experience ranging from finance to renewable energy and efficiency.
• Collaborate with NRDC's Energy and Climate programs to build on the Cap 2.0 project - an economic analysis of various climate policy design strategies - to advocate for and support implementation of well-designed climate and energy policy that earns strong business sector support.
• Manage NRDC's programmatic relationship with Environmental Entrepreneurs, a national community of individual business leaders that work with NRDC to advocate for good environmental policy that builds economic prosperity.
• Lead a CMI team in designing and advocating for public policy and capital markets innovations that encourage rapid scale up of investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy, both domestically and internationally.
• Drive CMI's outreach and negotiations with the financial sector on a range of climate and energy market transformation initiatives such as energy efficiency and location efficient lending and carbon indices.
• Contribute to senior NRDC institutional Committees and overall strategic planning.
• Represent CMI and NRDC at external business and policy meetings and events.
• Support ongoing, high-level fundraising efforts for the CMI and broader NRDC institutional needs, and cultivate new sources of major gifts and grants.

Qualifications:

The successful applicant will have the following minimum qualifications:

• 10+ years of business and policy experience in a top-tier management consulting firm, the financial sector, or operational level experience in other relevant industries.
• Demonstrated leadership in problem solving, project development and implementation.
• Advanced degree in business, economics, public policy, public administration, related field or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus, develop effective coalitions and manage collaborative projects.
• Strong knowledge of energy and climate markets and policy.
• Demonstrated excellence in managing a diverse team of professionals.
• Superior communication skills, including proven success engaging with a broad range of stakeholders in both the public and private sectors.
• Ability to interface effectively with high net worth individuals, foundations and other sources of major gifts.
• Knowledge of environmental issues preferred.

Compensation: The Natural Resources Defense Council offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience. 

The expected start date for this position is October, 2009. The position will be located in New York, NY.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should follow this link to submit a resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. No phone calls, please.      

The Natural Resources Defense Council is an equal opportunity employer.