Programme Officer – Global Climate Initiatives Programme

About Oak

Through our grant-making, we contribute to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world. 

Background

This is a great opportunity to join a diverse, international team within Oak Foundation’s Global Climate Initiatives Programme. The Global Climate Initiatives Programme supports practical, people-first solutions that help communities thrive while reducing the harm caused by pollution and overuse of natural resources. This role will help tackle this challenge to support a cleaner, healthier, and thriving future.

We are looking for someone with a strong, entrepreneurial and creative spirit, keen to innovate and enable some of the world’s most effective civil society groups to support their efforts in India and Southeast Asia.

Passion, motivation, and a commitment to efficiency are essential, as is the desire to work within a remote but deeply collaborative and supportive team.

Major Duties

• Makes a lead contribution to the portfolio level strategy related to India and Southeast Asia.
• Provides input into the strategic direction of the Environment Programme and contributes to shaping the Global Climate Initiative programme’s grant-making goals. This includes managing, monitoring, evaluating, and leading grant-making across Oak’s India and Southeast Asia climate initiatives portfolio.
• Identifies high-impact, innovative, and entrepreneurial grant-making opportunities to strengthen leadership across Indian and Southeast Asian climate philanthropy.
• Maintains a strong network of relationships with key players in the climate arena (NGOs, scientific, philanthropic, government, private sector) and particularly within his/her/their geographical focus area.
• Can build strong majority south-south partnerships and foster collaboration and learning across diverse (culturally and geographically) communities of practice.
• Contributes to ongoing strategic development, implementation, learning, and evaluation.
• Follows and assesses key scientific, legislative, and regulatory developments within their area of geographical responsibility and internationally.
• Manages all aspects of grant-making: conducts research; develops new grant opportunities and a cohesive portfolio; conducts due diligence and makes grant recommendations; manages grant relationships; and assesses impact, including enlisting the support of technical expertise for monitoring and evaluation when appropriate.
• Reviews letters of inquiry and proposals received by the foundation and responds in a timely manner to all applicants, regardless of the foundation’s interest.
• Assesses organisational development needs and proposes appropriate measures.
• Conducts site visits to applicants, grantees and projects, as required.
• Represents Oak Foundation at external climate change meetings and contributes to internal and key constituent communications on climate change.
• Convenes partner NGOs, scientists, government, and/or peers from other foundations when programme implementation so requires.
• Works with Oak Foundation administrative and programme management staff to ensure efficient progress in grant-making, monitoring and reporting, as well as other administrative activities related to the programme.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Director of Global Climate Initiatives Programme.

Qualifications

• University degree (Masters preferred) in political, social, and/or relevant environmental or natural sciences.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience, and a track record of significant achievement in a discipline related to climate change, especially with a focus on India.
• Strong personal and professional networks in the climate change and social movement arena across India, primarily, and Southeast Asia more broadly.
• Ability to translate from strategic imperatives to tactical realities.
• Experience in field programme implementation and in making, managing, and measuring grants is preferred.

• Understanding of non-profit and/or governmental financial reporting and budgeting.
• Proven research and analysis skills; outstanding organisational abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; desire and ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; comfort expressing opinions in a setting that encourages a vibrant exchange of ideas.
• A strongly developed sense of integrity, humility and discretion, poise, maturity, and a good sense of humour.
• Available for international travel, up to 40 days a year, sometimes for extended periods
• Excellent written and spoken English required.

Terms and conditions

Location

The position will be based in Bangkok and reports to the Director, Global Climate Initiatives Programme. Frequent interactions with Oak’s President, Environment Trustee, and Environment Director are also required.

Only applicants who have the right to travel in India and live in Thailand will be accepted.

Salary

A competitive salary and benefits appropriate for Bangkok will be offered.

How to apply

Interested candidates should apply via Daryl Upsall’s career page.

The deadline for applications is Monday, 15 September 2025, 9:00 am CET.

Please contact Zoe Oldham at zoeoldham@darylupsall.com for any queries you may have.

By submitting your application, you confirm that you have read and understood Oak’s job applicant’s data privacy notice. Oak Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, as detailed in our child safeguarding policy. We expect all staff to share this commitment.

Please note that the successful candidate will undergo reference checks and be required to provide a police record prior to starting employment.