Senior Associate, Operations

About the Organization

ClimateWorks Foundation is a global organization committed to our mission: to end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy. Since our founding in 2008, we have awarded over $1.8 billion in grants to more than 850 organizations working to advance climate solutions around the world. We helped grow the field of climate philanthropy to where it stands today, establishing infrastructure, global networks, and momentum for continued growth. Through our Global Programs and Services, we equip philanthropy with global knowledge, networks, and solutions to drive climate progress.

·       Scaling solutions: Our collaborative Global Programs — focused on solution areas including carbon dioxide removal, cooling, industry, transportation, and more — produce results that are bending the greenhouse gas emissions curve. From the U.S. to Europe, China, Brazil, and beyond, we collaborate with a diverse community of funders, NGOs, and climate leaders to accelerate just and equitable climate solutions.

·       Guiding and supporting funders: Our Global Services provide funders with comprehensive resources to assess, build, evolve, and execute high-impact climate-giving strategies. Our Global Intelligence service equips funders and the climate community with climate insights to pinpoint opportunities for impact and philanthropic insights to help identify investment priorities. We facilitate Global Collaborations that enable funders to increase individual and collective impact. Our Global Grantmaking services enable funders to invest in climate solutions around the world. 

·       Fostering collaboration, exploration, and growth: Our collaborative approach and commitment to learning ensures that we continuously explore innovative ideas and emerging opportunities — all with the aim of scaling philanthropy-supported initiatives to help end the climate crisis.

As experts in climate science, public policy, economic and social analysis, and strategic philanthropy, ClimateWorks’ staff understands the multi-faceted challenges and opportunities of climate change. We are researchers, strategists, collaborators, and grantmakers who care passionately about our mission. For more information, please visit www.climateworks.org. 

Department Summary

The Planning and Operations Team is responsible for designing and implementing processes that support decision-making at ClimateWorks and help teams to prioritize, collaborate, and achieve their goals. This includes managing the Annual Planning process for teams to agree priorities and align activities with available funding, ensuring the success of our hybrid work approach by overseeing in-person events and managing hybrid-related policies, and driving key organization-wide projects and priorities. The Planning team works in partnership across the organization, and collaborates especially closely with the Human Resources, Finance, Information Systems and Technology, Facilities, JEDI, and Communications teams to develop, test, and improve our policies, guidance, and ways of working.

Job Summary

CWF seeks a collaborative and experienced Senior Associate to support Operations and Planning to enhance ClimateWorks Operations and ensure that our ways of working reflect our JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) commitments. The Senior Associate will report to the Director for Operational Effectiveness but support operations for all of ClimateWorks, working in close partnership with colleagues from HR, Finance, Accounting, JEDI, Information Systems and Technology, Philanthropic Partnerships, and across the organization. Key focus areas will include supporting our global footprint, ensuring success in our hybrid working environment, managing organizational risks, designing and implementing new processes, managing efforts to maintain updated policies and clear timelines for processes, and supporting our annual planning process.

The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and have a passion for ensuring equity and supporting an inclusive work culture in Operations. They will enjoy collaborating across teams and cultures to develop and implement processes and policies that support ClimateWorks’ mission.

Essential Tasks 

▪ Provide project management support for key operations efforts as needed, including our Enterprise Risk Management approach and regular capacity assessments.

▪ Design and draft policies and processes that meet ClimateWorks’ evolving needs and align with our JEDI principles, integrating feedback from staff and leadership.

▪ Support the overall Operations and Planning functions by developing meeting agendas, taking notes, and tracking follow-ups for department and cross-department meetings.

▪ Coordinate Operations support for ClimateWorks’ evolving global footprint, including offices and projects based outside of the United States.

▪ Manage the process of regularly reviewing and revising ClimateWorks policies, especially as they relate to our hybrid work approach and decision-making.

▪ Partner with staff and leadership in brainstorming and problem-solving sessions to address new opportunities or challenges as they arise.

