Environment and Climate Change (EC2) Program Leader

The Institute of the Americas’ Environment and Climate Change (EC2) Program is seeking a talented, fully-bilingual (Spanish) candidate to come on board as Program Leader to build on IOA’s on-going work in promoting expanded sustainability leadership and climate action in the communities that we serve across the Americas.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitoring policy developments, as well as assessing and authoring research and analysis and development of programming on emerging climate, biodiversity, and environmental issues of hemispheric relevance with special emphasis on sustainable maritime transport and ports.
• Develop, in coordination with the Gulf of California Marine Program (GCMP) director, EC2’s programming (webinars, conferences, forums, site-visits) and adjust yearly priorities. Events include those at the Institute of the Americas, in Latin America and Caribbean countries (LAC), as well as virtually.
• Search for new project opportunities and actively support CEO with fundraising for key EC2 priorities and activities.
• Work in partnership with IOA’s Energy Program to develop joint programming including but not limited to energy transition, energy and water resource use for data centers and AI, and alternative maritime fuels.
• Development and management of yearly planned events/forums, including priority identification, agenda setting, speaker outreach and logistics, with help of IOA team and partners. This includes but is not limited to Día por los Mares in Mexico City and the Sustainable Shipping Forum (venue rotates yearly).
• Pro-actively undertake outreach to Subject Matter Experts, NGOs and other institutions in target LAC markets with a focus on developing workshops and other in-country programming focused on EC2’s core projects, including but not limited to sustainable shipping and decarbonization, water resource management, sustainable finance, blue carbon ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and climate change.
• Promote a more sustainable maritime shipping and port sectors in Latin America through public officials capacity building, private sector engagement (including the Champions for Sustainable Shipping Initiative), thought leadership and content development.
• Nurture and build new partnerships with global leaders and NGOs to advance shipping decarbonization, including the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition, the IMO’s MTCC, and the Interamerican Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (CIP-OEA) and worktogether with existing Sustainable Shipping Forum partners in Mexico to help secure sponsorships for events and other initiatives.
• Position the IOA and the EC2 Program in international fora through public engagements and speaking roles, including at UNFCCC and CBD events, Our Ocean Conference, and other convenings organized by governments in LAC and our partners in the region.
• Together with CEO and the GCMP director, help fundraise for key strategic initiatives, develop proposals, and maintain donor relationships.
• Together with IOA’s CEO develop a yearly scope of work to be undertaken by Non-Resident Fellows from key markets in Latin America.
• Write and maintain the EC2 bimonthly e-newsletter, the Sustainability Dispatch.

The most qualified candidates for this position will possess:

• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience, or 3 years of experience and a Master’s Degree.
• Proven experience on policy issues regarding the environment, climate change and decarbonization.
• A background in sustainable shipping topics, with a focus on the IMO landscape and key LATAM markets (Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru) is a plus.
• Solid understanding of the current political and socioeconomic situation in key LAC countries.
• Pre-existing network and contacts within key ministries in LAC including environment and foreign affairs.
• Awareness of international negotiations on climate change, biodiversity, shipping and ocean conservation (such as UNFCCC, UNOC, IMO’s MEPC, CBD, OOC, etc.).
• Solid understanding of the green and blue economies.
• Strong prior experience working with diverse stakeholders (private sector, government, civil society) as well as international organizations and multi-laterals.
• Strong project management skills in a non-profit or foundation context.
• Fully bilingual (English/Spanish), including excellent writing and editing skills in both. Fluency in Portuguese would be a extra plus.
• Excellent relationship management skills.
• Ability to work and contribute to the IOA/EC2 team while in a virtual/hybrid environment.
• Experience fundraising and grant writing is a plus.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• Willing to consider 100% remote hire for the right candidate;
• Must be able to work U.S. Pacific Coast hours;
• This position will report to the CEO
• Full professional proficiency in Spanish, including in written form, is non-negotiable. Portuguese language proficiency is a plus.
• The requirement to travel on site for in person meetings and/or regional workshops/convenings in the U.S. and Latin America & the Caribbean will be 25-30% of total working time.

COMPENSATION: Commensurate with experience and cost of living of place of residence.