Job Description

Tara Climate Foundation is a philanthropic climate foundation dedicated to fostering a future where Asias unwavering commitment to climate action paves the way for just, thriving and resilient societies. Tara operates in East, Southeast and South Asia, excluding India and China.Our mission is to support a diverse group of partners in accelerating Asias energy transformation and championing climate action. Tara plays three main roles in the region:Grantmaker: Tara works closely with mission-aligned foundations and philanthropists to pool resources and grant funds to organisations working to accelerate Asias energy transition and climate action (excluding China and India).Convenor: Tara cultivates networks that facilitate the exchange of ideas between business, civil society, and government throughout and beyond Asia.Local and regional expert: With strong networks spanning civil society, businesses and government, Tara funds thorough research and analysis to address knowledge gaps, stay abreast of emerging trends, and craft evidence-based strategies to advance our mission.Despite heightened global focus on climate issues, philanthropic giving toward climate change initiatives remains disproportionately low, constituting just 2% of worldwide philanthropic giving, with an even smaller percentage allocated to Asia. In response to this challenge, in 2021 Tara established its headquarters in Singapore and has experienced significant growth, expanding our funding base to include more than a dozen philanthropic foundations. Currently, we provide grants to over 300 organisations operating across 13 countries and jurisdictions in the Asia region. Our team of over 50 experts is spread across the Asia-Pacific region, working to combat climate change in this decisive decade.The Program Director, Vietnam has overall responsibility and leadership of the country program, including developing and implementing program strategy, representation, convening and networking to drive systemic change and strengthen the national partner ecosystem. The Program Director Vietnam is also responsible for partnerships and grants management and has an excellent understanding of the politics as well as economics of energy transition in the country, with experience working with government agencies, corporates, national associations and think tanks.The Program Director, Vietnam will engage in the following key responsibilities:Program StrategyLead national program strategy and annual objectives, aligned with Tara's goals, in consultation with team and partners. Develop and evaluate a multi-faceted strategy. Manage resource requirements, budgets, forecasts, and reviews. Report quarterly on progress and annually on achievements, impact, and lessons. Contribute to regional strategy.Partnership and Co-ordinationIdentify, assess, and onboard new grant-making partners. Develop a trust-based partner ecosystem, including diverse stakeholders. Assess partner capacities and support organizational development. Coordinate internally and across the APAC region.Representation & NetworkingBuild and maintain relationships with key stakeholders. Represent Tara nationally and internationally.GrantmakingDevelop and manage a complex grant portfolio across climate mitigation sectors. Monitor and advise grantees, evaluating their performance. Oversee grantee deliverables. Advise on legal/operational/risk requirements and inform senior management of risks.Convening & CollaborationOrganize convenings of stakeholders to enhance strategy, learning, and impact. Lead coordination among partners. Collaborate with Tara specialists.Expertise & KnowledgeApply knowledge of national, regional, and global trends. Use expertise in Vietnam's context and energy systems to identify risks and opportunities. Communicate insights effectively.Leadership & ManagementLead and manage a team. Contribute to Tara's leadership and culture, role-modeling values. Mentor team members and direct their development. Promote a culture of excellence.Compliance & Risk Management

• Uphold organizational procedures and policies. Integrate risk management, safeguarding, and safety & security.

Person specificationExcited by the prospect of working for a dynamic and fast-growing international organisation dedicated to addressing the climate crisis, the ideal candidate will have at least:

• 15+ years of relevant work experience, gained in either local or international foundations, donor agencies, NGOs or clean energy related companies or financial institutions.
• 7+ years experience in leadership positions, with experience managing experienced/expert team members.

In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• A strong understanding of theVietnam energy system, the barriers and opportunities for accelerating its energy transition.A strong understanding of national climate policy, the major sectors driving greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam and the scope for change.
• Strategic thinking capabilities, and the ability to translate strategy into action.
• Proven ability to engage with diverse government entities, with a strong emphasis on successful collaborations with government departments to influence and support policy shifts, ideally within Vietnam.Demonstrated experience in the energy sector, specifically in guiding institutions through energy transition initiatives**.**
• An ability to maintain trusting professional relationships across different sectors, a diverse group of partners, including many working in different cultural contexts.
• Excellent public relations and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to lead collaborative efforts among diverse groups, including government, parliament, national associations, corporations, think tanks, universities, and local authorities.
• An existing good network including senior policy and decision-makers in industry, government and business; experience working with government institutions and/or business associations a plus.
• Team leadership experience, with the ability to manage a high performing team in line with Tara's values, organisational culture and standard operating procedures.
• Experience in grant making and grant portfolio management.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential. Fluency in Vietnamese is highly desirable but not mandatory
• Reliable computer skills with standard applications (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Sharepoint)

Personal Attributes:

• Deep commitment to solving the climate crisis and enabling systemic change.
• Intrinsic motivation and excellent organisational and self-management skills.
• Deeply collaborative.
• Flexibility over working hours to accommodate global time zones.
• Willingness to travel both regionally and internationally.
• Impeccable ethics, and experience of working securely and confidentially and operating with high security.

Education:

• Masters degree or relevant expertise in a relevant field such as renewable energy, environmental management, business administration, economics, or sustainable development.

Location:

• The candidate must be based in a country where Tara currently has presence and/or within 3-hour time zone of Vietnam, holds citizenship or long-term residency status with legal permit to reside and work in the country of base.

What Tara can offer:

• The unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international team that combines passion for making a difference with a rigorous, results-oriented approach to work.
• A flexible work environment.
• Opportunities for career development and personal growth.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• A collaborative, fun and thriving

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