▪ Support our hybrid work approach by testing new practices, tracking the impact of our efforts, and designing new practices for all staff.

▪ Develop visual aides, slides, and other materials to communicate policies, processes, and other information to staff and leadership.

▪ Ensure that the organizational calendar for operations and planning is up-to-date and accessible for all staff.

▪ Partner with operations functions to ensure that the annual planning process provides information necessary for decision-making.

Required Qualifications

▪ Minimum 5 years of experience in supporting Operations, preferably in an organization with a global footprint.

▪ Experience in bringing a JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) lens to operations work and policy development.

▪ Ability to join occasional calls outside of standard working hours to support staff and partners across Europe and Asia.

▪ Experience building relationships and collaborating in a virtual environment.

▪ A commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment.

▪ Demonstrated understanding of non-profit Operations and Finances

▪ Experience using relevant systems (including Asana, Salesforce, Slack, Adaptive) or similar products preferred. 

Compensation

ClimateWorks offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience (geographic differential applied based on location).

Salary Range (Bay Area / NYC): $90,000 - $95,000 annually

Salary Range (Other US): $85,000 to $90,000 annually

***ClimateWorks strives to create an equitable culture of transparency and fairness.

Location

ClimateWorks Foundation is based in the San Francisco Financial District. This position is classified as US Flexible. Exceptional candidates can work from the SF office or from other locations, geographic differential applied to compensation based on local cost of labor.

Commitment to Racial and Social Justice

At ClimateWorks Foundation, we are driven by our vision of creating a thriving planet for all living beings for generations to come. We aim to foster an inclusive workplace that values diverse lived experiences and emphasizes the voices of marginalized people — especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color — who are most vulnerable to climate impacts, and whose voices, ideas, and leadership are crucial to winning the climate fight.

To ensure that we are making meaningful progress, we have made a set of diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments across all dimensions of our work to further our mission and realize our vision. For more information, please visit: Fostering Racial and Social Justice in Pursuit of our Mission

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at ClimateWorks Foundation and as such we are committed to creating a diverse and multi-cultural work environment. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race), ethnicity, religion, color, sex (including childbirth, breast feeding, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniform service member and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, termination, promotions, transfers, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms and conditions of employment.

ClimateWorks Foundation is committed to complying with all laws protecting qualified individuals with disabilities, as well as employees’ religious beliefs and practices. This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, termination, promotions, transfers, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms and conditions of employment. ClimateWorks Foundation will provide a reasonable accommodation for any known physical or mental disability of a qualified individual and/or employees’ religious beliefs and practices, as required by law.

If you require an accommodation, please notify Human Resources. Once ClimateWorks Foundation is aware of the need for an accommodation, it will engage in an interactive process to identify possible accommodations.

Application Process

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To be considered for this position, interested candidates must submit a resume and cover letter. This position will remain open until filled.

Employment at the ClimateWorks Foundation is at-will.

Benefits

ClimateWorks offers an excellent benefits package:

Healthcare Plans:

Multiple options available through Kaiser & UHC

• HMO - 100% coverage for employee and dependents
• POS - Employee pays difference beyond HMO coverage (3 out of 4 POS options are at 100% coverage for employee and dependents)
• Dental –100% coverage for employee and dependents
• Vision – 100% coverage for employee and dependents

Fertility Benefit

• Fertility care through Carrot Fertility. Access to on-demand doctor-approved content, pregnancy support, and virtual chats with medical, legal, and regulatory experts.

Disability Benefit (long and short-term)

Life Insurance (3x base salary up to $750k for employee only)

PTO

• 20 days (1st year)
• 25 days (2nd - 8th year)
• 30 days (9th year)

Holidays

• 11 Observed and 2 floating

401k Plan

• After 6 months of service, CWF automatically contributes 9% of gross earnings per pay period to retirement fund*
• After 6 months of service, CWF matches 100% of employee contributions up to a max of 6% of gross earnings per pay period*