Director of Climate Justice

Overview 

Carbon Direct is looking for a Director of Climate Justice to lead efforts to further embed environmental and climate justice principles into our operations and client engagements. We are seeking someone who is deeply passionate about climate justice and environmental justice and has demonstrated experience with solutions and policies addressing the intersection of climate change, systemic racism, and/or social justice. The ideal candidate is also knowledgeable about carbon markets, climate finance, and carbon removal and reductions. This leadership position reflects our continuing commitment to environmental and climate justice and augments our existing work in this space.

Responsibilities 

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including community leaders, NGOs, government agencies, and industry partners, to advocate for climate justice and foster collaboration. Represent Carbon Direct in external forums that intersect between environmental justice and climate solutions, specifically carbon removal, capture and utilization, and related strategies.
• Research and Analysis: Strengthen Carbon Direct’s internal capacity to conduct research and analysis to identify the intersectionality of climate change impacts with social, economic, and racial disparities, and integrate this understanding into our climate solutions.
• Client Advisory: Provide expert guidance to clients on integrating climate justice considerations into their sustainability initiatives and community engagement plans, ensuring that their actions contribute to equitable outcomes. Provide leadership and subject-matter expertise to the development of innovative policies, programming, and capacity-building strategies that address current and historic environmental injustice and that make impacted communities safe, healthy, and whole.
• Solutions Development: Work across teams to develop innovative offerings that prioritize climate justice and address the needs of underserved communities. Support the evolution and on-going implementation of the environmental and climate justice evaluation methodology for a range of client types. 
• Strategy Development: Collaborate with the executive team to develop and refine a comprehensive climate justice strategy that aligns with Carbon Direct's mission and values. 
• Education and Advocacy: Lead educational initiatives to raise awareness about climate justice issues internally and externally, and identify policies and practices that advance equity in climate action.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish metrics and benchmarks to track the effectiveness of our climate justice initiatives, and regularly report on progress to senior management and stakeholders.
• Internal Coordination: Lead and support various internal-focused climate justice committees such as the Client Screening / Anti-greenwashing Committee.
• Thought Leadership: Collaborate with the Marketing team and lead development of materials in support of external communication around climate equity and environmental justice.
• Team Leadership: Build and manage a high-performing team of climate justice specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous learning.

Qualifications 

• Climate Justice and Environmental Justice Expertise - A deep understanding of issues relating to climate change, environmental pollutants, and resiliency and their points of intersection with social justice and equity concerns; Familiarity with targeted policy and program interventions that address the environmental health hazards that disproportionately burden lower-wealth and communities of color; An awareness of power-building strategies that enable residents of impacted communities to participate as co-creators in the development and implementation of interventions to meet local needs.
• Business Understanding - An understanding of the ways finance and climate action intersect and ideas for how to apply environmental justice principles to business interests. 
• Communication - Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information into accessible forms and adapt styles to diverse audiences and different cultural environments.
• Policy - In-depth understanding of the policymaking process; Demonstrated experience analyzing and interpreting legislative and regulatory language.
• Research and Data Analysis - Well-versed in sifting through a vast array of informational resources and producing products (written or digital) that harvest meaningful insights.
• Collaboration and Building Relationships - Relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences; Demonstrated experience (professional or non-professional) building and maintaining relationships with low-wealth and community of color communities and executing projects involving multiple constituencies.