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About Tara Climate Foundation

Tara Climate Foundation is an Asia-based philanthropic organisation committed to building a more sustainable and prosperous future for the region. At the heart of their mission lies Asia’s just energy transition – recognising that, with half the world’s population and the fastest-growing energy demand, the region’s progress will shape the world’s collective future.  

Established in 2021 and headquartered in Singapore, Tara Climate Foundation works with over 400 partners across 12 Asian geographies, including think tanks, research institutes, advisory groups, and associations. Tara provides grants, convenes stakeholders, and facilitates knowledge-sharing to accelerate clean energy development, drive a just transition, and enable clean industrialisation. Underpinning these efforts is a strong commitment to unlocking sustainable finance, supporting climate goals, and aligning business action with a people-centred energy transition. Its team of over 50 experts is spread across the Asia-Pacific region, working to accelerate climate action in this decisive decade. 

About the Role

The Senior Programme Officer, Japan, works closely with the Programme Director, East Asia, and the Deputy Japan Programme Director to advance Tara Climate Foundation’s Japan programme. The role sits within the wider Japan team and contributes directly to the country’s strategy to accelerate renewable energy deployment and industrial decarbonisation. 

Purpose of the Role

This role requires a strategic professional knowledgeable about Japan’s overseas public and private finance architecture and able to develop grant-making strategies to scale clean energy investment and advance decarbonisation outcomes across Asia. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Programme Strategy

• Lead the development of strategies to support Japan’s overseas development financing for a just energy transition, with emphasis on mobilising and aligning public finance for clean energy deployment and power sector decarbonisation across Asia. 
• Work closely with partners to shape integrated approaches that engage key financing institutions and governmental stakeholders across Japan, Southeast and South Asia.
• Contribute to the formulation of the national long-term strategy and annual objectives, aligned with Tara’s organisational vision and goals.
• Identify and support grantees and strategic interventions that advance climate ambition within priority sectors.
• Contribute to quarterly progress updates and annual reporting on programme outcomes, impact, and lessons learned.
• Support the development of budgets, performance frameworks, and key performance indicators to ensure effective programme tracking.
• Contribute to funding proposals and donor reporting requirements.
• Support the Programme Director and Deputy Director in designing and implementing projects that advance the country strategy, including the development and implementation of a grant-making strategy in collaboration with national partners.  

Partnerships and Coordination

• Engage public and private financial institutions and key stakeholders across Japan and Asia to advance clean energy finance and overseas development financing. 
• Identify and onboard strategic partners and grantees aligned with programme priorities.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, financial institutions, industry, NGOs, think tanks, and regional organisations across Japan,  Southeast Asia, and South Asia.
• Support coordination among partners to align efforts on renewable energy deployment and power sector decarbonisation, and strengthen regional collaboration and networks.

Grant-making and Monitoring

• Manage a programme budget and partner grants, including developing and incubating new partners. 
• Guide and advise grantees, partners, and prospective partners in the field to ensure activities achieve their intended objectives and results. 
• Monitor grantee and partner deliverables and submissions, and provide general oversight on their timeliness and quality. 

Representation and Networking

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders, including funders, civil society, business and government, as needed to advance programme objectives. 
• Support Tara’s partners to develop constructive working relationships with government agencies, international financial institutions, and diplomatic missions. By doing so, they will support Tara’s partners’ work to strengthen Japan’s position and influence in international climate and energy forums. 

Convening and collaboration

• Facilitate collaboration among programme partners and other stakeholders by organising meetings and workshops to foster joint initiatives and learning.
• Collaborate effectively with Tara regional thematic and programme support specialists. 

Compliance and risk management

• Follow all organisational standard operating procedures and policies, including compliance, budget and financial management, human resources, procurement and IT. 
• Support risk management, safeguarding and safety & security management to protect people, information and assets. 

Operational responsibilities

• Promote a culture of excellence, service orientation, high performance, and continuous improvement.  
• Demonstrate Tara’s values in every action. 
• Actively participate in Programme Team activities and collaborate with other Tara team members.  
• Comply with organisational policies, procedures, and practices.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as reasonably assigned by line management in consultation with the post holder.

Stakeholder Management

Key external stakeholders

• Partners
• Civil Society Organisations
• Academics
• Businesses
• Government Officials
• Policy Makers
• Funders

Key internal stakeholders

• Programme Director
• Grants Officer
• Regional Programme Team
• Regional Tara Team Members

Skills and Experience

Person Specification

Excited by the opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven, fast-growing international organisation addressing the climate crisis, the ideal candidate will have:

• 10+ years of experience in climate, clean energy, policy, trade, diplomacy, or international climate finance.
• 5+ years of management experience, including supervision of junior team members or small teams.

In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate

• Understanding how to create systematic change in the energy sector.
• Strong motivation and understanding to address the climate crisis. 
• An innate grasp of strategy, systems thinking, and the ability to articulate  
• strategies clearly and compellingly, and the ability to translate strategy into implementation. 
• Robust understanding of economic development planning processes and the dynamics in the corporate and finance sector. 
• Strong experience in international climate finance, including overseas development financing and clean energy public finance in Asia.
• Strong understanding of Japan’s political, economic, and institutional context in relation to energy transition and sustainable development.
• Experience working in international or multicultural environments, including exposure to diplomacy or international organisations (an asset). 
• Demonstrated policy analysis skills. 
• Demonstrated communication and networking skills that enable effective collaboration with a diverse group of partners. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Japanese. 
• Reliable computer skills with standard applications (e.g., Microsoft Outlook,  Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Used to working flexibly at a fast pace in remote settings with multi-cultural teams across multiple time zones.

Personal attributes

• Deep commitment to solving the climate crisis and enabling systemic change.
• Intrinsic motivation, excellent organisational and self-management skills; 
• Deeply collaborative, low-ego, and treats partners and grantees as equals rather than as recipients of funder oversight. 
• Willingness to travel both regionally and internationally.
• Impeccable ethics and experience working confidentially and operating with high security. 
• Embraces Tara’s mission, identifies with, and is committed to living the Tara Values.

Education

• Master’s degree/Advanced degree or relevant expertise in renewable energy, environmental management, business administration, economics, or sustainable development. 

What the Tara Climate Foundation can offer

• The unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international  team that combines its passion to make a difference with a rigorous and  results-oriented approach to work 
• A flexible work environment  
• Opportunities for career development and to challenge yourself 
• Competitive compensation and benefits 
• A collaborative, fun and thriving team, driven by their mission and living their values