About Us

‍Climate Breakthrough is a global philanthropy supporting extraordinary climate leaders to pursue ambitious and transformative climate endeavors through the Climate Breakthrough Award: a multi-million-dollar, multi-year, flexible grant. Our mission is to make an outsized impact in resolving the climate crisis by freeing leaders to translate their boldest ideas into transformative climate action that swiftly and justly closes the gap between the world today and a sustainable future.Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Climate Breakthrough is funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the IKEA Foundation, The Lemelson Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Oceankind, and Vere Initiatives. For more information, visit www.ClimateBreakthrough.org.


‍About the Role

‍Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Operations Assistant will provide crucial day-to-day administrative support to the foundational operations of the organization, with particular focus on events coordination. In addition to routine administrative tasks, the Operations Assistant will coordinate logistics for multiple events during the year, including Team Sprints. In particular, this position supports the Operations Manager with our largest annual event, the Awardee Retreat: an inspiring convening that brings together awardees, board members, and Climate Breakthrough staff in a new international location each year.

This is a great opportunity for someone who is highly organized, reliable, self-motivated, possesses exceptional attention to detail, and is able to thrive in a workspace of quick action and shifting priorities.

The Operations Assistant’s work will be divided into the following areas:

‍Day-to-Day Administrative Operations Support

• Manage and upkeep team communication channels, calendars, and other internal knowledge management tools.
• Assist the Operations Manager in the creation, implementation, and maintenance of organizational policies, guides, staff resources, etc.
• Be the first point of contact for staff on basic questions about organizational policies, travel questions, IT needs, etc.
• Act as primary notetaker for internal meetings and some external meetings.
• Perform data entry and document drafting and editing in support of department projects and priorities.
• Manage inventory and troubleshooting of technology, internet accounts, software, and hardware in coordination with the Operations Manager and external IT partner.
• Support the Operations Manager in the development and management of an internal system for tracking and ensuring staff safety during business travel.
• Manage complex group scheduling for internal projects.
• Provide the Director of Finance and Operations with direct support and other administrative ad hoc support, as requested.

‍Events Coordination Support

• Act as the primary logistical support for the coordination and execution of in-person Team Sprints (2x annual) and departmental Operations Team Sprint (1x annual), including: attendee and agenda coordination, arrangement of meeting space, group meals, activities, note taking, and task collation.
• Work closely with the Operations Manager and team to support the logistics, planning, and execution of the annual Awardee Retreat, taking place in a new international location every summer. This includes coordinating with international event planners and local partners; doing location, venue, and activity research; menu planning for complex dietary needs; participant coordination and support; travel planning and booking; expense tracking and reporting; and on the ground event execution.
• Provide supplementary events support to other teams as needed.

‍Expense Platform Management Support

• Support the Finance Manager in monthly review and reconciliation of all Bill Spend & Expense transactions and reimbursements
• Ensure all transactions and reimbursements are submitted on time and are accurately coded, supported with receipts, and align with internal policies, in coordination with the Finance Manager.

‍Office Management Support

• Monitor organizational mailbox and retrieve and sort mail as needed.
• Manage the needs of the local Bay Area office in coordination with partner office staff. Purchase and stock inventory of office supplies, snacks, etc.

This role will also provide ad hoc organizational support, as needed.


Qualifications

‍Successful applicants will have most of the following qualifications:

• 1-3 years of administrative support and event management experience, ideally with some international experience.
• Experience coordinating events, including international travel arrangements. Experience supporting senior leaders is a plus.
• Exceptional administrative and organizational skills, excellent attention to detail.
• A desire to work with a small, collaborative team.
• Ability to prioritize, adapt to changes, and nimbly shift between projects.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced and changeable organization.
• Self-motivation, initiative, resourcefulness, dependability, and ability to work effectively and efficiently.
• Content knowledge and professional interest in climate change mitigation, global climate affairs, and systemic change a plus.
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for the mission of Climate Breakthrough.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and awareness and commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Ability to travel internationally for work events.
• Fluency in English required, other languages skills a plus.

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Compensation

The salary for this role is $75,000. To advance our commitment to internal equity the salary for this position has been set at our highest and best offer within our established compensation framework and is not subject to negotiation. Climate Breakthrough offers a generous benefits package that includes the following:

• 35-hour workweek, with a reduced hour workweek (31.5 hrs/wk) option available
• Medical (PPO and HMO), Dental, and Vision plans with 100% employee coverage and >50% coverage for dependents
• 20 days paid vacation per year, with 25 days after two years
• 11 days paid sick leave per year
• All federal holidays observed, plus Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving, as well as two floating holidays and birthday off
• 401k plan with 6% employer contribution
• Long-term disability and life insurance
• Stipend support for professional development, home office, and business travel

‍Position Details

‍This role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, with a commitment to come into our San Francisco office one day per week. Additionally, attendance is expected at twice annual team onsites in San Francisco. Please note that Full Time at Climate Breakthrough is 35 hours/week; we also have a 31.5 hour/week option (90% time), for which salary is adjusted accordingly.

The desired start date for this position is February 1, 2026.


‍To Apply

‍CEA Recruiting is assisting Climate Breakthrough with this search. To be considered for this position, interested candidates should use the link below to submit an application, including a resume and thoughtful cover letter. Preference will be given to applications received before November 30, 2025, but the position will remain posted until filled.

Each application is personally reviewed by our hiring team — no automated filters or AI reviewers. Please write your application with authenticity, in your own words, so we can read your perspective. We typically reach out to candidates selected to advance in our process within 3-4 weeks from when the application is submitted. Only candidates selected to advance will be contacted prior to the successful completion of this search. All candidates will be notified when the search has closed.

For questions about completing the application form or technical concerns, you may contact tamara@ceaconsulting.com. We regret that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are not able to provide individual responses on the status of your application or feedback to candidates who do not advance to interviews. To ensure your application is reviewed and you receive notifications about the process, please use only the career portal to submit your application materials.


‍We’re Hiring Four New Roles

‍As Climate Breakthrough enters its tenth year of selecting and supporting visionary climate leaders to pursue their boldest breakthrough strategies to address the climate crisis, we are building out our own organizational capacity to match the ambition of our program. We will be hiring four entry level assistant roles across the organization’s program and operations, including Grants Assistant; Operations Assistant; Programs Assistant, Awardee Support; and Program Assistant, Awardee Selection. If you or someone you know are passionate about combatting the climate crisis, are aligned with our Mission and Guiding Values, and are excited to get involved, we encourage you to review and share our open positions. Please visit job/ceaconsulting.com/jobs to learn more about these opportunities as they become available.


‍Climate Breakthrough is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.‍

Climate Breakthrough is a values driven organization with a strong commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We regularly assess our practices and make adjustments to pursue our commitments and values, and drive our mission. Our team works together closely to set and uphold the high standards to which we hold our work and ourselves. Read our Guiding Values here.‍


‍CEA Recruiting works with leading environmental nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to recruit top talent and design effective organizational staffing strategies. For more information, visit www.cearecruiting.com.