Senior Program Officer

Summary

Join ICLEI USA as a Senior Program Officer, Equity and play a pivotal role in advancing equity in sustainability and resilience work at the local level. Reporting to the Director of Programs, you will lead strategic initiatives, implement member-driven projects, and provide technical support to staff and members. This fully remote position requires strong project management, communication, and interpersonal skills. You will work collaboratively with diverse partners and stakeholders to advance the field of practice and inform ICLEI's strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate possesses direct or lived experience working with frontline and low-income communities and a demonstrated history of centering racial and economic justice in their work. This position offers a competitive salary, a generous benefits package, and opportunities for professional growth and networking.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience working on equity or environmental justice, direct work or lived experience working with frontline or underserved communities is strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of local governance and/or direct experience working with or advising local governments on the topics of equity or environmental justice, preferably with some expertise on the intersections of equity and sustainability, adaptation/ resilience, or nature-based solutions
• An advanced degree in urban planning, environmental science, public policy, public health, sustainability, or a similar field, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong project- and time-management skills, political acumen, and a demonstrated track record of successfully developing, leading, and implementing strategic initiatives and client-focused projects
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. The applicant must be a strong writer and editor with the demonstrated ability to produce clear, rigorous, accessible and policy-relevant deliverables. The applicant must have experience successfully presenting, facilitating and/or leading sessions, virtually and in-person, for a variety of audiences
• Strong interpersonal and client-service skills are needed to navigate ICLEI USA’s highly matrixed organization focused on delivering actionable products and working with a diverse Membership of local leaders and other partners
• An ability to work both collaboratively and independently in a dynamic and evolving organization is required, including being comfortable working in virtual settings
• Senior Program Officers are expected to have a can-do attitude and be willing to problem-solve independently and implement programming with limited oversight
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed (approximately 3 to 5 trips per year)

Responsibilities

• Support the development of a strategy for growing ICLEI USA’s work with Members under our Equity Pathway
• Lead work to integrate equity considerations across our technical programming for Members in coordination with Pathway leads working on resilience, zero emissions, nature-based solutions, and/or circular economy
• Lead work with ICLEI USA’s Senior Climate Mobility and Cities Fellow and Members on climate migration and mobility
• Serve as the member advisor for a group of local government Members, including Tribal Members, and support the development of programming to better support Tribes
• Provide technical assistance to Members looking for guidance under the Equity Pathway
• Lead technical writing and research projects to develop deliverables in support of the Equity Pathway and to implement funded projects
• Develop and deliver ICLEI USA’s Equity Pathway educational offerings, including our Member peer-learning cohorts, and support efforts to integrate equity in similar offerings led by the other Pathway leads (e.g. best practices for engaging communities through resilience and sustainability planning and implementation)
• Support fundraising and development efforts to implement ICLEI USA’s Equity Pathway strategy in coordination with the Director of Programs and ICLEI USA’s development team
• Engage with partners and other stakeholders to advance the field of practice and inform ICLEI’s strategic initiatives related to equity and climate action at the local level (e.g. city sustainability and community engagement staff; partner organizations supporting work on equity at the local level; other local government networks; funders; university partners, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to build and sustain relationships with diverse partners, including coalition-building organizations, community-based and other frontline organizations
• A self-starter with experience leading multi-person teams in the successful implementation of projects under tight timelines
• Fundraising and development experience is highly desired
• Experience delivering trainings or technical assistance, facilitating community engagement processes, and/or delivering direct customer service
• Bi-lingual candidates are encouraged to apply and indicate language skills on their resume

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Remote work, flexible hours
• Professional development opportunities