Programme Associate

Who we are looking for:

Are you curious, enthusiastic, hardworking, organised and self-motivated? Do you have a strategic mindset allowing you to succeed in a small team that works across a diverse range of roles, aiming to achieve ambitious goals? Can you think on your feet and do you thrive under pressure?

Our latest job opening might be for you! We are looking for a Programme Associate who can help us successfully deliver our broad portfolio of research projects and achieve our fundraising goals. The role offers an opportunity to gain experience across multiple different areas of project work and business development. The ideal candidate will be an open-minded, authentic communicator, proactive, committed, flexible and quick learner.

The position is based in London or the Netherlands (co-working space in Utrecht). A legal right to work in the UK or EU (valid for the next 18 months or more) is required. Please note, we are unable to sponsor work visas for this position.

Ideally, you:

• Are a master’s-level graduate in a relevant degree (climate, environment, sustainability, international policy, development studies, etc.) with at least 1 year of relevant work experience (this can include internships and part-time work).
• Are passionate about engaging stakeholders in climate policy research to ground research in real-world challenges and needs. 
• Have some experience supporting fundraising activities, such as grant applications, funding proposals events, campaigns, or donor engagement 
• Have an interest in developing fundraising skills, particularly in grant writing and donor relationship management. 
• Are confident communicating with external stakeholders at all levels of seniority, virtually and in-person.
• Have a good understanding of project management approaches and experience of working in a project environment.
• Possess outstanding organisation and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks.
• Are a self-starter who can oversee projects from start to finish.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and are fluent in English. Fluency in in a second language is desirable, although not essential to the role.
• Have advanced IT skills including Microsoft, internet-based tools, and social media.

Desirable:

• Understand fundraising in a charity setting 
• Have exposure to donor or supporter management, such as maintaining records, preparing communications, or helping with stewardship activities. 

What you will be doing:

• Contributing to impactful projects at the cutting-edge of climate policy research by leading research-policy projects on a wide variety of topics (e.g., Just Transitions in coal regions, climate-trade mechanisms, informing negotiations in the UNFCCC, etc.).
• Organising events virtually and in-person around the world (travel in the EU and internationally will likely be required several times a year).
• Supporting with project administration and coordination across our portfolio 
• Contributing to fundraising proposals, business development administration, supporting donor management, and researching new funders and funding streams. 
• Facilitating two-way dialogue with external stakeholders to identify their needs and engage in project activities
• Translating cutting-edge research into accessible formats (for example visual factsheets or real-life stories powered by cutting-edge research)
• Applying and furthering your knowledge of climate change and international policy

Climate Strategies works on a variety of topics, such as Just Transitions, carbon management, climate impacts on agriculture, fossil fuel phaseout, and many more. Although we cover a breadth of subjects, our projects have the following elements in common:

• They engage world-leading researchers who employ robust methodologies to provide substantive and actionable recommendations.
• They are centred on co-creation with diverse stakeholders. We believe a plurality of knowledge is needed to create holistic and impactful solutions. 
• Our results respond to real-world needs. We develop projects that are policy-relevant with a clear route to impact.

The ideal candidate will be able to quickly understand new topics as with continue to expand our diverse portfolio, with a willingness to work on a variety of urgent climate-policy questions.

How We Work 

Climate Strategies operates with a small, dedicated team, the Secretariat, supported by our international network of research members. Our work is structured around collaborative projects that bring together researchers, policymakers, and more to address specific climate challenges. 

Our Secretariat leads projects, coordinates stakeholder engagement, manages logistics, secures funding, facilitates engagement and communications, and more. Key Activities include:

• Convene: We bring together people from universities, governments, businesses, and civil society to promote joint action on climate solutions and enable exchanges on numerous topics.
• Inspire: We incubate, coordinate and contribute to climate policy research and research projects that address cutting-edge ideas.
• Engage: We are actively involved with decision-makers through policy dialogues, closed-door meetings, and climate conferences, ensuring that scientific knowledge is integrated into policy processes at local, national, and international levels.
• Communicate: We translate knowledge into accessible content and clarify why our audiences should care about new findings. We foreground the policy relevance of new research to ensure decision-makers can act on the best available science.

What you can expect at Climate Strategies

• Room for new ideas and personal growth and development.
• An operating model of trust and flexibility that supports work-life balance.
• A supportive, international and diverse team.
• A work laptop and access to our co-working spaces in London and Utrecht (depending on your location).
• A continuing focus on individual and team wellbeing with meeting-free times, 121s, and wellbeing check-ins.

Salary and start date

The annual salary is GBP 27-29,000 or EUR 30-34,000 per year depending on location. Preferred start date is November 2025 with some flexibility.

This position is 6-month contract. However, Climate Strategies is eager to invest in our team, and there is a reasonable likelihood that the fixed-term contract will be extended to a permanent contract depending on performance and Climate Strategies’ portfolio growth.

The Application Process 

Successful candidates will be invited to attend a 20-minute interview with 1-2 team members. You may be required to prepare and present a short (3-5 minute) presentation on a topic related to the research-policy interface. Final round candidates will be invited to a one-hour interview and notified of the outcome shortly thereafter. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, and we actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds. We strongly encourage candidates from groups traditionally underrepresented in our field to apply. 

The deadline for applications is 7th October 2025.