Senior Program Director

About Clean Break Fund

Clean Break Fund is a climate philanthropy that finds and funds work that breaks through inertia and helps shift systems. It supports nonprofits, leaders, and innovative companies advancing climate solutions by combining grants and direct investments to accelerate the clean energy transition. Co-founded by philanthropist Chris Larsen and led by CEO Michael Brune and Managing Director Jodie Van Horn, Clean Break Fund is guided by three commitments: speed, impact, and accountability. The organization backs ideas and approaches that can create meaningful change, shift power, and open new pathways toward a clean energy future.

For more information about Clean Break Fund, visit cleanbreak.org

The Opportunity

As Clean Break Fund expands its portfolio, it is seeking a Senior Program Director to shape and manage this growing body of work. This early and influential hire will help define how Clean Break Fund operates as the portfolio scales.

This senior program and strategy role is responsible for building and managing Clean Break Fund’s climate grantmaking portfolio, with a focus on the Oil & Gas and Insurance sectors. Reporting to the Managing Director and working in close partnership with both the Managing Director and Executive Director, the Senior Program Director will lead a slate of grantee relationships, track investments and impact, and execute like a campaigner — moving fast, thinking systemically, and finding leverage.

Key Responsibilities

Overarching Strategy Execution

Partner closely with the Managing Director and Executive Director to execute the overall strategy — translating direction into grants, grantee support, and field engagement.

Portfolio Management 

Execute on grant portfolios end-to-end, including building new and managing existing grantee relationships, tracking legislation, advising on strategy, and staying deeply current on state-by-state dynamics.

Program Strategy Development

Develop proactive and responsive strategies informed by ongoing engagement with grantees, policy developments, and state-level campaigns. Help mobilize partners to respond quickly and creatively to emerging opportunities and challenges.

Horizon Scanning and Emerging Issue Areas

Identify emerging issues, trends, and opportunities across the portfolio to inform organizational strategy and funder collaboration. Convene and connect grantees when coordinated action can strengthen collective impact.

Ideal Candidate

This role is ideal for a creative, innovative thinker who enjoys bringing fresh perspectives while knowing when to build on proven approaches. We are looking for someone who thrives in collaborative environments and has experience navigating a wide range of partnerships and coalitions.

We need someone with a campaign mindset — someone who combines strategic thinking with a bias toward action, knows how to bring together unlikely allies around shared goals, and balances urgency with thoughtful decision-making to build toward meaningful wins.

A great fit is someone who is comfortable with ambiguity, energized by new challenges and situations and confident proposing new ideas while constructively challenging outdated ones. They are flexible, emotionally mature, quick to learn and a generous colleague.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of public policy, advocacy or related field experience
• Strong record of achievement, including campaign leadership and success building bipartisan support for environmental, human rights, or other relevant policy and advocacy initiatives
• Ability to learn new issue areas quickly; climate and/or energy experience is a plus but is not required.
• Capacity to think and act strategically, while staying connected to execution
• Entrepreneurial spirit and crosses different sectors, levels, and audiences with ease
• Sound judgment about where to invest time and attention to achieve the greatest impact
• Track record of delivering high-quality work, building positive relationships, and contributing to a collaborative team culture
• Understanding of how public policy, financial markets and regulatory environments interact to shape outcomes
• Keen understanding of how policy change is achieved in today’s political environment

To Be Considered

Please submit your resume and cover letter expressing your interest in the position and fit for the role via the “Become a Candidate” button.

For additional questions, please reach out to cleanbreak-programdirector@goodcitizen.com.

Applicants who apply by Monday, August 24th will receive priority consideration; the position will remain open until filled. First-round interviews with the GoodCitizen team will take place through early September. Two rounds of interviews with the client team will follow from mid- to late September. We hope to make an offer by the end of September or early October.