Senior content lead – European Climate Policy and Transition Strategies (R-2604)

Cologne, Berlin

NewClimate Institute

Start date: As soon as possible. Full time – 38 hours per week.
Location: Cologne or Berlin, Germany
Application deadline: until suitable candidate found

NewClimate Institute
NewClimate Institute focuses on climate mitigation by supporting climate policy research and implementation around the world. We are a dynamic and diverse multidisciplinary team of political scientists, engineers, communication experts, business administrators, writers, natural scientists, data nerds, and much more – what unites us is the will to tackle the climate crisis. Through our policy-oriented research, science based advisory and engagement activities we help international organisations, national governments, NGOs, and other actors to find and implement solutions to the global climate change challenge.
NewClimate Institute’s key motivation is to maximise impact, in a creative and fun working environment with a positive team spirit built on openness, trust, and inclusiveness.

The position
NewClimate Institute is seeking an experienced person to lead our climate policy and transition work in Europe and internationally.
In this role, you will advance ambitious and actionable policy responses to the climate challenge in key sectors of the economy, ensuring relevance to evolving EU and global policy frameworks. As part of an international team, you will have the opportunity to shape strategic priorities, steer our analytical and policy work, lead multidisciplinary teams, and strengthen our engagement with key stakeholders across governments, international organisations, industry, and civil society. Some of the core topics may include the decarbonisation of energy and industry, trade and supply chains as well as questions around the social challenges of the transition focussing in particular on Germany and the EU.

Possible tasks may include:

• Oversee and deliver high-impact research, analysis, and advisory projects
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary project teams
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and partners, including policymakers, international organisations, and civil society actors
• Represent NewClimate Institute in international forums, events, and policy dialogues
• Identify and develop new project opportunities, partnerships, and funding streams

This role offers the opportunity to shape impactful work at the intersection of science, policy, and implementation, while collaborating within an international and mission-driven team.

Candidate profile
You should be highly motivated with a strong interest and longstanding expertise in the field of climate change policy, sustainable development and sector transformation.
We are looking for somebody who:

• Is motivated to work for a forward thinking, non-profit organisation in a dynamic, impact-oriented team-work atmosphere
• Has a strong collaborative mindset, and the ability to lead both people and ideas in a dynamic, international environment
• Is flexible and interested to travel within Germany and internationally

Requirements are:

• Advanced degree in economics, engineering, political sciences, public policy, or a related field
• Extensive professional experience (10+ years) in a policy advisory role, with a strong focus on European and / or German climate, energy and industry policy
• Deep knowledge of at least one mitigation-relevant economic sector
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to translate complex concepts into impactful outputs
• Content leadership skills, including the ability to develop targeted analytical approaches and guide others conducting analysis
• Proven track record of leading project teams and managing complex projects and programmes
• Strong networking skills and an established network across policy, industry, and civil society stakeholders
• Strong team player with the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and cultures
• Fully proficient in English and German (spoken and written); additional languages are a strong asset.

NewClimate Institute draws strength from its diverse team. We welcome applications regardless of a
candidate’s ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin,
disability, care responsibilities or age. In certain cases, NewClimate Institute can also provide administrative support for visa applications for non-EU nationals.

What we offer

• An unlimited employment contract including a competitive salary package
• An impact-driven non-profit environment, that highly values trust, fairness and inclusiveness
• Limited hierarchies and friendly, committed colleagues that value team spirit
• Modern, centrally located offices in Cologne and Berlin with abundant opportunities to exchange with colleagues
• Home office up to two days per week
• Fully covered public transportation ticket (‘Deutschlandticket’)
• Attractive support for occupational pension scheme and other tax-free benefits
• Regular internal training sessions and individualised support models for external training courses
• 30 days of paid vacation

Application procedure
If you are interested in this position, please send us your CV including a cover letter (human intelligence based!) outlining your motivation and relevant experience to recruitment@newclimate.org addressed to Lena Gentes. Important: Please include the reference number “R-2604” in the email subject and make sure to send all relevant information and files in a single pdf-document with a maximum size of 10 MB.
We aim to review your application within two weeks after we receive it and inform you about the next steps.