Natural Resources Defense Council is hiring a
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is guided by the understanding that protecting the planet is about protecting people – our health, our communities, and our economy. At the core of our mission is a simple idea: A healthy environment should be a basic right for all of us – regardless of where we live, what we look like, or how we vote. And NRDC is relentless in its commitment to defending that right.
Today, the organization is working to achieve a vision of a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world – one in which we are standing up for climate, nature, health, and equity.
To meet our most pressing environmental challenges, we are building and scaling solutions to fight climate change; protect wildlife, wild lands, and healthy oceans; eliminate toxic chemicals and other pollutants in our air, food, and water; advance more sustainable cities; and engage millions of people in the movement for a healthier world.
NRDC’s unique advocacy approach combines the power of law, science, policy, and public engagement to create solutions for lasting change. On any given day, we take polluters to court, publish groundbreaking scientific research, and advocate in legislatures and government offices. NRDC works alongside communities to make them healthier and more resilient. We activate public pressure to make government officials and corporations do the right thing. We work across the globe, with a particular focus on the United States, China, and India. Today, this mix of strategies is more critical than ever before.
There is unprecedented urgency to act on climate change, as people across the world are increasingly suffering from its consequences – from record heat, drought, and wildfires to hurricanes and flooding. Recent scientific reports from the world’s leading experts tell us that we are in a “code red” for climate change, with a narrowing window to act before its worst impacts are unavoidable. We are also in the midst of a biodiversity crisis from which we risk losing one million species to extinction if drastic efforts are not taken to address the destruction of our natural world. We further face a global human health crisis in which nine million people die prematurely each year from pollution, with those deaths and other health harms falling unjustly and inequitably along lines of race and class. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment to tackle the climate, biodiversity, and human health crises, and to address the inequity that flows through all of them.
The challenges ahead are significant – but are exactly the types of challenges NRDC was born to face. NRDC has played a key role in nearly every major environmental victory in the United States over the past 53 years. For more than five decades, we have stood up to polluters and held our leaders accountable for what they do, or fail to do, to protect the environment and people’s health. We also believe that global problems demand global solutions and have been scaling our international advocacy, including through establishment of offices in China and India and through advocacy undertaken in other nations and in international forums.
The past decade has marked enormous growth for NRDC, in our size, influence, and impact. In 2022, we had revenues of $201 million, net assets of $489 million, and the support of more than three million members and online activists joining in our fight to protect the planet. The organization now operates from the following hubs: Beijing, China; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; New Delhi, India; New York, New York; San Francisco, California; and Washington, D.C. We have a staff of more than 700 people, all of whom share the values that drive NRDC’s work: A high standard of excellence; a tenacious spirit; an unwavering pursuit of justice; a desire to learn, adapt, and innovate; and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
With a talented staff and a remarkable reach, NRDC is poised to lead the environmental movement for decades to come. We are charting the course for the transformational change we need to build a clean, healthy, just, and prosperous world for all people.
The institution’s continued success will require visionary and action-oriented senior leadership that harnesses the limitless talents of the organization and drives a global movement toward the progress we must achieve.
International Program Overview
We bring scientific, economic, and policy expertise to spearhead crucial environmental breakthroughs and leverage opportunities at every level. From local governments to private markets to the international stage, we team up with partners across the globe to protect and improve our shared home. Examples of our international work include:
Senior Vice President for International Role Summary
The newly created Senior Vice President, International role at NRDC is an extraordinary opportunity to lead and build the international program of a top environmental organization deeply committed to expanding its already significant global reach. The Senior Vice President will be the lead visionary and strategist for NRDC’s international program, charged with directing, scaling, and, in collaboration with other staff, implementing NRDC’s international advocacy strategies, all with the goal of maximizing impact. Reporting directly to the Chief Program Officer (CPO) and serving on the Advocacy Leadership Team, the Senior Vice President will be focused externally as well as internally, representing NRDC at external events, acting as a spokesperson for our strategic vision, and helping elevate the reputation and profile of the organization. The Senior Vice President will seek out and build strategic partnerships, both externally and internally, and develop and support fundraising efforts in partnership with our development department. This is an exceptional opportunity for a dynamic, expert, and inspirational leader. NRDC’s staff is highly capable, and the Senior Vice President will be an empowering and collaborative individual who furthers high performance and innovation and can champion equity, diversity, and inclusion. The successful candidate will be flexible, thrive in collaborative environments, embrace solving complex and nuanced problems, and be recognized as a strategic leader with excellent communications skills and the ability to tell compelling stories to diverse audiences. Most importantly, the successful candidate will demonstrate a genuine alignment with the values of NRDC and seek to apply their passion and skills, working with others to tackle the most important challenges humanity has ever faced.
Strategy, Institutional Leadership, Partnerships, and External Relations (60%):
Program Management (40%):
NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary is $275,000 to $325,000. Internal equity considerations and the average salary of the peer range will be reviewed before making a final offer.
In February 2022, NRDC’s offices reopened after closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently operating in a hybrid model—we offer NRDCers flexibility; we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence. The preference is for this role to be based in Washington, D.C.; other locations where NRDC has offices may also be considered.
As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.
To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.
If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.
For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.
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