Director, Adaptation & Resilience, Climate & Environment

The Director, Adaptation & Resilience is expected to own the execution of UNF’s adaptation and resilience strategy, working closely with the Climate & Environment team’s senior leadership. In practice, this means identifying policy openings, influencing international climate processes, and converting strategy into advocacy, partnerships, and funded initiatives that advance resilience outcomes globally. A large part of the role centres on international policy engagement across the UNFCCC, UNGA, World Bank meetings, and the G20. The Director will also oversee UNF’s Adaptation Campaign Hub, coordinate high-level meetings and consultations, and serve as a principal point of contact for UN and non-UN partners. Fundraising is a core responsibility: mapping opportunities, cultivating donors, and securing resources to sustain and expand the adaptation portfolio. The role also carries supervisory duties and a substantial representational component. The Director will provide policy analysis, strategic recommendations, and briefing materials for UNF leadership, while representing the Foundation externally and helping diverse stakeholders align around shared adaptation and resilience priorities.

This position offers deep exposure to international climate policy and adaptation diplomacy. The Director will sharpen skills in multilateral engagement, UNFCCC processes, adaptation finance, and strategic advocacy at the highest levels. Because the role spans policy, fundraising, communications, and partnerships, it is likely to build a rare combination of diplomatic, donor-facing, and campaign-oriented expertise. There will be significant learning from senior UNF leadership and external partners across governments, philanthropic foundations, civil society, and the private sector. The Director can expect to develop stronger executive briefing, stakeholder facilitation, and consensus-building abilities, as well as a nuanced understanding of how adaptation and resilience priorities move through institutions such as the World Bank, G20, and UN agencies. Supervisory experience and high-level convening responsibilities should also strengthen leadership credentials. The role does not appear to be a technical climate science position; its learning curve is more about policy influence, resource mobilization, and coalition-building in a complex multilateral environment.

The ideal candidate likely brings at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in climate policy, adaptation, resilience, advocacy, or a closely related field. They should have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in climate policy, political science, economics, environmental studies, or similar, though commensurate professional experience is explicitly welcomed. Advanced knowledge of international climate processes and adaptation policy frameworks is essential. Beyond subject expertise, UNF will probably look for someone with a proven record of developing and implementing multi-stakeholder strategies, preferably in international, multilateral, nonprofit, or public policy settings. Experience cultivating partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, philanthropic institutions, or private-sector actors is central, as is comfort with fundraising and donor engagement. Soft skills matter heavily: strategic judgment, consensus-building, cross-cultural communication, and the ability to translate complex policy into compelling messages for senior leaders. The strongest candidate will be proactive, solutions-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment while maintaining discretion and organizational awareness.

Because UNF requires both a resume and cover letter, treat the cover letter as a strategic policy brief rather than a generic introduction. It should connect your experience directly to adaptation and resilience strategy, international climate processes, and fundraising. Name specific forums or processes you have engaged with (UNFCCC, UNGA, World Bank, G20) and describe outcomes you helped shape, not just responsibilities held. In the resume, quantify partnership-building and resource-mobilization results: donors cultivated, funds secured, coalitions formed, or high-level events delivered. Show evidence of working with senior leaders and diverse international stakeholders. If you have supervised teams or managed complex multi-stakeholder initiatives, make that visible early, since the role is supervisory and outward-facing. For interviews, prepare to discuss how you would translate UNF’s adaptation priorities into policy influence and donor confidence. Understand the Foundation’s multilateral mission, its Climate & Environment team’s positioning, and current adaptation-finance debates. A strong candidate will show not only policy fluency but also a clear theory of how partnerships, communications, and fundraising combine to move resilience from rhetoric to implementation.

This role focuses squarely on climate adaptation and resilience, rather than corporate ESG reporting or mitigation-led sustainability. The Director will shape UNF’s strategy to influence international climate policy, especially through the UNFCCC and related multilateral processes, and to strengthen the case for adaptation finance and resilient development. A major emphasis is likely on building political will and partnerships across governments, UN agencies, philanthropic foundations, civil society, and the private sector. The Adaptation Campaign Hub suggests a communications and advocacy dimension, aiming to raise the profile of adaptation and resilience in global debates and among key constituencies. The sustainability angle is therefore global-public rather than company-internal. It connects to the SDGs, climate justice, and the needs of climate-vulnerable communities. Success would mean helping adaptation become a more central, better-funded pillar of international climate action, not just a side agenda to mitigation.

One likely challenge is the structural underfunding of adaptation relative to mitigation. The Director will need to make a compelling case for resources in a crowded climate finance environment, where political attention and donor priorities can shift quickly. Fundraising targets may be ambitious, and progress can depend on external actors beyond UNF’s direct control. International climate processes are complex, slow-moving, and highly political. Influencing UNFCCC negotiations, G20 agendas, or World Bank engagement requires patience, diplomatic skill, and the ability to navigate competing national and institutional interests. The Director may also face tensions between long-term resilience goals and short-term donor or communications demands. Internally, coordinating across UNF teams and external partners will require strong project management and consensus-building. Measuring adaptation and resilience outcomes is notoriously difficult, so demonstrating impact may be harder than in mitigation or reporting roles. The role likely demands comfort with ambiguity, high-level representation, and sustained relationship management.

A typical day could begin with internal coordination across the Climate & Environment team, reviewing policy developments or preparing for an upcoming international forum. The Director might refine strategy with senior leadership, edit briefing materials, or meet with communications colleagues on the Adaptation Campaign Hub. Because the role is supervisory, there may also be check-ins with team members and oversight of workstreams. External engagement would feature regularly: calls or meetings with UN agencies, government representatives, philanthropic partners, or civil society organizations. Fundraising cultivation might involve donor briefings, proposal discussions, or internal strategy sessions with UNF development colleagues. The Director could also draft talking points, review research, or prepare for high-level events and consultations. Variability is likely high. Some days will be dominated by international travel or conference participation; others will focus on policy analysis, writing, and internal coordination. The rhythm may intensify around UNFCCC moments, UNGA, World Bank meetings, or G20 milestones, when representational and advocacy demands peak.

This role offers substantial growth in international climate leadership. The Director will deepen expertise in adaptation policy, multilateral diplomacy, and climate finance while building a high-level network across the UN system, governments, philanthropy, and civil society. That visibility can position the holder for more senior roles in climate philanthropy, multilateral institutions, or global advocacy organizations. Because the position includes strategy development, fundraising, communications, and supervision, it strengthens a broad leadership profile rather than a narrow technical one. Success in expanding UNF’s adaptation portfolio or shaping a major international process could become a career-defining achievement. There may also be lateral growth into broader Climate & Environment leadership, depending on organizational needs and performance. The role’s exposure to UNF senior leadership and external decision-makers makes it a strong platform for advancing into director-level or executive positions in the sustainability and climate policy field.

The Director will interact closely with UNF Climate & Environment senior leadership and colleagues across the broader Foundation. Internally, this includes teams working on policy, communications, fundraising, and partnerships. The role is supervisory, so direct reporting lines and cross-team coordination will be part of daily work. Externally, key stakeholders likely include UN agencies and officials, government representatives, UNFCCC actors, World Bank and G20 participants, civil society organizations, private-sector entities, and philanthropic foundations. The Director will serve as a principal point of contact, cultivating relationships that advance shared adaptation and resilience priorities. Donors and prospective funders are also central stakeholders, since the role includes developing and implementing a fundraising strategy. Communications and advocacy partners will matter for the Adaptation Campaign Hub. Overall, the position requires managing a wide web of relationships across sectors, cultures, and levels of seniority, often in high-visibility international settings.