Senior Director, Clean Energy and Climate Diplomacy

The Ocean Conservancy; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocean Conservancy seeks a Senior Director of Clean Energy and Climate Diplomacy to lead climate mitigation and decarbonization efforts, reporting to the VP of Climate. The role involves guiding strategy, supervising a small team, and coordinating with domestic and international stakeholders.

The position supports a hybrid/remote work model and requires travel. Salary ranges $170,000–$185,000 annually, with potential for policy impact across the U.S. and beyond.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental policy, climate science, or related field.
• Advanced degree preferred (e.g., MPP, MPA, or related).
• Minimum 10 years in climate and clean energy policy, with proven policy development & implementation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead climate mitigation and clean energy strategies and metrics.
• Provide strategic policy guidance and brief senior leadership.
• Lead a team of ~4 staff and foster a culture of excellence.

Skills

Climate policy

Leadership

Policy development

Budget management

Public speaking

Stakeholder engagement

Event management

Travel

Team mentorship

Education

Bachelor's in environmental policy or related field

Advanced degree preferred (MPA/MPP/LLM)

Tools

Policy analysis

Job description

POSITION TITLE: Senior Director of Clean Energy and Climate Diplomacy

DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Conservation

REPORTS TO: Vice President, Climate

STATUS: Regular, Full Time, Exempt

LOCATION: Remote or Hybrid from AK, CA, DC, FL, MD, OR, TX, VA, WA, WV

About Ocean Conservancy

For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence‑based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear‑eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone.

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Clean Energy and Climate reports directly to the Vice President of Climate and provides strategic leadership to implement the institution’s climate mitigation, clean energy, and conservation impact priorities. This Senior Director manages a team and is responsible for implementing the portion of the institution’s climate strategy regarding decarbonizing the ocean energy sector in the United States and internationally.

The Senior Director serves as a key representative of the institution in domestic and international policy and stakeholder engagements, including supporting high‑level and ministerial meetings, and works collaboratively across teams to develop and implement effective climate and clean energy strategies. This position is focused exclusively on climate mitigation and clean energy advancement and does not include climate resilience work.

Primary Responsibilities

• Work with Vice President for Climate to develop and lead the implementation of the institution’s clean ocean energy and climate mitigation strategies and policy priorities, including establishing goals, desired outcomes and metrics to measure conservation impact.
• Provide strategic guidance on ocean‑related clean energy and climate issues, including developing new policy ideas to advance Ocean Conservancy’s climate strategy and briefing Senior Leadership on relevant matters.
• Lead, mentor and develop a high‑performing team of approximately four staff members, while fostering a positive culture focused on excellence, innovation, collaboration and growth.
• Collaborate across departments and programs to ensure alignment and integration of climate and clean energy initiatives throughout the institution.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with domestic and international stakeholders, including policymakers, NGOs, industry representatives and partner organizations.
• Represent the institution confidently and effectively at public forums, conferences, coalition meetings and government engagements, including conceptualizing and managing relevant events.
• Monitor and remain up to date on analytical approaches, climate analysis and clean energy data to inform organizational strategy, advocacy and decision‑making, including emerging trends, policies and opportunities related to climate mitigation and clean energy advancement.
• Partner with the Vice President for Climate and Development team in achieving the institution’s fundraising goals for climate work and the organization as a whole.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Communications Team to advance the institution’s external visibility and media presence.
• Oversee and manage relevant budgets and resources in support of strategic priorities and organizational goals.

Required Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in climate and clean energy policy, including demonstrated experience in both policy development and implementation.
• A creative, open, and innovative approach to policy development, generating new ideas and solutions in this evolving field.
• Strong leadership and management experience, including supervising teams and guiding cross‑functional collaboration, with a solutions‑orientated and collaborative approach.
• Experience in developing and managing budgets.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to work effectively across organizations and stakeholder groups, while maintaining professionalism and composure.
• Established relationships within domestic and international climate and clean energy stakeholder communities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and high‑level representation experience.
• Proven ability to run public events and convenings in the U.S. and other counties, and to represent organizations in external engagements, including senior government level meetings.
• Strong analytical background, including experience with climate analysis, clean energy data, or related strategic assessment tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, strategically, and effectively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Some travel required.
• Strong passion for Ocean Conservancy’s values.

Education / Training

• Bachelor degree required, preferably in environmental policy, climate science, energy policy, public policy, marine policy, or a related field.
• Advanced degree preferred, such as a Master’s degree in public policy, environmental management, energy, law, climate science, international affairs, or a related discipline.

Compensation

Ocean Conservancy is committed to fair pay practices and posts expected salary ranges for each of its positions. Compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s specialty skills, years of experience, location, and unique background. The expected salary range for this role is $170,000 - $185,000 annually. We would welcome the opportunity to connect with potential candidates whose salary requirements may be outside of the expected range.

Hybrid Work Environment

Ocean Conservancy embraces a hybrid work environment, which allows our staff the flexibility to work virtually and in‑person while building strong connections across the institution.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ocean Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

We encourage applicants who have a diverse level and range of relevant skills and experiences to apply. A 100% match is not required. We want to support employees’ career growth and in return, our employees help Ocean Conservancy grow into a stronger, more inclusive institution.