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. We’re serious about supporting our people to thrive as we tackle the urgent climate challenge.

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 disabilities to apply. We are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone.

About You

You believe in the power of social movements to create transformational change and lead with socially just climate responses. You are eager to play a role in supporting movement actors by expanding the organization’s understanding of the global climate and finance organizing field; building and maintaining relationships with movement actors; and working with them to develop grant-making and program support strategies that advance climate finance and climate justice goals.

You can demonstrate an ability to cover a global scope, and are personally committed to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion with the organization and through its work in the world. You do not need senior experience in finance or climate – you can be a leader in your own field of environmental or social justice work with a desire to be more active in the climate movement. You have a firm grasp of the role of finance actors in the climate crisis, and how civil society and social movements can influence their actions.

About the Role

Sunrise Organizing Lab (SOL) is a program of The Sunrise Project that aims to support a movement that is healthier, more inclusive and equitable, and ultimately more powerful in challenging the finance sector to leverage its power and hasten the transition away from fossil fuels.

The SOL Strategist will lead SOL’s program delivery – including co-creating the program strategy and defining specific priorities, as well as global outreach and relationship building. They will be the Program Director’s strategic thought partner and will lead in generating and implementing new ideas for partnerships, convenings, and internal organizational coordination. They will work with the Program Director in developing a team structure to support these strategies.

The Sunrise Project supports networks of organizations to work together to achieve outcomes that would not be possible by individual organizations acting alone. We expect all roles at Sunrise to actively support these networks and partner organizations. 

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement strategies for new partner outreach: maintain an understanding of the global climate finance and climate organizing field, identify key strategic and geographic gaps and entry points, work with the team towards new partnerships that will advance our broader fossil fuel finance strategy;

• Inform and refine the SOL program strategy based on learnings, experiences and needs of partners and allies in the field;

• Unlock new partnerships and initiatives in the following areas: incubating new organizations and strategic interventions, organizational development for existing partners, movement organizing and mobilizing, convening and connecting; 

• Along with the rest of the SOL team, nurture generative relationships with existing partners, understand their strategic and organizational needs and build and execute long term organizational plans;

• Build, maintain, and communicate appropriate measurement and evaluation tools to ensure that the program is accountable to its mission, movement partners, and supporters;

• Coordinate across various Sunrise Project teams to ensure smooth partner relations and communications, and coherent strategies across teams;

• Process grants, and eventually build the needed staff support to ensure that grants are processed in a fair and efficient manner;

• Organize the team support needed to implement convening, connecting, and movement support strategies.

Required skills and experience 

• At least five years’ experience in climate, human rights, social justice, or sustainability roles;

• Strong understanding of the role of social movements in driving societal change;

• Strong understanding of the role of finance institutions in hastening transition away from fossil fuels;

• Ability to co-create strategies for shifting the financial system away from fossil fuels;

• Ability to communicate strategies in clear and compelling ways to various audiences, especially internal teams, peer and partner organizations, and donors;

• Excellent interpersonal communication, relationship building, and group facilitation skills;

• A collaborative mindset and a proven ability to work effectively in alliance with diverse stakeholders;

• A passion for action on climate change and a commitment to social justice;

If you meet some but not all the criteria for this position, are unsure, but you’re keen on the role – please get in touch. We value and recognize experience that has been unpaid, from the grassroots or is lived experience.

How Sunrise supports its staff:

The Sunrise Project U.S. is 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 vacation leave

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

• Cultural & solidarity 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. The application window will close on November 21, 2021, 8:00 pm EST. 

The Be Applied system reduces the opportunity for unconscious bias in allowing for anonymized reviews of responses to work sample questions. This means we assess candidates on how well they strategize and communicate on relevant work samples. When you click on the link you will be taken to an external site to start your application. You will be required to upload a CV or resume and will be asked to respond to a few questions with long form answers. We will not be asking you 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.