Inclusive Climate Action Project Officer

Background

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis, and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

C40’s team of 400+ staff is based in offices in London, in New York, Johannesburg, Singapore, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Beijing and Paris, and individual staff based across 25+ different locations.

The strategic direction of the organisation is determined by an elected Steering Committee of C40 mayors, which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown. Three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, responsible for operational oversight. A regionally diverse management team, led by Executive Director Mark Watts, leads the day-to-day management of C40. C40’s three core strategic funders are Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Realdania.

Our international staff work with the C40 network under the leadership of city governments to deliver this mission. Using a data-driven approach, our team identifies and promotes the exchange of proven programmes and policies developed by cities; provides world-class research, technical expertise and access to key partners to deliver new programmes and policies with cities; and communicates cities’ individual achievements and collective leadership.

Diversity Statement

C40 is committed to supporting and promoting equity and diversity and creating an inclusive working environment for everyone. We believe that when people with different life experiences are involved in decision-making, we deliver better. 

We believe having a diverse workforce ensures we connect better with all the different communities and people affected by the climate crisis. This enables us to make better decisions which lead to better outcomes in the work we do through increased creativity, productivity, greater global impact alongside a broader perspective and approach to our work.

We welcome applicants that are diverse in terms of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity and perspective. Our goal is for C40 to be an environment where everyone, from any background, can flourish and can be themselves whilst contributing to our mission. If you identify as a person with a disability, we work to provide reasonable appropriate measures and any additional support needed to provide an equitable working experience. If you are living with a disability, chronic illness or neurodiversity please inform us, to provide you with the proper assistance in the application process.

C40 promotes a work culture where staff can input to improve equity, diversity and inclusion through staff-led groups and formal forums. We know that creating our ideal working environment is a learning process and we are committed to the ongoing effort.

Inclusive Climate Action Programme 

There is no climate justice without social justice, and action at the city level is critical to achieve both. The C40 Inclusive Climate Action (ICA) Programme support cities in developing and delivering local climate policies and initiatives that drive mitigation and adaptation, co-designed in an inclusive way, addressing structural inequalities and delivering equitable impacts that support climate justice while advocating for global and national change that allows cities to go further in achieving a just transition.

The ICA programme delivers a number of strategic services to cities:

• Direct assistance - Dedicated support, guidance and policy advice to support planning and implementation of climate action that is inclusive and fair, ensures a just transition and builds resilience for underserved communities.
• Peer to peer learning - Spurring innovation by connecting city officials through tailored learning spaces to share best practices and challenges in delivering multi-stakeholder, inclusive, climate solutions at local level.
• Global leadership - Supporting mayors and city decision makers with diplomacy and leadership guidance to increase city visibility, unlock support and inspire others to act on key climate justice issues through global and national forums.
• Thought Leadership- Developing global research and policy/data analysis to support policy-making in cities that address new and emerging challenges and demonstrating the urban perspective on key emerging issues.

The Inclusive Climate Action team is a globally located team divided into two sub teams - one supporting direct city assistance and peer to peer, and another supporting city global and thought leadership activities. Both subteams work closely together to ensure that leadership activities are informed by local context and experience, and that cities are supported to locally contextualise key emerging issues where relevant. The whole ICA team also has a strategic role in delivering and supporting mainstreaming of inclusive climate approaches across C40’s wider programmes, activities and organisational approaches, with both subteams contributing to this mission. The ICA team works closely and collaboratively with teams across C40 to deliver and implement its work, especially C40’s Regional Team and Climate Solutions Team.

