Clean Production Action seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial, networked, and collaborative individual to lead our organization through its third decade. The successful candidate will be committed to growing Clean Production Action’s existing programs as well as innovating new initiatives to advance safer chemicals, materials, and products in the transition to a sustainable, non-toxic, and circular economy.
Founded in 2001, Clean Production Action is an innovative non-profit organization whose mission is to design and deliver strategic solutions for green chemicals, sustainable materials, and environmentally preferable products.
Our GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, launched in 2007, is now the gold standard for chemical hazard assessment. Our Chemical Footprint Project, launched in 2014, is setting the international standard for measuring chemical footprints and assessing the maturity of corporate chemical management programs. Our Investor Environmental Health Network is a leadership community of investors focused on reducing the financial risks of chemical pollution and advancing the economic value of green chemistry. Our BizNGO network is a community of leading practitioners working together to address environmental justice, reduce chemical footprints, and scale safer solutions.
Through our tools and collaborations we are transforming the toxic chemical economy into one that is healthier for all people, especially the most vulnerable populations, and the planet. CPA works globally across leading businesses, nonprofits, financial organizations, governments, and universities to scale the use of our tools and positively impact the growth of safer chemicals and materials.
Demand-pull is core to our theory of change. We leverage the immense purchasing power of corporations, governments, and health organizations, the shareholder power of asset managers, and the influencing power of environmental groups to drive change across value chains. Our tools and collaborations enable the scaling of chemical footprint reductions and adoption of safer alternatives by our demand-pull partners.
We are beginning efforts to align our networks and programs in support of environmental justice leaders engaging companies in changing their behavior to reduce the use of toxic chemicals to which vulnerable populations are disproportionately exposed.
The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that activities, outputs, outcomes, and plans of Clean Production Action align with and meet the organization’s mission of designing and deliver strategic solutions for green chemicals, sustainable materials, and environmentally preferable products. The Executive Director is responsible for: growing the value of Clean Production Action’s resources and assets, including staff, programs, and intellectual property; raising the organization’s effectiveness and profile; and ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of the organization and staff.
Specific responsibilities include the following:
Programming: Plan and manage, and execute as needed, the work of Clean Production Action’s four programs:
- Our GreenScreen program is growing rapidly. Businesses, governments, and NGOs across the U.S., Europe, and Asia use our GreenScreen tools – GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals, GreenScreen List Translator, and GreenScreen Certified® – to identify safer chemicals, sustainable materials, and environmentally preferable products. The Executive Director works with the Director of GreenScreen in developing and growing the program.
- The Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) is the first-of-its-kind initiative to evaluate and benchmark businesses on their journey to safer chemicals. The Executive Director works with the Program Manager of the Chemical Footprint Project in planning, managing, and executing the program.
- The Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) is a membership initiative that works with investors in proactively engaging companies on their activities, policies, and goals aimed at using safer and healthier chemicals and materials in their products and supply chains. The Executive Director works with the Director, IEHN in planning, managing, and executing the program.
- BizNGO is a unique collaboration of businesses and NGOs working together to advance safer chemicals and sustainable materials. BizNGO’s work happens through three work groups and an annual meeting. The Executive Director chairs BizNGO and manages its execution with staff.
A cross-cutting responsibility is ensuring that all the programs are working to address environmental injustices through program content and collaborations.
Fundraising & Business Development: Work with the Board of Directors to procure resources for the organization’s programs and operations:
- Research and identify prospects and seek financial support from individual, foundation, corporate, and government sources.
- Plan and implement fundraising for organization.
- Ensure that the funds necessary to meet expenses are generated on an annual basis.
- Plan and implement strategic business development for all the programs.
- Set and measure progress to short- and long-term business development, revenue, and fundraising goals.
- Participate in development of the overall funding ecosystem map, and in strategic funder development, including participation in funding discussions and meetings.
Communications & Marketing: Plan, manage, and execute where appropriate the promotion of the organization and its programs and employees:
- Be adept at clearly communicating the vision and work of CPA and its programs to diverse audiences, including with scientists, businesses, foundations, investors, and NGOs.
- Have demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain deep and broad networks in their area of expertise.
- Ensure that communications and marketing are aligned with and elevating strategic business development and fundraising goals and plans.
- Set goals and manage progress to meeting the goals.
- Develop and manage with staff the communications and marketing plan and goals, and the organization’s execution of the plan and progress to the goals.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): Responsible for ensuring that the organization lives up to its DEI Policy, which aspires to developing, promoting, and sustaining an organization that values, nurtures, and leverages diversity, equity and inclusiveness in all that we do. CPA is committed to creating an organizational culture in which any person can feel supported, recognized, and rewarded in making their best contributions to the mission of our organization. We strive to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into our vision, values, strategy, board leadership, human resources policies and practices, communications, and programming.
Organizational Management & Administration: Collaborate with the Board of Directors and the Director of Operations in planning and evaluating progress toward the organization’s outcomes, impacts, and goals.
- Staff: Recruit, develop, and lead staff, including direct supervision of Directors, Program Managers, and other staff as needed. The Executive Director participates in staff meetings, meets regularly with direct reports, and interacts with other staff to the extent necessary to be fully familiar with their goals, progress to delivering outputs, and quality of work.
- Operations: Develop, establish, and direct execution of operating policies to support overall organization policies and objectives. Manage the Director of Operations, who is responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization, including: managing financials, human resources, websites, contracts, information technology, and legal.
- Budgets: Plan, manage, and monitor organizational and project budgets. Ensure fiscally sound operations and budget management.
- Plans: Design, develop and implement strategic plans with staff and Board.
- Strategy: Execute agreed strategies and tactical plans to support organization projects and products.
- Growth: Plan and participate in growth activities to support overall organization goals and plans. The Executive Director will work closely with the program staff, and with appropriate committees of the Board, in order to make overall organizational management decisions, plan for the further growth and development of the organization, assure the smooth functioning of the staff and the effective work of the programs.
- Board: Develop in partnership with the Directors, a dynamic and engaged Board.
- Partnerships: Develop and maintain partnerships with groups and organizations to enhance program offerings, expand our organizational resources, reach new communities, and raise the profile of Clean Production Action.
- Leadership: Provide overall vision and leadership for the organization.
The Executive Director will have a minimum of ten or more years in a management role with progressively increasing responsibilities. They will possess strong entrepreneurial and leadership skills, and be effective in nonprofit, business, and donor worlds. With the proven ability to navigate diverse stakeholders, they will have a history of success in fundraising as well as partner outreach and development. The successful candidate will have a genuine passion for the mission and philosophy of Clean Production Action, be a multi-tasking team player with a strong, hands-on work ethic and be an individual of unquestioned integrity.
This is a full time position offering comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance and a 401(k) plan, and a competitive salary commensurate with skill and experience. Prospective candidates may apply by submitting their cover letter, resume, and three writing samples to executive@cleanproduction.org.
The position will be open until filled. We strongly recommend qualified candidates apply before July 31, 2024.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $150,000.00 - $190,000.00 per year
Work Location: Remote