Company Description

About the European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) is a major philanthropic initiative. We work to tackle the climate crisis by fostering the development of a net-zero emissions society at the national, European, and global levels.

We support over 1,000 partner organisations across Europe and the UK to carry out activities that drive urgent and ambitious policy in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement, contribute to the public debate on climate action and help deliver a socially responsible transition to a net-zero economy and sustainable society.

ECF brings together diverse perspectives and backgrounds to find the best innovative solutions to tackle climate change. We take a broad approach to the types of interventions we fund – from advocacy and activism to research and media engagement. If you share our values of respect, innovation, and collaboration, join us.


Position

About the role

This role sits within ECF’s UK Programme, reporting to the UK Programme Manager, and will oversee various policy areas depending on their expertise. These include transport (including road transport and aviation), buildings, land use, industry, trade and international diplomacy.

The ECF’s UK strategy aims to broaden and deepen the political consensus for decarbonisation, while securing policies to put Britain on track for net-zero and prevent the weakening of environmental standards. We aim to strengthen and improve the diversity of the public debate to ensure a fair transition that continues to enjoy strong public support.

We are seeking a collaborative individual to join our close-knit UK team, with a strong preference for someone who has already made a significant impact on climate policy. This is likely to have been through working in civil society, business or government.


Key responsibilities

The Senior Associate will be responsible for:

•Strategic implementation: shaping and implementing ECF’s strategy for a range of sectors in the UK.

•Grant-making: scoping projects, soliciting or co-creating proposals, commissioning studies, and monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on progress and impact.

•Policy insight and prospecting: keeping abreast of climate politics; following relevant policy developments; and identifying potential new partners.

•Internal coordination and contribution: liaising with other ECF programmes where appropriate, including the operations and communications teams; and contributing to the wider organisational culture and impact.

•Networking: building partnerships with key individuals across the policymaking, business and civil society communities in the UK and across Europe; convening meetings; and representing ECF UK and sector programmes at meetings.

Requirements

Experience and competencies

-Strong interest in climate and the environment, with a genuine passion for climate and environmental issues

-Expertise and experience in broad climate policy in at least two of the following areas: road transport, aviation, buildings, land use, industry, trade and international diplomacy – and the interest to engage at a technical level with the policy detail

-A deep understanding of the UK’s policy-making processes with good knowledge of governmental roles, legislative procedures, and stakeholder influence.

-A campaign mindset and political acumen, focused on how to navigate the political system to make change happen

-Strong network in the UK climate community, with good collaboration and influencing skills

-A team player with strong interpersonal skills and a positive, can-do attitude

-Organisational skills with ability to manage multiple processes simultaneously in a structured and driven manner

-Excellent communication skills with strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively liaise with partners and internal stakeholders.

Other information

What we offer

-Salary between £55,000 and £70,000, dependent on experience and equity across the organisation.

-A permanent contract.

-The opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international group of individuals who combine their passion to make a difference with a rigorous and results-oriented approach to work.

-A flexible work environment and a supportive space to develop and challenge yourself.

Location

The role will be based in ECF’s London office, with flexibility to work from home some of the time.

We only accept applications with a valid working permit in the UK.


Start date

As soon as possible.


How to apply

Please upload your CV and cover letter (1-2 pages) explaining why you are applying for this role and what makes you a good fit.


Deadline for applications

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis until 2 October 2025.

All applications will be treated confidentially. We will store your information in our internal database unless you specifically request otherwise.


Diversity statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusion in our organisation. We strongly encourage candidates from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds to apply.