Position Title: Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives
Department: Programs
Classification: Exempt
Direct Report: Vice President of Programs. No direct reports.
I. Position Summary
World Monuments Fund (WMF) is seeking a Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives to lead the organization’s work on climate adaptation and improving the resilience of heritage places. The Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives will be responsible for integrating climate dimensions throughout WMF’s overall program and portfolio of field projects. The Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives will play a key role in delivering Cultivating Resilience, a major new program of WMF aimed at helping the custodians of historic parks and gardens address conservation and management challenges arising from climate change. Additionally, the Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives will contribute to other programmatic initiatives relating to climate adaptation, such as the rehabilitation of historic water systems, and may propose and lead the development of new initiatives. Lastly, the Manager of Climate Adaptation Initiatives will lead efforts to capture and disseminate professional knowledge arising from WMF’s climate adaptation and resilience activities. This is a grant-funded, full-time, 5-year position based at WMF’s headquarters in New York.
About World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund (WMF) safeguards the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities. WMF has long engaged in making heritage places more resilient through adaptation to current needs and challenges. In 2021, WMF announced a renewed commitment to addressing three important global challenges, among them the challenge of adaptation to the impacts of global climate change and improving the resilience of heritage places.
II. Responsibilities
- Manages the delivery of Cultivating Resilience, a program aimed at helping the custodians of historic parks and gardens address conservation and management challenges arising from climate change. Responsibilities include guiding the development, selection, and implementation of at least five model field projects over the course of five years (2023-2028), as well as planning and leading professional exchange and dissemination activities within the course of the program.
- Contributes to the development of new field projects by WMF or WMF Affiliates having clear climate-related goals and demonstrable climate-related outcomes, or other climate-related aspects, including projects aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change on sites. Advises on the assessment of climate risk for heritage places.
- Seeks to identify potential nominations to the World Monuments Watch program, WMF’s nomination-based program that spotlights places and communities where heritage is poised to make an important impact on our global society.
- Serves as an internal source of expertise on the intersection between cultural heritage and climate change, including the impacts of climate change on heritage places, the role of cultural heritage in climate change adaptation strategies, and the potential for heritage places to contribute to mitigation of climate change.
- Compiles and maintains an internal, virtual reference library of relevant resources, evidence, and case studies of model projects.
- Supports institutional efforts to communicate WMF’s commitment to climate action, contributing to the development of public messaging around climate change.
- Contributes to the implementation of internal policies to reduce energy and materials consumption, at WMF’s New York office, within WMF field projects, and at WMF events.
- Represents WMF in professional networks and institutional coalitions relating to climate and cultural heritage (such as the Climate Heritage Network), expressing WMF’s institutional perspective.
- Surveys the heritage field for new needs and opportunities arising from the challenge of global climate change and proposes potential WMF responses.
III. Qualifications
Required:
- 5-10+ years of professional experience: A substantial background in the development and implementation of projects and programs, with demonstrated expertise in effective project development, budget management, progress monitoring, and comprehensive reporting.
- Educational Background: A degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field, such as Environmental Science, Conservation, Urban Planning, or related disciplines.
- Climate Expertise: Knowledge of climate science, climate policy objectives, and climate justice principles, especially as they intersect with the content of this role.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Must be authorized to work in the United States.
Preferred:
- Background or professional experience in Horticulture/Arboriculture, Public Garden Management, Garden and Landscape Studies, or a related area.
- Familiarity with Cultural Heritage Management, Archaeology, Anthropology, or related areas.
- Experience working on projects with multiple team members across cultural contexts.
IV. EEO Statement
The World Monuments Fund provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, genetics, creed, national origin, age, disability, marital and/or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. The World Monuments Fund is a NY State at-will employer. In addition to federal law requirements, World Monuments Fund also complies with all other applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities and or operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
V. Compensation and Benefits
The World Monuments Fund offers a comprehensive and highly competitive compensation and benefits package, including paid time off, wellness and sick time off, holiday time off, and a multitude of other insurance benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and a fully comprehensive retirement plan.
The salary range for this position will be $75,000-95,000, depending on experience.
VI. Application Procedure
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (up to 10 pages) to jobs@wmf.org by 5 pm (Eastern Time) on October 20, 2023.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted.
No Phone Calls.