Job Title: Executive Director, International Cooperation
Location: Beijing, CN
Supervised by: CEO

SUMMARY

Serving as a member of Energy Foundation China’s (EF China’s) extended management team (MT), the Executive Director (ED), International Cooperation is expected to:

• Be a visionary, innovative, and strong leader to help create the future of EF China; be a good communicator; and be a confident and goal-oriented executive with extensive experience in the relevant issues who can lead the team and work with external stakeholders to ensure EF China to remain in a leading position in the field.
• Lead strategy development and execution of EF China’s global climate solutions, with a strong focus on contributing to shaping and channeling the relationships between China and the world based on understanding China’s position and roles in multilateral, regional, and bilateral processes in terms of international collaboration in global energy, climate, and environmental governance (such as the UNFCCC, G20, China-U.S., China-EU, and China-Global South); knowledge and technology diffusion; and trade and investment for carbon neutrality transition.
• Demonstrate strong team spirit within and across departments; jointly build a united and supportive office.
• Coordinate closely with other departments as well as across organizational strategic priorities to ensure cohesive international advocacy and communications at international forums such as COPs, G20, APEC, among others.
• Represent EF China in multilateral and bilateral forums, and maintain and continue to develop trust-based partnerships with key stakeholders relevant to EF China’s objectives of international cooperation.
• Oversee overall performance of projects to ensure successful delivery of the desired results at the departmental level by using a Monitoring, Review, and Evaluation (MRE) approach.

The ideal candidate is a person who is a visionary and strong leader with extensive experience in the relevant field. Similar working experience in NGOs is a plus.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy Development

• Lead and coordinate development and implementation of international cooperation strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational strategic priorities and achievement of desired high-quality outcomes.
• Provide input to the organizational strategy and participate in strategy-related MT discussion as needed.
• Lead development and review of the budget allocation within the domain of International Cooperation.

Fundraising

• In collaboration with the Strategic Partnerships team, manage fundraising-related activities for International Cooperation Department led by the ED, in line with the organization’s strategies.
• Lead the preparation of concept papers and proposals for the International Cooperation Department.
• Provide input and feedback to all organization-level concept papers during regular updates with the extended MT.
• Review and approve proposals in collaboration with the Strategic Partnerships team.
• Support the CEO and work collaboratively with the Strategic Partnerships team in the fundraising processes to foster effective communications and secure sustainable funding.
• Lead efforts to report and update funders on the progress of related grants and projects and actively seek feedback and engagement, proactively communicate changes in strategic direction or changes in agreed-upon goals and objectives.

Partnership Building

• Serve as a strong culture ambassador, representing EF China externally and striving to build and maintain partnerships with international stakeholders in public, private and non-profit sectors, advancing global climate governance and collaborations.
• Share knowledge, expertise, critical information, and networks with partners to increase support and demonstrate shared purpose, leveraging all kinds of channels, including newsletters, meetings and conferences, and informal communications.
• Provide thought leadership and/or support to partners in the field with the shared purpose of growing the field.

Budgeting and Spending

• Provide input to organizational budget allocation preparation based on strategies, focusing on the department/priorities led by the ED.
• Provide input to organizational budget allocation under the leadership of the MT.
• Prepare budget allocation within the department on priorities.
• Guide the preparation of program spending plan.
• Review and approve all spending plan revisions.

Grant Management

• Lead the execution of International Cooperation projects directly, with support from all programs and functions.
• Review and approve grant applications
• Ensure efficient and effective collaborations in the grant management process, delivering desired high-quality outcomes, including:
• Execute in collaboration with other EDs and other departments to ensure the implementation of International Cooperation projects
• Oversee the overall performance of the projects to ensure successful delivery of the desired results for priorities.

Team Management

• Build and develop the International Cooperation Department team from the ground up.
• Provide managerial supervision and demonstrate leadership in talent selection, on-the-job coaching, training, and professional development to team members.
• Lead the evalution of all Program Directors under the ED; provide input on evaluation of all other Program Directors.
• Share expertise and resource networks through various communication channels to foster team spirit and a learning atmosphere within the team.
• Review reporting materials for the department, e.g. work plan to the board and regulators.
• Budget and manage General & Administrative expenses for the department.
• Undertake additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by MT and the CEO.
• Back up and support other colleagues as needed.

This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Education:Master’s degree or equivalent, preferably in a related field: climate diplomacy, international cooperation, public policy, environment, energy, climate change, or economics.

• Working Experience: Over 15 years of related working experience, including over 5 years of managerial experience; Experience in global climate / environmental / energy governance, climate change / environmental / energy cooperation, program evaluation, fundraising, governmental relations, and communications strongly preferred.
• Language Level: native-level Chinese skills required; excellent command of spoken and written English, communicates in English effectively in public, with a deep understanding of Western cultures.
• Team Leadership: able to define direction and develop shared purpose, build a team with strong coaching skills, provide timely constructive feedback to team members, and support them for long-term career development.
• Strategic Thinking: able to foresee future trends, visionary with big-picture thinking, be able to prioritize, and make trade-offs based on possible resources.
• Communication and Coordination Skills: communicate logically and articulate key messages/points with a clear structure, listen actively, intuitively sense and support other participants’ unspoken views, seek interactions for all parties to achieve win-wins where possible and present benefits clearly, and synthesize different views to develop integrated messages.
• Problem Solving: is able to define and prioritize key issues, make analyses with logical reasoning, utilize and synergize various resources to summarize and find solutions, and use a holistic approach to determine the best solution.
• Networking: the ability to develop new alliances and formal networks, mobilize external resources, and foster relationships with key stakeholders to achieve long-term mutual interests.

SUCCESS FACTORS

• Ethical Behavior/Integrity – Demonstrates principled performance and sound ethics, showing consistency among principles, values, and behaviors to build trust and credibility internally and externally.
• Broader Views for Systematic Solution – Proactively link program strategy and goals with the ones of the whole organization and other related programs, as appropriate, for cooperation and organization-wide capacity enhancement.
• Mission-driven/Initiative – Inspired by the organization's vision and mission, and takes actions with ownership, a can-do attitude, and a proactive mindset.
• Team Spirit – Collaboratively works toward solutions that benefit all involved parties; willingly cooperates with others to accomplish team/organization objectives.

Please email a cover letter and resume, with subject line "Application for Executive Director of International Cooperation" to jobs@efchina.org.