Director of People and Operations
About Climate Catalyst
Climate Catalyst is a new international organisation seeking to make a distinct and important contribution to tackling climate change — the greatest challenge facing humanity.
Their analysis to overcome this challenge is to generate the political and societal will to take the specific actions needed to rapidly reduce emissions from different sectors. While an incredible array of organisations is building pressure to achieve this and winning many battles, Climate Catalyst believes it is necessary to deepen the trust and collaboration among these organisations and to expand this community in order to accelerate progress and increase collective impact. Their aim is to make a significant contribution to these efforts.
As a strategic convenor, Climate Catalyst will bring together civil society, business and new champions for climate action. They will enable high-impact international and national coalitions to secure decisive action by governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — likely focusing on two to four issues annually.
In addition to convening campaigns, Climate Catalyst also aims to deliver wider and lasting benefits to the climate struggle, by enhancing connections and learning on how to achieve shared goals among a diverse network of allies including the private sector.
The organisation will be governed by a small Advisory Board of individuals playing leadership roles in the climate community, and personally committed to enhancing collaboration. A Strategic Council of senior figures from a wide range of organisations will also be established.
Climate Catalyst is currently housed by fiscal sponsor Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, who are responsible for issuing contracts.
Their starting point is a commitment to practice four core values:
- Courage: being highly ambitious for the desired impact, and determined about being open-minded and innovative in the development of strategies to achieve this.
- Collaboration: working with others in all activities.
- Diversity: reflecting diversity, scale and complexity of the climate struggle in recruitment, geography, and external relationships.
- Learning: listening and learning from leaders driving change on climate, and actively learning from own experience.
About the Role
The Head of People and Operations is responsible for developing and leading Climate Catalyst’s people and operations capabilities.
This is a new organisation, highly ambitious but also determined to learn and adapt as Climate Catalyst move forward. The Head of People and Operations will play a key role in this process, and shaping the organisation. The nature of the role will evolve as Climate Catalyst grows.
Purpose of the Role
For the first 1-2 years, this role will be focussed on developing the organisation’s people strategy, business plan, structure and ways of working within that structure, and recruiting great people into the roles that will be designed.
The Head of People and Operations will work closely with the Chief Architect to create an organisation in which its policies, systems and operating culture are all designed to embody and reinforce Climate Catalyst’s values, in a globally based, remotely working team environment.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Responsible for all areas of people, financial and operational management
- Develop, support and drive ongoing evolution of a people strategy tailored to the particular needs of Climate Catalyst
- Support ongoing development of the organisation’s design, structure and systems
- Develop the organisation’s business and financial model, maintaining budget oversight
- Internal culture and communications:
- support the Chief Architect and senior team to develop a practice of regular, structured internal communications for the remote team;
- select and implement tech (collaboration) systems as the organisation grows
- Own, implement and evolve the international rewards policy and system
- Oversee Climate Catalyst’s relationship with RPA as Fiscal Sponsor
- Oversee the relationship with Safeguard (as Employer of Record) via RPA
- Develop HR policies and processes–for example performance management and development, code of conduct and related policies.
- Support managers to develop their teams and their staff, and to handle disciplinary and other individual staff issues
- Line manage the Operations Manager
Skills and Experience
Essential
Experience
- At least two years’ experience leading in organisational operations and development in an international context, with emphasis on people-related matters (talent, rewards, people policies)
- Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing organisational development including structure, systems and processes as well as culture and communications
- Demonstrated experience in business planning and budget oversight
Competencies
- Collaborative and inclusive leadership
- Strategic thinking and acting
- Attention to detail
- Independence and initiative
- Discretion
- Strong interpersonal skills
- A learning mindset
- Strong people-management skills, including self-awareness and ability to delegate.
- Strong communication skills and a high level of fluency in written and spoken English.
Qualifications
- Demonstrable commitment to the Climate Catalyst values of courage, collaboration, diversity and learning
- Willing and able to travel internationally, should this be necessary and possible
Desirable
- Fluency in a second language, other than English
- Experience with internal communications and collaboration technology in a remote working environment
Diversity is a matter of principle for Climate Catalyst. It is also critical to their long-term success. Climate Catalyst aims to recruit leaders with different experiences, networks and perspectives, to help design strategies that can be highly effective in many different national contexts and with different stakeholders.