Program Officer, Legal Strategies

Sequoia Climate Foundation is a private foundation based in Irvine, California. Founded in 2020, the foundation’s grantmaking leverages climate science to accelerate the energy transition across geographies and sectors, focusing on those most vulnerable to climate change and future generations.

About the role

The Program Officer, Legal Strategies will report to and work closely with the Program Director and Program Manager, Legal Strategies, collaborating with Sequoia Climate Foundation leadership to support the development and execution of global strategies aligned with the organizational mission and vision.

Responsibilities

• Support Sequoia’s efforts to determine strategic priorities and set operational plans by conducting research and analysis on specific programs and climate sector trends.
• Bring catalytic thinking to the development and management of evidence-based legal grantmaking strategies and processes that contribute to transformational change on a global scale.
• Monitor developments in the field to identify emerging needs, gaps, and opportunities for driving ambitious climate action.
• Engage peer networks, funders, legal actors, government officials, and other stakeholders to help develop strategies and identify organizations best positioned to execute those strategies.
• Present strategic analysis results verbally and in writing through memos, background papers, presentations, graphs, and charts both internally and externally.
• Support all aspects of strategy execution and grantmaking, including initial screening of potential grantees, analyzing background information, soliciting and developing funding proposals, and preparing grant recommendations.
• Serve as the point of contact for select grantees to learn from and steward the relationship, conduct site visits as needed, and monitor the impact of grants.
• Support the forecasting of grant payments and serve as a compliance checkpoint to ensure grantmaking stays within yearly budgets.
• Maintain grants database, budget spreadsheets, and grant calendars, and coordinate grant processes for the team.
• Assist with program and goals development, tracking, and keeping the leadership team apprised of critical internal deadlines and external areas of interest that impact Sequoia’s programs.
• Assist the team with planning and coordinating meetings, travel, workshops, and convenings; make logistical arrangements as needed; manage consultant contracts.
• Support the maintenance of annual administrative budgets for programmatic expenses.
• Handle simultaneous deadlines and complete assignments.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required. Law degree (U.S. or international) strongly preferred.
• A minimum of five years of relevant experience in governance, legal practice, or legal philanthropy, preferably in climate, energy, environmental, human rights, and/or public interest law.
• Knowledge of international law and non-U.S. legal regimes, as well as U.S. law.
• Understanding of global climate and energy organization ecosystems preferred.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, showcasing the capacity to establish and sustain effective working relationships internally and with a diverse array of external partners.
• Robust aptitude for strategic thinking, goal setting, and prioritization, employing pragmatic and multifaceted approaches to ensure high-quality results.
• Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit, capable of identifying and seizing new opportunities, and collaborating effectively within diverse teams.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills, demonstrating clarity and persuasiveness in both writing and speaking.

Skills

• Development: Continuous learning focus to enhance skills, knowledge, and capabilities.
• Collaboration: Works cooperatively and effectively with others (internally and externally), sharing information and building relationships to achieve goals. Prioritizes creating and maintaining a trustworthy, transparent, and psychologically safe environment.
• Innovation: Embracing ambitious goals to foster a culture that supports bold ideas, continuous improvement, and visionary practices.
• Adaptability: Remaining flexible and effective in response to changing circumstances, priorities, or environments. Willingness to be nimble as we navigate complexity.
• Conflict Management: Actively addressing and resolving conflicts in a constructive manner to make decisions that are thoughtful and inclusive, consider the input of relevant stakeholders, and align with Sequoia’s goals and values.
• Risk Management: Systematically identifies, assesses, and addresses potential risks to minimize their impact.
• Productivity: Maximizing efficiency and effectiveness to achieve optimal performance and output.

Additional information

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Authorized to work in the United States; no visa sponsorship available.
• Working in a hybrid setting.