Job Title: Executive Director, Strategy and Synergy
Location: Beijing, CN
Supervised by: CEO & President

SUMMARY

Serving as a member of the extended EF China (EFC) management team (MT), Executive Director (ED), Strategy and Synergy is expected to:

• Standing in the whole organization’s position and playing a functional roles for the synergy of the organization, drive the development, revision and update of EFC’s strategy to put the organization on the right position and paths to success, and provide valuable guidance for individual Taskforce/Priority and Program to shape its specific strategies aligning with the organization wide strategy.
• Identify key issues/topics, lead synthesis studies based on the available sources of knowledges  and ideas in a view to set up correct/approriate goals/targets, focuses and priorities for the organization, and ensure quality execution to inform internal and external decision making by relevant stakeholders.
• Support CEO/President in the budgeting and spending process at the organizational level, ensuring the grant resources allocation reflects the organization’s strategic goals, targets, focuses and priorities.
• Lead the efforts together with CEO/President to build the intellectual and institutional basis on which organic linkages for collaboration between different programs/taskforces will be established and enhanced to support execution of EFC’s organizational priorities, with a strong focus on incubating innovative frontiers, linking short, medium and long term goals/targets and paths for setting up the organization’s agenda items and priorities in different timeframe at the global, national, subnational, sectoral, and thematic levels, working towards systematic on-the-ground solutions for complicated issues in the real-world.
• Lead organization-wide intellectual functions by organizing the development of synthesis report on the organization’s behalf and other knowledge products commissioned by the CEO/President with the purpose to enhance the organization’s impacts and effectiveness.
• Demonstrate strong team spirit within and across clusters of Program by well prepared and adequate communication and coordination, jointly build a united and supportive office. (Lead and support seamless and productive collaborations across Taskforce and Program to achieve strong synergies and significant impacts, and promote an organizational culture of communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration.
• Oversee the overall performance of the projects in the whole cycle of strategy, plans of budgeting & spending,  implementation, and Monitor Review and Evaluation (MRE), to ensure full implementation of stragegies, plans of budgeting and spending, and successful delivery of the desired results at cluster and program level.

The ideal candidate is a person who is a visionary and strong leader with extensive experience in the relevant field. Similar working experience in NGOs is a plus. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategy Development

• Drive the development revision of the organization’s strategy, and provide inputs and support to individual Taskforce/Priority and Program to shape their strategies.
• Lead the strategizing and execution of the Taskforce/Priority under ED himself/herself, ensuring the alignment with EFC organizational strategic priorities and the desired high-quality outcomes.
• Lead or support the development of strategies for new initiatives and collaborations based on solid study as needed.

Fundraising

• Manage all fundraising-related activities for the department and taskforce/priority led by the ED, in line with the organization’s strategies.
• Lead the preparation of concept paper and proposal for the Taskforces/Priorities.
• Provide inputs and feedback to all concept paper during regular update with the extended MT.
• Review and approve proposals of programs before being submitted to the Strategic Partnership team.
• Support CEO/President and work collaboratively with the strategic partnership team in the fundraising processes, to foster effective communications and secure sustainable funding.

Research and Incubation

• Lead in-house research with a strong focus on knowledge/insight synthesizing, comprehensive modeling analysis.
• Compose policy notes and strategic advice, with the purpose to adequately inform internal and external decision making by relevant stakeholders.
• Lead the design, construction and maintenance of the database and information hub, providing intellectual support to all Taskforces/Priorirites and Programs.
• Provide thought leadership and/or support to partners in the field with the shared purpose of growing the field.
• Proactively identify and explore opportunities for new initiatives and collaborations that help providing systematic solutions to real-world issues and advancing EFC’s strategic goal.

Partnership Building

• Serve as a strong culture ambassador, representing EFC externally and striving to build and maintain valuable partnership with partners and key stakeholders to maximize synergy.
• Share knowledge, expertise, critical information and networks with partners to increase support and demonstrate shared purpose, leveraging all kinds of channels, including newsletter, meetings and conferences, informal communications.
• Provide thought leadership and/or support to partners in the field with the shared purpose of growing the field.

