Oil and Gas Legal & Campaign Manager

POSITION TITLE: Oil and Gas Legal & Campaign Manager

PROGRAM: Climate & Energy

FOCUS AREA: Oil & Gas 

SUPERVISOR: Program Director

LOCATION: Washington, DC or remote eligible (US ET hours, candidates based in the US preferred)

SALARY RANGE: $101,500 - $127,000/year, depending on qualifications 

DEADLINE: Rolling deadline with first review extended to September 13

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. Through innovative legal advocacy and global campaigning, cutting-edge research and analysis, and strategic communications, CIEL’s Climate and Energy Program works to halt the drivers of climate change and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, protect human rights and the planet from the impacts of the climate crisis and responses to it, and hold states and corporations accountable for their contributions to climate-related harm. 

Fossil fuels are the primary drivers of the mounting climate crisis and the cause of numerous human rights and environmental harms around the world, including toxic pollution, biodiversity loss, violent conflict, economic volatility, and rising debt, among other adverse impacts. CIEL is committed to halting the expansion of oil and gas production and use, accelerating a just and equitable managed decline of fossil fuels, and holding fossil fuel producers and enablers accountable for their contributions to climate change and climate inaction. 

The Oil & Gas Manager will be a committed advocate, experienced lawyer, and enthusiastic team leader eager to help shape the vision and enhance the impact of the Climate & Energy Program as it works to confront fossil-fueled climate destruction, accelerate the transition away from oil and gas, and support affected communities around the world. The manager will line manage staff, including attorneys and campaigners, and oversee CIEL’s efforts to: halt and reverse oil and gas expansion, through targeted legal and policy advocacy, global campaigns, and strategic communications; confront fossil fuel industry efforts to greenwash the impacts of its products and operations; and strengthen the global movement against oil and gas, particularly offshore. The position requires work within international coalitions and across timezones, as well as international travel, occasionally for significant periods. The Oil & Gas Manager will report to the Climate & Energy Program Director. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Team Management and Supervision (50%)

• Provide day-to-day supervision, management, and ongoing feedback for program staff and consultants working within the oil and gas subteam of the Climate & Energy Program
• Work with Program Directors and CIEL Leadership to develop work plans and budgets in line with both short-term and long-term campaign goals and CIEL’s Strategic Plan
• Manage oil and gas-related legal and policy advocacy in international and select domestic fora, including judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, guiding legal strategy development and reviewing written submissions and filings
• Manage global movement-building and campaigning work related to oil and gas, guiding campaign strategy and reviewing advocacy materials and strategic communications outputs
• Ensure quality work, in line with CIEL standards, and monitor progress on workplans and grant deliverables
• Work with Program Director to provide planning and implementation support to the Climate & Energy team as a whole

Strategy Development / Legal Advocacy & Campaigns (40%)

• Act as a thought partner with Program Director to shape the vision for and direction of the program’s oil and gas work.
• In conjunction with Program Director and other relevant staff, develop, project manage, coordinate, and deliver campaigns and legal strategies that achieve measurable progress towards CIEL’s strategic priorities and programmatic objectives
• Develop and maintain a working knowledge of relevant policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks and issue areas related to relevant campaigns
• Represent CIEL in coalitions, international negotiation processes, public meetings and workshops, hearings, press, and other processes as assigned
• Oversee the research and drafting of legal briefs and submissions, written comments, briefings, press releases, and publication-ready materials for submission to governments, NGO partners, and communities
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant partner organizations, agencies, intergovernmental organizations, country representatives, and other actors/stakeholders to achieve CIEL’s project related goals

Administration (10%)

• Coordinate with relevant staff in other CIEL programs to ensure consistency and integration across programs in support of CIEL’s strategic priorities, and ensure Program Director and Leadership are informed of progress on activities and engagements with partners 
• Support fundraising efforts and actively collaborate in timely preparation of proposals and reports to funders
• Meet periodically as requested with CIEL leadership and other team members
• Maintain timesheets and submit them on time
• Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including an annual staff performance evaluation
• Perform other job-related duties as requested or assigned by Leadership

