NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Director, Climate Initiative

Organization

Tepper Philanthropies

Location

New York, NY, USA

Job Type

Full-time

Where to Apply

https://www.dsgco.com/search/22595-tepper-philanthropies-director-climate-initiative/

Tags

Full-time

About Tepper Philanthropies

Tepper Philanthropies oversees the Tepper family’s charitable initiatives, carried out through several distinct organizations.

The most prominent among these is The Tepper Foundation, a family foundation that works to meet people’s basic needs like food and housing, provide relief in the face of disasters, support the Jewish community, and safeguard fundamental rights. Additional entities focus on a diverse set of grants supporting early childhood, STEM education, scientific research, climate action, and mental health.

Our approach combines grantmaking, impact investing, and the strategic convening of partners to expand opportunities in the communities we serve. With nearly three decades of giving, we have grown significantly in recent years—expanding our team, launching new initiatives, and scaling our impact.

Tepper Philanthropies is in the office every Tuesday and Thursday.

The Opportunity

Tepper Philanthropies is seeking a strategic, mission-driven climate leader to serve as the next Director of a standalone Climate Initiative. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and expand an evolving portfolio at the intersection of philanthropy and impact investing by driving meaningful action on some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Current focus areas include accelerating the transition from fossil fuels, optimizing land use, and advancing a zero-waste economy.

The Director will be responsible for building and leading a distinct entity within Tepper Philanthropies that is dedicated to advancing sustainability and climate resilience through a portfolio of interconnected grants and investments. This work will include developing strategies, identifying opportunities, managing partners, and ensuring that all initiatives align with the values and intentions of the principals. The role also offers the chance to strengthen operational infrastructure and build systems to support the initiative’s long-term growth and impact.

Reporting to a distinct Board of Directors, the Director will serve as a trusted advisor across the portfolio, playing an active role in shaping strategy, sourcing opportunities, and making recommendations on investments. The Director will be comfortable operating at multiple levels – at times leading, at times supporting – and will consistently bring a solutions-oriented mindset focused on impact. In addition, the Director will be responsible for securing approvals and launching new initiatives that advance the portfolio’s strategic growth plan. The Director will strengthen and coordinate portfolio-wide efforts by establishing clear program goals, tracking progress, and measuring outcomes.

This is an opportunity for a forward-thinking leader who thrives in entrepreneurial environments and brings deep expertise in climate strategy, philanthropy, and/or investing. The Director will help refine how impact is defined and measured – both immediate and long-term. Success in this role will mean advancing ambitious climate solutions while building a portfolio that reflects both rigor and creativity.

Candidate Profile

With the understanding that no person will offer every characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

Strategic Vision & Partnership with Principals

• Collaborate closely with family members to understand their evolving climate interests and translate them into actionable strategies and funding priorities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor, supporting decision-making with insights, analysis, and values-aligned recommendations.
• Anticipate emerging trends in climate, philanthropy, and impact investing, offering forward-looking ideas that help principals refine and expand their vision.
• Create a clear line of sight between the principals’ aspirations and the portfolio’s implementation, ensuring cohesion across grants, investments, and partnerships.
• Foster strong communication and alignment, ensuring principals are well-informed, engaged, and supported in driving the portfolio’s impact.

Portfolio Development & Management

• Source and evaluate philanthropic and investment opportunities that align with the entity’s priorities, ensuring both rigor and alignment with values.
• Recommend and structure investments and grants across a range of sizes and stages, from early-stage innovations to more mature initiatives.
• Lead the full lifecycle of grants and investments—including due diligence, proposal review, structuring, monitoring, and relationship management.
• Strengthen and streamline internal systems to enable timely, high-quality decision-making and portfolio oversight.
• Support the Board and principals by preparing clear analyses, recommendations, and updates that inform strategic decisions.
• Develop, negotiate, and close legal documents and grant agreements that support portfolio growth and compliance.

Board Engagement & Learning

• Lead and facilitate board meetings, preparing materials, briefings, and updates that clearly communicate portfolio strategy, progress, and opportunities.
• Develop and maintain systems that help board members understand how initiatives move from pipeline consideration to board recommendation and approval.
• Design tools and processes to build the board’s knowledge of portfolio areas, track progress, and evaluate impact, ensuring informed decision-making.
• Support ongoing board learning by providing context, insights, and analysis that deepen understanding of climate strategy, philanthropic approaches, and investment outcomes.
• Serve as a key liaison between the Board and portfolio teams, ensuring alignment, transparency, and effective governance across all initiatives.

External Engagement & Field Leadership

• Build and manage relationships with grantees, investees, and partners to advance shared goals and maximize impact.
• Convene stakeholders and support collaborative approaches to accelerate progress on climate priorities.
• Represent the Climate Initiative and Tepper Philanthropies in external forums, conferences, and collaborative networks, elevating the organization’s voice in the climate, philanthropic, and impact investing communities.
• Scan the field for emerging ideas, innovations, and leaders that can strengthen the portfolio’s strategy and outcomes.

In addition, strong candidates will offer:

• 15+ years of relevant experience in climate strategy, grantmaking, or impact investing, ideally within a foundation, nonprofit, start-up, or family office setting.
• Demonstrated success building systems, policies, and operational infrastructure from the ground up or adapting systems during periods of organizational growth.
• Ability to navigate governance, strategy, grantmaking, and operations while effectively aligning with the principals’ preferred level of engagement and decision-making.
• Ability to quickly build trust, credibility, and goodwill through authentic connections with principals, partners, and grantees.
• Strong interpersonal skills and political dexterity to cultivate and maintain equitable, trusting relationships with community-based, state/regional, and national organizations.
• Proven analytical, research, and strategic thinking skills, with a talent for synthesizing complex information into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Experience assessing the political, social, and economic landscape to inform, adapt, and strengthen program or grantmaking strategies.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to translate big ideas into actionable plans, deliver presentations, and facilitate discussions across diverse audiences.
• Strong program management capabilities, with the ability to evaluate the progress, benefits, and challenges of potential initiatives to drive impact.

Compensation and Benefits

The Foundation provides compensation commensurate with experience and equitable with others on the team, plus a full benefits package. The salary range for this position is $275,000- $300,000, and the final offer will be based on the candidate’s qualifications.