Executive Director | ICLEI USA | Remote, U.S.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) is the world’s first and largest climate organization focused on serving local governments. Partly due to our work over the last 34 years, the United Nations has formally elevated the role of local governments in solving the climate crisis. ICLEI is powerfully positioned to continue this work with a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. We are active in 125+ countries and we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development. Our members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships, and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability.
This position is with ICLEI USA, the United States office of ICLEI. Our mission is to build and serve a nationwide alliance of local governments, participating in the ICLEI worldwide association, to achieve measurable progress towards more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable forms of development and management. ICLEI USA serves a network of more than 500 U.S. local and regional governments and Tribal Nations. We are known for our expertise in emissions management and accounting, resilience-building and climate adaptation, nature-based development and more. At ICLEI USA, our actions and inquisitiveness, our personal commitments and collaboration, create an environment in which we share our perspectives and support others to do the same. Our inclusive culture empowers all of us to connect, belong, and grow.
THE OPPORTUNITY
ICLEI USA is seeking a strategic, visionary, influential leader to continue the organization’s growth and innovation during a period of significant opportunity and change. The right candidate will bring passion, knowledge, and experience related to ICLEI’s “five pathways,” or dimensions, of climate action, including decarbonization; adaptation and resilience; equity and justice; circular economy; and nature-based development. Their multifaceted experience will equip them to support ICLEI USA’s staff experts, partnerships, and service offerings across our pathways. They will champion the important role climate action plays in building a just, equitable, and climate-ready future and represent the work of the ICLEI USA network to audiences across the country and around the world. They will be an innovative leader with proven advocacy, communications, and relationship building skills, and possess significant organizational leadership experience, ideally in the nonprofit community and/or local and regional governments.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Director (ED) is the most senior ICLEI USA executive, accountable for both internal and external organizational performance. Internally, the ED is responsible for continuous improvement of ICLEI’s financial strength, governance, human resources, and for the capacity and quality of ICLEI’s program and service delivery. Externally, the ED is responsible for the nationwide impact of ICLEI’s activities with its local and regional government members, building on ICLEI’s strong market position and its clear and compelling brand, which is synonymous with best-in-class standards in climate protection and sustainability. The ED is responsible for developing and supporting the ICLEI USA Board of Directors and serves as a non-voting board member and secretary of the ICLEI USA corporate entity. As the U.S. director, the ED is a member of ICLEI’s International Office Management Consultation (IOMC), contributing to ICLEI’s global strategy and outcomes.
In addition to demonstrated executive management and operational competencies and skills, the Executive Director is a resourceful entrepreneurial manager. They will lead and mentor the highly skilled team supporting and growing ICLEI’s local and regional government members towards the next phase of organizational growth. They will effectively communicate a vision to leverage the organization’s growing prominence in light of the UN’s recent recognition that local governments are crucial partners in solving the climate crisis. They will develop a strategy to further the use and recognition of ICLEI’s best-in-class climate planning software tool, ClearPath.
