Learning and Impact Director

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LEARNING AND IMPACT DIRECTOR

Position overview

The Crux Alliance is seeking an entrepreneurial Learning & Impact Director to develop and implement robust evaluation systems and programs for the Alliance ecosystem, which now includes more than 600 technical experts across 20 countries. This role is key in analyzing the objectives and key results shared by Alliance members and designing strategic opportunities to ensure deeper and faster learning and stronger cohesion. This is a new position reporting to Executive Director Joe Ryan and can be based anywhere in the US with a preference for Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA or Aspen, CO.

This role offers a unique opportunity to have a direct impact on global climate action by supporting Alliance members and their local partners to deliver measurable outcomes that contribute to ambitious carbon reduction goals. As Learning & Impact Director, you will be at the heart of an organization that values continuous improvement, collaboration, and leveraging collective intelligence to drive change. Your work will help shape the future of global climate advocacy and ensure that the lessons learned from the Alliance’s efforts are amplified to accelerate systemic climate solutions worldwide. A super power of an Alliance like this is its ability to learn and put new information to work across the globe quickly.

Candidate profile

The optimal candidate possesses a blend of analytical rigor and creativity, seeing data not only as numbers but as the foundation for learning and a formula for accelerating change.They have the ability to dig into complex datasets, identify trends, and use these insights to improve learning and impact. They are committed to finding actionable strategies from data, which enhance the Alliance’s climate advocacy goals and resonate with both technical and non-technical audiences.

With a strong track record in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)—ideally within climate, sustainability, or international development sectors—the successful candidate is experienced in designing, implementing, and refining MEL systems that deliver deeper and faster learning and improvement. They are motivated by a desire to use MEL methodologies as tools to advance climate goals, seeing their work as integral to the Alliance’s mission to foster climate action at global scale and speed.

The incoming Learning & Impact Director understands the importance of tapping into the collective intelligence within the expansive Alliance. They are a natural facilitator, skilled at creating processes and experiences that empower Alliance staff, Board, funders, and members to learn from and make sense of data to inform effective climate policy solutions. They foster a culture of openness and continuous improvement, promoting shared learning and a commitment to achieving the Alliance’s long-term climate objectives.

The Alliance is a diverse global network of technical experts in climate solutions and climate policy. Our members are trusted brokers and technical advisors to key policymakers, blending data and diplomacy. The Learning & Impact Director must therefore have experience working in and navigating diverse regional contexts and working with a variety of stakeholders with high cultural competence and awareness of potential power dynamics in a partnership model.

Key responsibilities:

Strategic Design and Implementation

Design upgraded MEL systems in alignment with the Alliance’s Collective Impact approach.
Review and update the Alliance’s existing OKR (Objectives and Key Results) reporting methodology to ensure it is comprehensive, actionable, and optimized for tracking organizational and programmatic success.
Foster a culture of learning within the organization by facilitating processes that enable Alliance staff to adapt and improve their approaches based on findings and feedback from MEL data.

Collective Learning and Convening

Leverage the expertise and insights of Alliance members across diverse sectors and regions, ensuring that lessons are effectively collected, disseminated, and applied to maximize impact.
Work closely with other MEL leads across the Alliance to share best practices, refine methodologies, and improve the collective learning process across members.
Collaborate with other MEL leaders and organizations within the climate field to contribute to the development of MEL strategies and frameworks that can strengthen the global climate advocacy ecosystem.
Partner with the Crux Alliance Secretariat leadership to design meaningful opportunities to convene Alliance members at least annually for shared learning and network-building.

Qualifications:

Required

7+ years experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), with a preference for experience in climate-related or international development sectors.
Proven experience in designing, implementing, and managing data collection tools, reporting systems, and performance tracking methodologies.
Strong ability to analyze large and complex datasets, identify key trends and insights, and translate these findings into actionable strategies for organizational improvement.
Experience in facilitating learning processes, managing organizational change through data-driven insights and strong project management skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical data and findings into clear, accessible insights for a wide range of stakeholders.
Deep commitment to equity and experience working in a cross-functional, collaborative environment, particularly with diverse teams across different sectors and regions in a virtual environment.
Proven ability to build strong working relationships across technical, policy, and philanthropic communities, fostering collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the highest standards of quality.
Facilitative leadership style with high emotional intelligence and low ego.

Preferred

Advanced degree or certificate in monitoring and evaluation, project management, or related fields.
Familiarity with climate policy, sustainability, or carbon reduction strategies.
Experience working for a global organization.
Entrepreneurial drive, experience as the first in a new role and / or in a startup environment.

Salary and benefits:

This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $160K – $185K, based on experience. The Crux Alliance offers generous benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k (with match), wellness, and home office setup allowance.

Application instructions:

Please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your qualifications, interest in the position, and responses to the questions below to careers@cruxalliance.org with the subject line Learning & ImpactDirector.

What motivates you to spend your time and talent on global climate policy?
Briefly describe a successful monitoring, evaluation and learning effort you led. What was the context, your approach, and the outcome? What did you learn from the experience that you would bring with you to The Crux Alliance?

Initial deadline for applications and process: Monday, January 13, 2025.

Application material review and phone screens begin immediately. In addition to phone screens, we anticipate two video panel interviews and a homework assignment. We hope to have our new Learning & Impact Director on board in Q1 2025.

The Crux Alliance is an equal-opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.