Senior Program Officer Japan

Tara Climate Foundation is a new philanthropic initiative in Asia. Tara’s vision is a just and thriving Asia powered by renewable energy. Our mission is to support a diverse group of partners to accelerate Asia’s energy transformation. Tara funds think tanks, civil society, research organisations and other non-state actors, and our mandate includes Southeast Asia, East Asia excluding China, and South Asia excluding India.

Tara Climate plays three main roles in the region: (1) providing grants to a diverse group of partners in the region, (2) constantly developing and assessing strategy, and (3) convening partners within and across borders.

Tara was previously hosted by the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and continues to have the strong backing of the ECF and of other philanthropic foundations. Over the last 2 years, Tara has significantly increased its funding base and currently has more than a dozen philanthropic funders supporting our work and providing grants to hundreds of partners. In the next 4 years, we are looking to double our funding and grantmaking to combat climate change in this decisive decade.

The Japan Senior Program Officer will work closely with the Japan Program Director and Deputy Japan Program Director to accelerate the Japan energy transition program expanding its work across the country and the region by supporting think tanks, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.

The successful applicant is a forward-looking, experienced strategist with a passion for driving systemic change and a collaborative approach to work. The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of the opportunities and challenges related to clean energy transition in Japan, with experience working with a diverse set of stakeholders, including corporates, industry associations, public and private financial institutions, NGOs, think tanks, and government agencies.

The Japan Senior Program Officer’s main areas of responsibility are:

Strategy

• Lead the development of strategies for the allocated pillars of the Japan Program that will accelerate a just energy transition in consultation with partners.
• Identify grantees and strategies that can help drive further climate ambition in these pillars.
• Develop resource requirements and budget plans and develop and track key performance indicators for the program.
• Proactively review developments in the economic sector and political situations that may impact the program and continuously adapt and revise strategies and tactics.
• Develop funding proposals and report to funders on progress.

Partnerships and Coordination

• Network with various stakeholders, including industry sector, industry associations, existing
• grantees, potential partners, and national, regional and international organizations working in the space relevant to the program’s implementation.
• Facilitate coordination among partners inside and outside of Japan to ensure Tara achieves outcomes that are larger than the sum of the individual partners’ efforts.

Grantmaking

• Manage a program budget and partner grants, including developing and incubating new partners
• Guide and advise grantees, partners, and prospective partners in the field to ensure activities achieve their intended objectives and results.
• Monitor grantee and partner deliverables and submissions and provide general oversight on their timeliness and quality.

Skills & Experience:

• At least five years of work experience in relevant programs/initiatives with a demonstrated
• Understanding on how to create systematic change in the energy and development sector.
• Strong motivation and understanding to address the climate crisis.
• An innate grasp of strategy, systems thinking, and the ability to articulate strategies in a clear and compelling way and the ability to translate strategy into implementation.
• Robust understanding of economic development planning processes and the dynamics in the corporate and finance sector.
• Knowledge and understanding of the political, economic and cultural context in Japan, particularly on sustainable development and energy transformation issues.
• Demonstrated policy analysis skills.
• Demonstrated communication and networking skills that enable effective collaboration with a diverse group of partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Japanese.
• Reliable computer skills with standard applications (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Used to working flexibly at a fast pace in remote settings with multi- cultural teams across multiple time-zones
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally as and when required
• Embraces Tara’s mission and identifies with and is committed to living the Tara Values

Education

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

What Tara Climate Foundation can offer:

• The unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international team that combines your passion for making a difference with a rigorous and results-oriented approach
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for career development and to challenge yourself
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• A collaborative, fun, and thriving team driven by our mission and to live our values

Location requirements

• The candidate must be based in Japan and be a citizen of Japan or have long-term residency status with legal permit to reside and work in the country.

To Apply:

Please submit a one-page covering letter outlining your skills and achievements against the role responsibilities, why you would like to join us, your salary expectations and availability to start with us, along with your up to date CV.

We appreciate everyone’s application, but only have the resources to respond to shortlisted applicants. If you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date, please assume you are unsuccessful for this role on this occasion. If this is you, we appreciate your support and consideration and hope you will continue to consider roles with Tara in the future.

To learn more about Tara Climate Foundation, please visit https://taraclimate.org