Senior Strategist - US Banks

The Senior Strategist will develop strategies to shift US banks away from funding fossil fuels. If you're an experienced campaigner with a passion for climate justice and holding power to account, this is the role for you!

Location: Work from anywhere in the US, ideally in Eastern time zone.

About Us

Driven by a passion to solve the climate crisis, The Sunrise Project U.S. is a team of experienced change-makers, researchers and communications professionals with a mission to scale social movements to drive the global transition beyond fossil fuels. With affiliated programs and staff in Australia and Europe, we have developed a unique model of grant making and campaigning that supports networks of organizations to drive powerful change towards our mission. 

We have a dynamic and nimble organizational culture and we’re serious about supporting our people to thrive. We move fast and lean into the urgency of the climate crisis.

We believe that a diversity of experiences and perspectives will help us build stronger strategies, teams and movements. We strongly encourage First Nations people, people of color, people living outside of cities, and people with disability and talents to apply. We are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone. 

About You

You’re a natural campaigner, creative thinker with a strong track record of making change happen. You have a strong strategic sense and an understanding of how power works in the world and want to shift the role of financial institutions and hold corporate power to account. 

You understand how big banks operate either through your experience as a campaigner, in the government, or through your work in the financial sector. You can develop strategy, build a team, manage multiple concurrent projects, across time zones and continents and also feel comfortable working effectively in collaborative teams.

You’ve got exceptional networking and interpersonal communication skills and are just as comfortable working with senior finance industry professionals as you are with grassroots climate activists. 

About the Role

This role will develop and execute on strategies to shift the biggest banks in the US away from funding fossil fuels.

This role will sits within the Global banks team and will help contribute to the global strategy. We support networks of organizations to work together to achieve outcomes that would not be possible by individual organizations acting alone. This role will actively support the capacity building of these networks and partner organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop campaign strategy plans;

• Actively drive campaign strategy to ensure victory;

• Jointly manage a multi-million-dollar campaign budget and partner grants;

• Collaborate with the existing network of organizations campaigning to shift finance out of fossil fuels in the US

• Bring new members and proactively fill the gaps in strategy and tactics as needed

• Ensure that campaign demands to banks are consistent with the Global Banks work and that big banks are held accountable to the same standards in the US as outside it

• Work closely with the Central Banks/Fed and Financial regulation team 

• React and take advantage of emerging campaign opportunities 

Key Tasks

• Nurture the development of stronger alliances and convene meetings of alliance partners and networks as required;

• Provide advice and support to advocates to help them run more effective campaigns;

• Conduct or manage a process to secure detailed research in order to develop focused and effective campaign strategies;

• Identify opportunities to provide support to key organizations and campaigns in order to increase their effectiveness;

• Work with grantees to develop funding proposals and negotiate grant agreements with grantees;

• Write or commission briefing papers, campaign plans, news bulletins and other materials as required;

• Other tasks as needed

Required Skills and Experience    

• At least 5-7 years of experience as a campaigner working on global climate, finance, and/or corporate accountability campaigns;

• Demonstrated experience managing campaign implementation at a global level;

• Demonstrated ability to manage campaign alliances and external partnerships;

• Ability to learn subjects quickly, and/or understanding of the finance sector and the drivers and dynamics of capital markets;

• An innate grasp of campaign strategy, system thinking and the ability to articulate strategies in a clear and compelling way; 

• Ability to thrive in a high-paced environment.

Salary and benefits

Remuneration: $99,700 - $108,000, depending on experience (including unpaid and other experiences) and capacity to take on responsibility. Windward Fund’s excellent benefits package includes 401(k) employer match; 100% employer paid health, vision and dental coverage; and generous vacation policy.

How Sunrise supports its staff:

We're committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that:

• 401(k) & employer match

• 100% employer paid health, vision and dental coverage

• Four weeks of paid vacation leave

• Birthday leave (if it’s your birthday, you get a day off)

• Cultural leave

• 12 weeks parental leave after 12 months of service

• Commitment to supporting to your professional development

• Access to an Employee Assistance Program

• Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings

• Performance reviews and feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow

• A co-developed initial 3 month work plan to help you hit the ground running and have clarity on your role and responsibilities

• Flexible work policy

How to apply for this job

In our commitment to inclusive hiring of the best candidates, we use the Be Applied hiring system to process applications. Applications will close on Sunday August 1st, at 11.59pm US Pacific time.

The Be Applied system reduces the opportunity for unconscious bias in allowing for anonymous reviews of responses to work sample questions. This means we assess candidates anonymously based on how well you demonstrate the required skills, knowledge, values and strategic thinking in response to specific job-related questions. You may upload a CV or resume and will be asked several questions that will be related to the role you are applying for. There is no requirement to submit a cover letter.

Statement from our US Fiscal Sponsor Windward Fund

Sunrise US is a project of Windward Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Windward Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Windward Fund ‘s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.