Director of Partnerships

Climate Imperative seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial, and highly relational Director of Partnerships to help expand the organization’s reach and impact. The climate crisis demands solutions at a scale the world has never attempted – and that scale of ambition requires a corresponding scale of philanthropic investment. This newly created role is central to Climate Imperative's drive to match philanthropic resources to the ambition of its mission: achieving the greatest possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the shortest possible time.

Reporting to the Vice President and serving as a key strategic partner to the President, Board of Directors, and broader leadership team, the Director will build and lead the organization’s fundraising strategy, deepen relationships with existing funding partners, and cultivate a carefully targeted network of new high-net-worth philanthropists capable of making transformational investments in climate solutions.

Since its founding in 2020, Climate Imperative has implemented its distinctive model and analytical rigor to achieve high-impact climate solutions around the world. Uniquely operating as a donor collaborative, Climate Imperative works closely with a small group of deeply engaged philanthropic partners to identify and fund strategies capable of delivering outsized climate impact at speed and scale.

This is a rare opportunity for a highly strategic fundraising leader to build systems, processes, and approaches within a fast-moving and intellectually rigorous organization. The Director will develop and drive fundraising strategy; build and actively manage a pipeline of new prospects; partner closely with senior leadership in preparing for and advancing donor engagement opportunities; and help craft compelling narratives and materials that clearly articulate Climate Imperative’s unique value proposition within the broader climate ecosystem.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record in building relationships with new prospects, including individuals new to philanthropy, ideally in environments centered on complex social impact or climate-related issues. Equally important, the Director must possess exceptional judgment, humility, and emotional intelligence, with the ability to operate effectively in highly nuanced and relationship-driven environments. Climate Imperative’s approach to philanthropy is deeply collaborative and mission-centered; the organization seeks a leader who is motivated not simply by individual goals for securing resources, but by helping accelerate new funding and wide-scale impact across the broader climate ecosystem. The ideal candidate will combine strategic sophistication with operational discipline and a willingness to work hands-on in a lean, entrepreneurial environment.

Climate Imperative’s culture is characterized by urgency, collaboration, humility, and a shared commitment to achieving meaningful climate impact. For a development leader energized by building, shaping, and scaling a high-performing fundraising operation in service of one of the defining challenges of our time, this represents an exceptional opportunity.

Rachel Ellenport is leading this search with Nicole Poe and Megan Gorman.

Climate Imperative is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to a transparent recruitment process that fosters belonging. Climate Imperative’s goal is to hire and advance people regardless of race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, military service, medical condition, and any other protected characteristic under local, state, or federal law. People from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.