Director

Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe)

Position description

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 170 member organisations active in 38 European countries, representing over 1.500 NGOs and more than 47 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe, and globally as part of the CAN International family.

The vision of CAN is a world actively striving towards and achieving the protection of the global climate in a manner that promotes equity and social justice between peoples, sustainable development of all communities, and protection of the global environment. CAN Europe empowers civil society organisations to influence the design and development of effective climate change policy in Europe, both in the European Union as well as in European countries outside the EU.

CAN Europe is seeking a new Director to help develop the network in a new era of climate campaigning and advocacy. The successful candidate will lead the organisational development of the CAN Europe Network and the 40 members of the secretariat, with a particular focus on increasing diversity and impact, provide strategic guidance to CAN Europe’s communications, advocacy and campaign work, and represent CAN Europe towards decision-makers, funders and other stakeholders.

We aim to build an inclusive and diverse workforce based on justice and mutual respect. We therefore welcome every application – regardless of ethnic, social and national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status and political views.

A successful candidate has the ability to forge an active Climate Network across Europe, empowers the staff of the CAN Europe Secretariat to perform highly, and provides strategic leadership on policy, network and organization development that inspires externally and internally.

Responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing the development of CAN Europe’s vision based on the principles of science-based climate action and environmental justice;
• Supporting the further development of our member-driven network towards increasing its diversity and impact;
• Steering the further development and implementation of human resource policies for the Secretariat’s staff, with a particular view to staff wellbeing and safeguarding issues aligned with the relevant national laws where staff is based;
• Providing line management to the secretariat’s senior staff and providing strategic guidance to CAN Europe’s advocacy, campaign and communication strategies;
• Representing CAN Europe externally, including towards funders, decision-makers, the media and other stakeholders, including new constituencies;
• Supporting the governance bodies of the network;
• Being responsible for CAN Europe’s budget;
• Overseeing the organisation’s fundraising strategy and engaging in specific fundraising activities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience;
• A strong vision for the development of the climate movement in Europe in the context of global developments, including with regard to the intersection of environmental and social justice issues;
• Experience with line management and staff development, including a demonstrated commitment to addressing diversity challenges;
• Knowledge of the formal NGO movement and/or informal civil society movements for environmental and/or social justice, ideally including experience in a member-driven network;
• A demonstrated track record of successful fundraising.

This position will be located in Brussels. A competitive NGO salary will be offered, based on experience.

Planned starting date is September 2021. A certain flexibility will be sought for.

Application instructions