Director, Environmental Innovation Institute

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a leading national nonprofit organization, links science, economics, law and innovative partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. 

EDF pioneered the NGO/corporate partnership model and over the past twenty years has helped businesses across the country take bold moves to adopt green practices and technologies that also improve their bottom line. 

Our partnerships achieve aggressive environmental goals -and set new industry standards.  To multiply the benefits, we widely publicize the innovations, motivating competing companies to reach and exceed these new standards.  Corporate partners have included DuPont, FedEx, McDonald's, and Wal-Mart. For more information on our work visit our website.

The success of our partnerships has positioned us as the go-to group for companies seeking to make change, and demand for our work has never been greater.  As a means of meeting that demand, we are launching an Environmental Innovation Institute to catalog and widely disseminate environmental best practices to a broad corporate audience, and to catalyze a new community of corporate environmental leaders.  

The Institute will provide new tools and information that companies can use today to reduce their environmental footprint.  By overcoming the executive information gap, the Institute will be a source of information, inspiration and innovation for companies wanting to improve their environmental profile.  

Our goal is to create the most widely recognized source for information on substantive actions companies can take to reduce their environmental footprint, and to engage the majority of Fortune 1000 firms in taking those steps, sharing the results, and creating the next generation of environmental best practices.

Position Overview: 

This position will manage a major new Environmental Defense Fund initiative that will engage Fortune 1000 companies to reduce their environmental footprint and create the next generation of environmental best practices.

Responsibilities: 

The Director's overall role is to oversee the development, launch and growth of the Institute.   The Director will be responsible for:

• Developing content and on-line tools that will attract users and lead to measurable environmental results;
• Establishing and growing the initiative's user-base through marketing, networking and building relationships with business schools, management consultants and other relevant organizations;
• Managing social media elements of the Institute (i.e. Wiki, blogs, list serves, etc.) to promote interaction between members and as a tool for understanding the impact of the Institute content and programs on user companies;
• Developing actual Institute programs to augment the virtual Institute, including training programs for corporate managers, internships and fellowships and others;
• Managing the annual EDF Innovations Review report;
• Coordinating with EDF's partnership project managers to translate partnership innovations into Institute tools and programs;
• Building new intellectual capital in response to user surveys and to augment EDF's reputation and impact in the corporate sector;
• Gathering user feedback and using it to improve the effectiveness of the Institute in achieving measurable environmental change.
• Developing innovative tools and systems for fostering collaboration between Institute members and engaging with entrepreneurs and investors to identify and promote funding for significant environmental innovations.
• Preparing and managing annual budgets for Institute development and upkeep, identifying opportunities to cultivate funders and developing fundraising strategies that promote the Institute vision and create excitement and buy-in from the funder community.

Qualifications: 

Necessary background includes a strong interest in and knowledge of corporate environmental issues, experience communicating and working with major companies and industries, excellent writing and communicating skills, knowledge of social media and Web 2.0 technologies, and overall success in the presentation and marketing of ideas.  Specific qualifications include:

• An MBA or other graduate degree related to business or policy; Web development, social media and content management skills a plus;
• A minimum of 5-7 years working in knowledge/project management, business strategy , online media or a related discipline including specific experience working with major corporations;
• Demonstrated success at building new entrepreneurial initiatives and at achieving measurable results within the context of initiative goals.
• An understanding and appreciation of the value of environmental protection and the opportunity for business to solve the environmental challenges of the future;
• Exceptional written and oral communication, and personal organization skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to multi-task independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, dynamic and creative environment.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience.

Location:  The preference for this position is in our Boston, MA office but candidates in Washington D.C. and San Francisco will be considered.

To Apply:

Please email, mail or fax forward their cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Cheryl Pickard, Human Resource Generalist.

1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Environmental Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.