Position Description

C40 seeks a motivated, self-starter for the role of Inclusive Climate Action Project Officer. Reporting to the Director of the Inclusive Climate Action programme and working closely with other members of the ICA team the role will be responsible for supporting the Team to deliver on its core functions by providing key support including coordination, procurement, research, events support and monitoring across the ICA team. Examples of responsibilities include keeping track of outcomes, insights and lessons from ICA team’s work, acting as focal point and collaborating with key teams across C40 on relevant projects, providing direct support to ICA team’s contracting and grant delivery, supporting C40’s leadership standards for cities on equity, and providing dedicated support to ICA team members on city implementation and global leadership. The role will involve supporting  policy, research and knowledge from a range of topics including but not limited to: inclusivity and equity, just transition, green new deals, energy poverty  informality, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. In addition, the role will work directly with the Director of Inclusive Climate Action providing key strategic support on identified priority projects for C40’s work Inclusive Climate Action.

The ideal candidate will be an energetic and delivery-focused individual, working with the team to consolidate delivery and results to deliver transformative change in key areas for inclusive climate action in C40 cities. The post holder will be an effective collaborator to build strong connections within C40, and with key C40 stakeholders, and will thrive in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities: 

• Support the Inclusive Climate Action team with programme coordination, research and administrative support across all workstreams and projects.
• Undertake key duties and responsibilities that support the ICA team, including conducting desk reviews on key developments on ICA and possible emerging issues and city action, logistical support on the set-up and coordination of events, workshops, webinars, study visits and any other meeting activity.
• Support and lead as requested the monitoring, evaluation and learning process for team work including Internal and external tracking of city actions and outcomes, to monitor progress against programme specific deliverables, tracking lessons learned for internal and external use and support to funder reporting (as necessary). 
• Act as main operational support on ICA reporting and tracking including on C40 Leadership standards, accelerator reporting, programme reporting and inputs to funder reporting.
• Support for procurement and contracting for key ICA team activities.
• Work with the ICA Director and ICA Business Manager in overall operations and functioning of ICA Team including regular team meetings, reviewing processes and internal team coordination, and maintaining and inputting into resources for team processes and team wide guidance and calendar management and scheduling.
• Support the production and dissemination of the ICA Monthly Newsletter, working closely with the ICA Senior Manager on Knowledge.
• Support in the preparation and production of ICA case studies and showcasing materials , working closely with the ICA team.
• Lead on key strategic tasks related to the ICA programme as identified by ICA team members.
• Lead the operations of and maintain ICA stat bank, image library, consultant database.
• Provide support and inputs where requested to briefings for Mayors and other senior leaders on key Inclusive Climate Action issues and events.
• Support on the engagement with other C40 teams on key identified activities to deliver on the Inclusive Climate Programme’s and C40’s overall objectives, including ICA mainstreaming across C40 and acting as focal point for internal requests to ICA Team.
• Direct support to ICA  Director for key team priority projects and ad hoc requests as needed when they arise.

Person Specification:

• International experience or proven awareness of working across different cultures, languages and time zones.
• Passionate about driving ambitious climate action and working with cities. Background and understanding of inclusive climate action, equity, climate justice  and Just Transition concepts is an asset
• Experience or knowledge of coordinating projects and delivering administrative and logistical support
• Proven ability to reprioritise tasks quickly
• Excellent written communication skills, including writing in a range of formats
• A strong desire to learn and develop skills and knowledge
• A strong commitment to C40’s mission and values
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience supporting business administration, procurement, contracts reporting and financial systems is an asset.
• Strong technical knowledge of online communications systems, and willingness to trial and learn new technologies/software.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office / Google Suite
• Ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong problem-solving and interpersonal capabilities coupled with an outcome/delivery-oriented approach required
• Fluency in English is required; additional languages are desirable.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in the listed locations. 

Reporting To: Director - Inclusive Climate Action

Term: Fixed term contract until 31st December 2025

Location: South Africa, UK

Salary: South Africa ZAR 493,620, UK GBP £44,843  (gross per annum)

Application Process:

Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and cover letter. 

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 28th March 2025 at 5pm GMT.

C40 reserves the right to close this job opening before the closing date for applications so please do submit applications early.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.

For any queries about the role, please contact careers@C40.org. Kindly note that this email address is for recruitment related queries only. We are unable to accept CVs and cover letters sent to this inbox. We can only accept and process applications that are submitted via our website.

C40 is an equal opportunities employer.