Associate Director Strategic Partnerships

Job Title: Associate Director Strategic Partnerships
Team: Strategic Partnerships

Contract: Open-ended

Level: Alchemist
Please refer to our Capability Framework
Location: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK

Apply by: We're interviewing on a rolling basis until we close the role. We advise you to apply early as we may close the role early if we have a sufficient pool of candidates. 

ABOUT US

At Climate-KIC, we are wholeheartedly committed to building a diverse and representative team and an inclusive workplace that values different life experiences and perspectives, and we encourage personal development, learning and growth.

When recruiting, we look to achieve diversity in the candidate pool. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and are happy to consider reasonable adjustments that will foster success in potential employees from diverse backgrounds and life situations. And because our team has differing needs and personal circumstances, we offer a high degree of flexibility to accommodate all working patterns. We’re happy to discuss your situation during the interview and see how best we can support you.

Don’t let Imposter Syndrome stop you from applying!

Climate-KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community) is Europe’s foremost climate innovation initiative, entrusted by the European Commission to catalyse transformation through innovation. Headquartered in Amsterdam, with circa 160 people distributed all over the EU, Climate-KIC leads and orchestrates innovation with a community of more than 400. Together we conduct activities in 39 countries. We partner with cities, regions, governments and communities with the highest climate action ambition; providing the framework and expert support to holistically manage the complexity of climate change and deliver accelerated climate action.

Climate-KIC operates as a not-for-profit platform working through public-private partnership, wielding both public and private funding. We consist of 3 Legal entities: a Dutch BV Holding company (for profit) with 14 branches in European jurisdictions, providing grant management, innovation orchestration services, and impact investment advisory owned by a Dutch-based foundation with charity status – Climate-KIC International Foundation. Historically, we have been funded by our founder and core funder, the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT), but we are currently transitioning to a multi-funder model.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Climate-KIC is seeking applications from experienced senior fundraising leaders with deep experience and expertise in working with philanthropic foundations, high net-worth individuals and family offices, and with a range of other public and private funding sources, such as multi-lateral funders, institutional funders, foundations, endowments, trusts, and corporates. Your remit will be to lead on the development and implementation of fundraising strategies and to help deliver ambitious growth targets and diversification of our funder mix.

As Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, you will play a key leadership role in securing core funding and programmatic funding for Climate-KIC-led initiatives to enable large scale systems change through urban transformation, regenerative agriculture and food, landscapes and bioregions, industrial transformation and circular economy, oceans and water, climate education, culture and narratives and leadership development. This includes high profile global initiatives such as the

Systemic Climate Action Collaborative, which brings together leading foundations, philanthropists, corporations, public institutions, and other donors to commit significant funding to climate action and system transformation.

The role will include setting and delivering fundraising strategies, proactively developing relationships with funders and generating new leads, leading major bids and proposal development, negotiating contracts and managing major funding relationships. You will also play a leading role in building fundraising capability across the organisation.

Responsibilities:

• Executing fundraising strategies globally and driving best practices for the fundraising team

• Contribute to the fundraising goals for the Strategic Partnership Team.

• Contributing to strategic fundraising planning and development of fundraising campaigns and tools in close cooperation with the Strategic Partnership Team.

• Manage a portfolio of foundation, corporate, and individual donors and prospects.

• Identify and cultivate prospective new donors, sponsors and investors taking into account market developments, building both top of funnel and converting funding relationships.

• Drive diversification of funding sources and core funding by expanding partnerships with corporate donors, trusts, endowments, and other private sector entities.

• Develop strategic partnerships that align with the organisational goals and funding needs.

• Track donor funding data, create income projections and set goals.

• Manage donor communications, grant reports, meeting briefings, and proposals, including quality control and ensuring timelines.

• Liaise with all other teams to facilitate strong collaboration across the institution

• Represent the institution and attend academy events in a cultivation and stewardship

Key Working Relationships

• Chief Executive Officer

• Chief Financial Officer

• Climate-KIC Hub Lead

• Strategic Partnerships team

• Leadership Team

• Delivery teams

• Deal Desk and Programme Management Office

• Climate-KIC Foundation Board

• Multi-stakeholder engagement across the organisation

• Funders, including EU bodies, national and regional governments, philanthropies and private

funders, corporate partners