The Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA) is a collaborative of foundations seeking to amplify the power of people and the potential of forests for a just and climate-resilient world. The CLUA member foundations are the Climate Works Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Good Energies Foundation, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies also awards grants in alignment with the CLUA strategy. By bringing together our resources and diverse expertise, CLUA supports policies, practices, and partnerships that halt and reverse forest loss, advance sustainable land use and development, and secure the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous and forest communities. For more, please visit climateandlandusealliance.org.

‍

Position Description

CLUA seeks a Program Officer for its Global Initiative to focus primarily on our Strategic Line of Action “Supporting forest communities’ rights and livelihoods”. This new position combines two prior part-time roles and entails work within the Global Initiative. In addition, this role will coordinate extensively with colleagues from across the Alliance, in support of the organizations, networks, and priorities of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Descendents and Local Communities in tropical forest regions, including efforts to consolidate and strengthen a growing ecosystem of territorial funds.

CLUA’s Global Initiative identifies global and driver economy leverage points and uses grantmaking, strategic communications, and philanthropic influence to contribute to the complex change that’s needed to enable climate-resilient, thriving tropical forest systems and communities. The Initiative focuses on global/multilateral processes, local-to-international networks, and other venues for interconnection, cooperation, and collective action between the Global North and Global South.

Working closely with the Global Initiative Lead and other program officers at CLUA’s six member foundations, the Program Officer will coordinate grantmaking, learning processes, convenings and funder collaboration activities to implement and shape aspects of the 2024-2030 Global Initiative strategy. Activities will include interactions with a range of stakeholders, including current and potential grantees/partners, government agencies and decision-makers from around the world, as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) and leaders, and the private sector. This position will require particularly strong engagement with Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendent and Local Community organizations and actors.

The Program Officer will support the work and grantmaking of CLUA’s member foundations and Secretariat under the Global Initiative, promoting a culture of collaboration, active alignment and learning. The Program Officer will be responsible for managing an existing portfolio of grantee partners, scoping new grant-making, and supporting continual alignment with CLUA member foundations. They will be expected to implement and coordinate grantmaking activities, maintain and strengthen relationships with key partners and contacts, identify and advance strategic opportunities, and support learning activities within and beyond the Alliance.

‍

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Global Initiative Co-Lead, the Program Officer is primarily responsible for the following:

• Coordinate CLUA Global’s work around “Supporting forest communities’ rights and livelihoods”, promoting a culture of collaboration, active alignment and learning, as well as supporting the priorities of member foundations.
• Cultivate a strategic approach to a coherent portfolio of grants that advance the 2024-2030 Global Initiative strategy, with a focus on priorities for IP, AD, LC land rights and guardianship. This includes intersections with energy transition, agriculture, finance, socio-bioeconomy and carbon markets.
• Coordinate CLUA Global’s grantmaking activities around the above topics, which includes:
  • Managing existing relationships with grantees and other key partners, including periodic conversations and site visits as travel conditions allow;
  • Scoping new grants;
  • Guiding proposal development to meet technical and administrative requirements;
  • Leading the internal grantmaking processes, in accordance with CLUA’s operational policies and guidelines;
  • Monitoring grantmaking, sharing learning and communicating about the impact of this portfolio;
  • Review and respond to comments on grant and contract proposals; prepare recommendations for funding according to CLUA’s policies and procedures;
• Identify and engage in strategic opportunities to advance CLUA’s goals around forest community rights and livelihoods, including fostering a thriving ecosystem of IP, AD, LC territorial funds, through both funding and non-grantmaking work (e.g. convenings, funder engagement, strategic communications efforts, policy processes).
• Track and engage in processes relevant to funders and organizations focused on rights-based approaches to protecting forests and addressing climate change, including but not limited to UN conventions; the IP&LC Tenure & Guardianship Pledge; the Forest and Climate Leadership Partners IP&LC Platform; Path to Scale; UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
• Contribute to all aspects of CLUA Global Initiative’s work on strategic planning and alignment, reflection & learning, reporting, and communications with funders around regranting agreements.
• Ensure the Global Initiative’s operational milestones, including grantmaking benchmarks, are achieved in a timely manner.  
• Liaise and collaborate with the Forests, People, Climate collaborative and all of CLUA’s geographic Initiatives (Brazil, Colombia & Peru, Mexico & Central America, and Indonesia) , on priorities linked to “Supporting forest communities’ rights and livelihoods”.
• Work closely with CLUA’s strategic communications team to support an effective communications ecosystem and enhance impact.
• Support convening and/or participating in learning events to facilitate exchanges and learning within and across CLUA’s Initiatives and identified cross-programmatic priorities for collaboration and exchange with other teams.
• Organize, prepare for, and facilitate regular Initiative team meetings, in collaboration with the Global Initiative team.

‍

Preferred Experience & Competencies

Applicants will have many of the following competencies and experiences:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in some capacity with movements of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendents, and Local Communities in tropical forest regions.
• An advanced degree or equivalent experience in relevant field of study.
• Deep understanding of the regional context and political landscape of multiple CLUA geographies, including the landscape of IP, AD, LC movement organizations.
• Experience, and capacity to operate, within international (UN) and multilateral policy contexts related to climate change and/or biodiversity, Indigenous rights, and human rights.
• Strong network with CSOs and other actors that engage with IP, AD, LC organizations and social movements in and beyond relevant CLUA geographies.
• Understanding of and experience with unbranded strategic communications work.
• Fluency at a professional level in written and oral English.
• Additional language skills (Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, and/or French) will be highly valued.
• Exceptional communications skills – strong active listening skills, constructive verbal and written skills, and good public presentation and facilitation skills.
• Experience in grantmaking, including knowledge of project cycles, proposal development, and grant evaluation and monitoring.
• Experience in the implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and/or institutional learning programs to encourage exchange, accountability, and development of best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to be a productive member of an international, multi-cultural and highly collaborative work environment.
• Ability to travel up to 25% time, and to work outside of typical work hours (i.e. early mornings and/or late evenings) when required to accommodate various time zones.

‍

Compensation

The compensation range for this position is USD $72,500 to $150,000 per year, depending on experience and geography.

‍

Location

This Program Officer position shall be based anywhere in the Americas. The Program Officer must be able to participate in regular meetings, either remotely or in-person, to ensure coordination at times suitable for grantees, colleagues, and partners. The position will require work across multiple time zones. CLUA strongly encourages candidates from the Global South to apply.

‍

Equal Opportunity and Access

Equal staffing opportunity is a fundamental principle at the Climate and Land Use Alliance, where staffing and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law. The Climate and Land Use Alliance does not discriminate against formerly incarcerated individuals.

‍

Application Process

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. CLUA will complete an initial review of applications received by May 22, 2025 and on a rolling basis thereafter until the position is filled. To be considered, please apply online and submit a cover letter and resume in English.

‍