Director, Shifting Trillions

Solve the climate crisis primarily through a successful transition to a resource-efficient, clean energy economy that better serves people and nature;
Secure protections for public lands and waters, promote healthy ecosystems and communities, and fight for clean air and water;
Expand opportunities for more people to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet by supporting programs and policies that reach across economic, cultural, and community lines to get people outdoors; and
Build a diverse, inclusive environmental movement that reflects and represents today’s American public, and prioritizes important connections between environmental health and social justice.

What is the Shifting Trillions Initiative?

The Sierra Club Foundation (SCF) collaborates with the Sierra Club and other entities to accelerate the deployment of trillions of dollars of investments, grants, and loans toward creating a thriving climate-safe world as quickly as possible.

Today, financial returns are often generated through the short-term monetization of natural and human resources, benefiting a limited few at the expense of human and planetary health. Shifting Trillions is an initiative of the Sierra Club Foundation to accelerate the flow of capital to restore our climate and natural places, reduce inequalities, and create long-term value for asset owners, communities, and healthy ecosystems. The Sierra Club Foundation aligns and activates its financial assets to advance its mission. A thriving natural world supports fundamental rights to services such as clean air, clean water, and healthy ecosystems. We broaden our impact by fostering communities of practice that encourage significant investments in a clean and green economy. We provide opportunities for financial leaders across multiple sectors to exchange insights and experiences. We engage with mission-aligned investors, encouraging independent decisions that increase the pace and scale of capital flows toward a more sustainable economy. Our approach is catalytic: we provide early-stage capital to community-focused funds and projects, leverage our brand to amplify impact, and act as engaged shareholders advocating for climate-conscious strategies among companies, endowments, and fund managers.

Position Summary:

As a member of Sierra Club Foundation’s senior management team, the Director, Shifting Trillions will provide strategic direction for the Foundation’s leadership role in shifting trillions of dollars from the current extractive and exploitative economy to an economy that addresses the climate crisis, restores ecosystems, and increases the well being of all. The Foundation’s three primary roles related to Shifting Trillions and transforming energy finance are as an investor, active asset owner, and as a thought leader in the field of philanthropy and for other asset owners and managers. The Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation have collective assets under management of over $250M. Coupled with the Sierra Club’s more than 1 million members and supporters, multi-faceted advocacy campaigns, and nationally recognized brand, we have a unique opportunity to shift how asset owners, money managers, and community leaders deploy capital. Our goal is to transform the world economy to one that is sustainable for, not exploitative of, people and the environment.

Reports To: Executive Director

Supervises: Associate, Shifting Trillions

Location: Remote; may require limited travel

Primary Responsibilities:

Advance SCF as a thought leader in total asset activation (~35%)
1. Represent SCF as an active member in various asset allocator entities including: Council for Institutional Investors, Intentional Endowment Network, Freedom Economy, and US-SIF
2. Advance commitments from philanthropic leaders to leverage their total AUM in networks such as Mission Investor Exchange and Confluence Philanthropy
3. Lead asset manager engagement, advance strategies to leverage SCF’s client role with fund managers, and collaborate with Sierra Club’s advocacy efforts to shift financing and investments away from fossil fuels
4. Coordinate with the Sierra Club’s Sustainable Finance team and chapters to utilize SCF’s asset owner role to reduce climate-related financial risks in public pension funds
5. Develop a communications strategy including social media, editorial contributions, speaking opportunities and more
6. Support the Executive Director and board members as spokespeople and editorial contributors
Position SCF as a leading catalytic investor (~25%)
1. Coordinate with the Chief Financial Officer, Board of Directors, and Sierra Club staff to elevate public awareness of investor and funder partnerships to advance climate justice
2. Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer and investment consultants to maximize synergies between SCF’s catalytic program related investments with other co-investors and community leaders
3. Establish SCF as a leader in advancing a national learning collaborative of investors to deploy capital that accelerates clean energy and climate resilience in tribal and other under-resourced communities
Lead SCF’s shareholder engagement efforts (~20%)
1. Execute annual priorities for shareholder engagement, including: advising the investment team on public equities, drafting and shepherding shareholder resolutions, engaging with companies and fund managers, supporting the work of Board Directors and other volunteers, and organizing other shareholders to support SCF resolutions
2. Serve as SCF’s primary contact for shareholder networks and partners, including Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), Ceres Investor Network, and As You Sow
3. Manage the iconik proxy voting project to expand the total shares that are voted annually in line with SCF’s “sustainability” proxy profile
Support the Executive Director in actively engaging foundations and donors to raise funds for Shifting Trillions and Sustainable Finance work (10%)
1. Coordinate with the Sierra Club’s Sustainable Finance Director to identify and cultivate new sources of funding for the Shifting Trillions and Sustainable Finance work
Monitor and mitigate risks associated with the Shifting Trillions initiative (10%)
1. Collaborate with the Chief Legal Officer and outside counsel to respond to government inquiries, potential lawsuits from fossil fuel companies, and other associations opposed to creating a clean energy economy for all

Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications:

Substantial experience with mission-aligned asset owners, impact investment funds, registered investment advisors, financial non-profits, or investor networks
Commitment to environmental protection and racial equity
Superior analytical, assessment, and problem-solving skills
Demonstrated management and team leadership experience
Strong collaboration and project management experience
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Highly organized, self-motivated, and models shared accountability
Demonstrated experience collaborating with a remote-first team and working together as a group
Experience with advancing traditional and online communication strategies
Experience in a collaborative supervisory role
Understand and model belonging and justice in individual and team settings

Compensation + Benefits:

The salary range is $170,000 -$200,000.

The Sierra Club Foundation offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid vacation time, and a retirement savings 403(b) plan. The Sierra Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity and is eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs.

Apply:

Sierra Club Foundation is an equal opportunity employer that values workplace inclusiveness and diversity in our workforce. Achieving our mission to “promote efforts to educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment” requires our staff to have a breadth of background and experience.

To apply, please click here.

Search form

Job Bank

You are here

Welcome!