Team Management Expectations

• Organization Focus
  • Understand, practice, and promote CIEL values, mission, and strategic direction
  • Be a good steward of resources
  • Walk the walk—be the staff member you expect your team to be
• Results-Driven
  • Set clear expectations for all staff members aligned to strategic priorities
  • Utilize on-going systems for accountability to monitor progress
  • Provide the right balance of support and autonomy, including through effective delegation and clearly defined decision-making
• Investment in Individuals
  • Tailor interactions and approach to the specific management needs of the individual
  • Provide feedback not just on work product but on the growth and development of the individual and their sense of belonging in their position
  • Participate in regular feedback loops that go beyond annual performance reviews
  • Be aware of your limits and invest in self-care, including managing workload and time away from work
  • Actively support your team members in establishing and maintaining the same balance.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Law degree or other advanced degree in the field of law
• 3+ years of experience supervising or managing others
• 7 years of experience leading effective legal and/or policy advocacy work in an environmental or international context
• Demonstrated expertise on the issues of corporate accountability, fossil fuel industry trends and impacts, and climate change, experience with relevant national and international policy fora, and familiarity with relevant movements
• Exceptional analytical, writing, and communication skills and a demonstrated ability to write clearly and compellingly for a variety of audiences, including policymakers and the public
• Experience working and organizing with a diversity of people, groups, local communities, and organizations
• Commitment to incorporating principles of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the work
• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities concurrently, including having strong project management, planning, and organizational skills, and ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work both independently and in close coordination with a team
• Able to travel internationally, and for periods of 1-2 weeks 
• Fluency in the English language, spoken and written

Desired Qualifications:

• Graduate degree or other advanced training in a relevant field (e.g., human rights, international environmental policy, international development)
• Experience with a variety of communication technologies and formats, including social media
• Proficiency in Spanish and/or French

Required Competencies: 

• Action-Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of curiosity, proactivity, and constructiveness.
• Nimble Learner: Approaches unfamiliar tasks proactively and with an open mind. Can quickly adapt to new situations and to draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems.  
• Effective Communicator: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.  
• Collaborative: Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than what can be achieved by individuals.  
• Resourceful: Is able to make the best of limited resources and find a way to get things done even when the odds are against them.  Can look beyond the obvious for viable approaches to accomplish the goal. 

Location note: This position may be eligible to work from the following locations:

• CIEL has the capacity through OysterHR to hire employees in certain jurisdictions outside of where we are headquartered. Thus, candidates may be eligible to work remotely from the US or another country, depending on the US state or other country and provided your work schedule can align with the Eastern US Time Zone. You must have obtained your own legal authorization to work and live in the country from which you wish to work.
• In our Washington, DC, USA office, provided you have obtained your own legal work authorization (CIEL cannot sponsor work visas).
• Please note, candidates based in the US are preferred.

This is a full-time, exempt position. If you are selected for this remote position, you are expected to provide your own space from which to work. CIEL will contribute a one-time stipend of USD $750 for fully remote workers, with an additional USD $250 per year for the purposes of maintaining your remote work space.

CIEL offers a strong benefits package including employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; a 5% contribution of gross annual salary into a 403(b) retirement account; a relocation stipend; dedicated professional development funding; and paid sabbatical leave after 7 years. CIEL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and full-time employees qualify for the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.  

Application instructions: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the first application review will take place on September 13. Desired start date: As soon as able. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and any other required materials or responses. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. Note that CIEL does not sponsor visas of any kind. You must have prior authorization to work in the United States or Switzerland in order to be considered for this position.

Anonymous Demographic Survey: Please complete this anonymous demographic survey as part of your application to CIEL. The survey will only be used to help us evaluate our efforts to recruit a diverse pool of candidates. Your answers will not in any way be linked to your application, and the answers to the survey will not be handled by anyone on the hiring committee for the role.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with CIEL’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, CIEL requires US candidates to furnish proof of full COVID vaccination status in order to be hired for this position. ​​If you are not eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or vaccination is contraindicated by a licensed medical professional, you must provide documentation verifying this ineligibility or contraindication.

About CIEL: For 30 years, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL’s dynamic team of international attorneys and experts work together in a collaborative and supportive work environment to tackle some of the most interesting and challenging issues facing people and the planet. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, actively committed to the principles of multiculturalism and building an organization that is as diverse as the communities we serve around the world. We know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger, and we actively encourage qualified applicants with various backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and (dis)abilities to apply. If you need an accommodation or assistance with this application, please contact Human Resources at jobs[at]ciel.org.