Director, global market demand development

Job Description

Our mission is to secure a safe and stable climate by accelerating the transition to a thriving, just, and resilient low-carbon economy. We are widely recognized as an influential voice on climate issues, a trusted convener, and a credible source of expertise and analysis. We work closely with international climate negotiators; federal, state, and local policymakers; executives of Fortune 500 businesses; and a wide range of other stakeholders to advance strong policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. C2ES is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.

Our organizational values: We are ambitious and practical, advancing effective solutions that push the boundaries of the achievable. We are open-minded and inclusive, seeking out and considering a wide range of voices, views, and approaches. We are people-focused, dedicated to improving human well-being and recognizing that respect and empathy are central to success. We are one team, working collaboratively, communicating openly, making ourselves accessible to each other, and treating one another with kindness and respect.

Kinetic Coalition is an initiative based out of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) with the mission of unlocking capital, via energy transition carbon credits, to power the clean energy transition in emerging economies-delivering reliable, affordable clean energy and lasting economic, health, and environmental benefits to local communities.

Kinetic Coalition drives and accelerates corporate investment in emerging economies' clean energy systems by enabling companies to purchase high-integrity energy transition credits (ETCs). These credits provide the catalytic finance necessary to drive the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, including early retirement of coal assets, accelerated renewables deployment, grid and storage improvements, and implementation of enabling policies. ETC revenue streams can be leveraged by host countries or asset owners to unlock the upfront financing needed to implement energy system transformation strategies.

Kinetic Coalition is currently engaging more than 20 global companies committed to accelerating the clean energy transition and has pilot projects in the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, and Chile. With ambitions to complete our pilot projects and facilitate 3-6 additional energy transition credit transactions by 2028, Kinetic Coalition is laying the groundwork for a large-scale, self-sustaining market that could reduce gigatons of GHG emissions and mobilize tens of billions of dollars in catalytic capital to accelerate the coal-to-clean transition at speed and scale.

The Director will cultivate relationships with senior sustainability, procurement, and finance executives at corporations headquartered in the United States, Asia, Latin America, and Europe; engage compliance market buyers, including airlines subject to CORSIA obligations and companies operating under domestic carbon pricing schemes, such as Singapore's carbon tax; and support Kinetic Coalition's ongoing work with sovereign buyers to expand country-to-country energy transition credit transactions under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

This role offers a rare opportunity to shape a pioneering market mechanism at the intersection of corporate climate strategy, carbon markets, and global energy finance. The Director, Global Market Demand Development will report to the Managing Director of Kinetic Coalition.

Requirements

• Oversee Kinetic's engagement with companies, providing strategic direction and managing member relationships and coordinating a "Community of Practice" to provide peer exchange, market education, and transactional support;
• Work in close coordination with the C2ES Business Engagement Team to maintain alignment with and leverage the organization's corporate engagement strategy and efforts to engage companies on the Business Environmental Leadership Council and C2ES programs, such as the Corporate Decarbonization, Corporate Climate Resilience, and Renewable Thermal Coalition (RTC) teams;
• Develop and execute a global outreach strategy to recruit buyers of energy transition credits (ETCs) across voluntary and compliance markets - including global corporations, airlines subject to CORSIA obligations, companies under domestic carbon pricing schemes, and sovereign governments pursuing Article 6.2 country-to-country transactions;
• Build the business case for a variety of potential ETC buyers, including developing and socializing the credible ETC use cases for Scope 2 and Scope 3 insetting and offsetting;
• Recruit and engage partners - including development institutions, industry groups, brokers, traders, aggregators, and sustainability advisory firms - who can help to build demand and expand Kinetic Coalition's reach;
• Engage key standards bodies, including the SBTi, GHGP, AIM Platform, and TCAT, to promote clear accounting guidance for companies to quantify, report, and claim climate progress achieved through ETC purchases;
• Support demand commitments for specific transactions, working with the Kinetic team to match buyers to specific projects, assist buyers through due diligence processes, and help coordinate pooled buyer commitments and advance purchase agreements;
• Support sovereign buyer engagement to expand country-to-country ETC transactions under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, tracking bilateral cooperation agreements to identify transaction opportunities;
• Represent Kinetic Coalition at major international forums such as Climate Weeks, Ecosperity, GreenBiz, and VERGE;
• As requested, author publications, case studies, and communications materials that advance awareness and adoption of ETCs among corporate and compliance buyer audiences;
• As requested, assist with fundraising efforts by contributing to grant proposals and reports, joining meetings with foundation staff, etc.;
• Manage the Kinetic demand team, including consultants and/or interns.