Budget and Spending

• Lead the preparation and discussion about the organization’s annual budgeting, supporting CEO/President in the budgeting process, based on organization, taskforce and program strategies, with clear priorities and expected outcome.
• Support the CEO/President to develop the annual budgeting and spending plan for the entire organization.
• Provide inputs and support to other ED and Program Director (PD) in their preparation of Taskforce budgeting and Program spending plan.
• Develop budget allocation within the Taskforce and review the budget allocation of the programs led by the ED.
• Guide the team led by the ED, to develop an attainable spending plan that supports the implementation of organizational strategies, program strategies and Taskforce strategies.
• Review and approve all spending plan revision when needed.

Synthesizing and Strategic Advising

• Lead the team to synthesize key findings from EFC’s program work and analysis generated by the modeling platform.
• Compose policy notes and provide strategic advices to target audiences.
• Lead the team to generate high quality reports, including research direction, storyline and outline.
• Coordinate with programs and taskforces to generate reports or concept notes;

Taskforce, Project and Grant Management

• Lead Taskforce execution directly, with support from all Programs and functions.
• Review and approve FIPs application.; review grants application.
• Ensure efficient and effective collaborations in the grant management process, delivering desired high-quality outcomes, including:
• Execute in collaboration with other EDs and other clusters to ensure the implementation of Taskforce projects.
• Oversee the overall projects to ensure successful delivery of the desired results at the department level.

Collaborations

• Mobilize the resources across the organization to support the Taskforce as well as other collaborations as needed.
• Advance organization-wide Taskforces and collaborative program strategies under the leadership of the MT.
• Proactively identify opportunities for cross-sector program collaboration, and work closely with related programs to deliver the impact.
• Work closely with Communications team to effectively communicate cluster-related messages to various stakeholders. 

General Management

• Provide managerial supervision and demonstrate leadership in talent selection, on-the-job coaching, training, professional development, and performance management to team members.
• Share expertise and resource networks through various communication channels Foster team spirit and a learning atmosphere within the team.
• Lead the evolution of all PD under the ED; provide inputs on evaluation of all other PDs.
• Budget and manage G&A expenses for the cluster.
• Review reporting materials for the cluster, e.g. work plan to the board and regulators.
• Undertake additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the President.
• Back up other colleagues as needed.

This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions, it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Education: Master’s degree or equivalent, preferably in a related field: environment, energy, climate change, and economics; Ph.D. would be favored.
• Working Experience: About 15-20 years of related working experience, including 5-8 years of managerial experiences; Energy, environments, climate change and economic development related experience is preferred. Experiences in strategic planning and policy research are considered as a plus.
• Language Level: native-level Chinese skills required; excellent command of spoken and written English, communicates in English effectively in public, with a deep understanding of Western cultures.
• Team Leadership: is able to develop direction and shared purpose, build a team with strong coaching skills, provide timely constructive criticism to team members, and support them for long-term career development.
• Strategic Thinking: an independent thinker with integrated view, able to understand the different areas of climate/energy and development related issues and the field landscape and is able to anticipate the future scenarios with big-picture thinking, be able to maintain a balance and awareness of status of all programs.
• Communication and Coordination Skills: communicate logically and articulate key messages/points with a clear structure, listen actively, sense and take care of the audience’s emotions and unspoken views, find interactions for all parties to achieve win-win and present the audience’s benefits clearly, synthesize different views to develop integrated messages.
• Problem Solving: is able to define and prioritize key issues, make analysis with logical reasoning, utilize and synergize various resources to summarize and find solutions, and determine the best solution in a holistic approach.
• Networking: the ability to develop new alliances and formal networks, mobilize external resources, and foster relationships with key stakeholders to achieve long-term mutual interest.

SUCCESS FACTORS

• Ethical Behavior/Integrity – Demonstrates principled performance and sound ethics, showing consistency among principles, values, and behaviors to build trust and credibility internally and externally.
• Broader Views for Systematic Solution – Proactively link program strategy and goals with the ones of the whole organization and other related programs, as appropriate, for cooperation and organization-wide capacity enhancement.
• Mission-driven/Initiative – Inspired by the organization's vision and mission, and takes actions with ownership, a can-do attitude, and a proactive mindset.
• Team Spirits – Collaboratively works toward solutions that benefit all involved parties; willingly cooperates with others to accomplish team/organization objectives.

Please email a cover letter and resume, with subject line "Application for Executive Director of Strategy & Synergy, to jobs@efchina.org.