Senior Policy Manager, Climate & Energy

Application deadline
Tuesday, 13 August 2024 – 23:45

Location
Cambridge (UK) or any BirdLife International Secretariat offices internationally

Full time
35 hours per week

Contract
Open-ended

Salary
£45,000 per annum plus competitive 12% pension benefit

Annual Leave
25 days pro rata in year 1, increasing by 1 day p/a to 28 days

BirdLife International is the world’s largest nature conservation partnership. Through our unique local-to-global approach, we deliver high impact and long-term conservation for the benefit of nature and people.

We are looking for a Senior Policy Manager, Climate & Energy to lead on global climate change and energy policy and advocacy on behalf of the BirdLife Partnership. In this role you will be:

• Coordinating Partnership positions and serving as Lead Negotiator for UNFCCC and related processes.
• Providing expert advice on climate and energy policy, focusing on nature-safe renewable energy and nature-based climate solutions.
• Supporting Regional Offices and BirdLife Partners in implementing laws and policies that align with global frameworks and BirdLife’s Global Strategy.

How you will do this:

• Lead BirdLife delegations to the UNFCCC and other climate/energy meetings, coordinating input from the BirdLife Partnership and representing BirdLife in international consortia and collaborations to advance climate and energy policy agendas.
• Serve as Coordinator of the Energy Task Force under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• Provide expertise and support on climate change and energy policy, including designing, managing and implementing climate change and renewable energy policy projects in consultation with BirdLife Partners. 
• Develop guidance materials and toolkits, and organize training and workshops on influencing national climate policies.
• Enhance BirdLife Partners’ capacity to engage in climate and energy policy processes through mentoring and peer-to-peer learning.
• Develop external relationships to promote BirdLife’s climate and renewable energy policy agenda with various stakeholders.
• Identify funding opportunities and write proposals to support BirdLife’s climate and energy policy work.
• Manage staff working on climate and energy policy, including developing work plans, budgets, and appraisals.

Ideally you will have:

• Master’s or PhD in climate change and/or energy policy, or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong knowledge of international climate change and biodiversity policy processes, particularly renewable energy, climate adaptation, and mitigation.
• Skilled in critical assessment, synthesis, and clear, concise writing.
• Proven experience in climate change policy, ideally with international negotiation experience, specialising in renewable energy or ecosystem-based climate adaptation.
• Proven project management experience with excellent coordination skills.
• Networking, motivational, and collaborative abilities with cultural sensitivity.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to develop clear positions and advocacy plans, take initiative, think strategically, and analyse complex problems.
• Team player, adaptable, problem-solver with attention to detail.
• Proficient in English; knowledge of other UN language is advantageous.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

See the full job description here.

Some of our benefits:

• We are able to offer a hybrid model of working on-site and from home/remote for most roles, which helps to ensure a flexible work-life balance.
• A chance to work in the award-winning David Attenborough building, which brings together much of the Cambridge-based conservation community on a ‘conservation campus.’ 
• A generous pension scheme, up to 12% company contribution.
• Holiday starting at 25 days excluding Bank Holidays and increasing for every year of service up to a maximum of 28 days.
• Full access to LinkedIn Learning with access to more than 13,000 high-quality, on-demand courses.
• Cycle to work scheme. 
• Employee Assistance Programme, including access to Health Assured online health portal (webinars, nutritional advice, 4-week programmes, financial wellbeing and more).

BirdLife values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Find out more about our Diversity statement.

We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture, a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We aim to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrate and promote diversity.

We will consider putting into place appropriate reasonable adjustments for candidates who may have a disability.