Enterprise Leadership

• Supervise, mentor and support staff as needed;
• As a senior Kinetic Coalition staff member, contribute to:
• the organization's strategic planning, direction and development objectives;
• collaboration with others within C2ES working on similar and/or adjacent issues;
• a strong organizational culture, including with respect to the organization's priorities around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB);
• the strengthening of internal capacity and core competencies, and;
• the alignment of staff responsibilities and resources across Kinetic Coalition programs and initiatives.
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council (JEDI-C) expectations - All staff are expected to participate in monthly JEDI-C All staff meetings. During these meetings staff can interact and learn about different topics provided by the JEDI-C.
• Demonstrate commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Complete trainings assigned during on boarding and on a yearly basis. Some specialize training may be required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in corporate climate strategy, greenhouse gas accounting, and market-based approaches to corporate GHG reduction, including energy attribute certificates, carbon offsets, and emerging Energy Transition Credit frameworks.
• Substantial experience engaging senior-level corporate executives on sustainability strategy, climate targets, and/or carbon procurement; proven ability to translate technical carbon market concepts into compelling business propositions.
• Strong understanding of how companies develop and implement climate targets, including science-based targets, net zero commitments, and GHG inventories; understanding of the drivers of voluntary corporate climate action and how to position Kinetic's offerings within corporate strategies.
• Good understanding of the voluntary carbon market.
• Knowledge of CORSIA's Emission Unit Eligibility Criteria, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and ITMO-related compliance schemes.
• Excellent skills in stakeholder management, relationship building, and business development, with a demonstrated ability to cultivate and grow complex multi-stakeholder networks.
• Excellent skills in program and project management, including managing multi-year workstreams, budgets, and consultants.
• Good networks and connections across companies, NGOs, sustainability advisory firms, and carbon market intermediaries.
• Strong writing, presentation, and communication skills.
• Humility, collegiality, a sense of humor, and a deep spirit of collaboration.
• Bachelor's degree plus 12+ years of relevant experience OR Master's degree in environmental management, economics, public policy, international relations, law, or related field plus 9+ years of relevant experience.

Employment Status

Full-time, benefits-eligible; exempt from overtime.

Reporting to

Managing Director, Kinetic Coalition.

Travel, Time & Location Requirements

Location may be in the Washington, DC area or remote, based in the United States; if remote, physical presence in the main office is expected at least 5 days per quarter. Moderate travel is expected for domestic and international conferences and meetings, up to 25 percent.

Starting salary range

$126,000-$158,000; salary within range will be determined by experience and qualifications.

Benefits Offered

• Health Insurance. C2ES offers 80% of premiums for a specific platinum-level health insurance reference plan, the dollar value of which may be applied to any platinum-level plan offered to us on the DC Health Link marketplace. The remainder of the premiums for the plan chosen by the employee will be deducted pretax from the employee's paycheck.
• Dental Insurance. C2ES covers 100% of the dental premiums.
• Vision Insurance: Employee covers the total cost of this plan.
• Long Term Disability and Short-Term Disability.
• DC Paid Family Leave (employees working in the DC office).
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Group Life insurance and Voluntary Life insurance.
• Leave Time: New employees start accumulating 3 weeks' vacation per year.
• Sick time: up to 10 days per year.
• Personal Leave: Up to two personal leave days.
• Parental Leave.
• FMLA Leave: Case by case is evaluated by the Supervisor and HR.
• Holidays: C2ES observes 12 holidays during the year. Additionally, the organization closes the last week of year.
• 5% C2ES contribution towards 403b retirement Plan.
• Hybrid and flexible environment.

*We are fully committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We believe we will only be effective in developing and advocating climate solutions if we have a diverse range of voices and perspectives represented within C2ES, in our work, and among our partners. C2ES is committed to creating and growing a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and among the stakeholders we collaborate with and convene. By fostering this culture, we can enhance our work and amplify our impact. We encourage individuals of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual identities, and abilities to apply for this position. For more on C2ES's DEIJ policy, visit: https://www.c2es.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion-and-justice