Associate Director, Clean Economy, London, Brussels or Berlin

E3G is an independent climate think tank working globally to achieve a safe climate for all. We work on the politics of climate change, translating climate politics, economics and policy into action at national and international levels. Our 2026–2030 strategy positions E3G for a disrupted world in which industrial competitiveness, trade and economic security have become the terrain on which climate outcomes are decided.

The Clean Economy strategy aims to create the political conditions for accelerated industrial transition, manage trade tensions and make new industrial and trade partnerships possible. E3G's standing rests on political economy analysis, scenario work, advocacy and campaigning; on sectoral depth in steel, cement and chemicals and across carbon border measures, trade agreements and investment regimes; and on a trusted convening role with governments, international initiatives and civil society networks.

Clean Economy is a growth area for E3G and its scope is widening as the politics move. Geo-economics is the first direction. Governments increasingly pursue national advantage through markets, money and technology, using tariffs, export controls, investment screening and sanctions alongside cooperative instruments such as trade agreements, harmonised standards and supply chain arrangements. As multilateral institutions weaken, cooperation is being rebuilt in plurilateral and public-private form, shifting the question from how countries reduce dependence to how they govern interdependence. E3G already works this terrain through investor-state dispute settlement, trade regime reform and economic security; building it out is a cross-cutting endeavour drawing on climate diplomacy, geopolitics and political economy expertise across our European, international and Asia arenas.

Industrial policy and clean tech supply chains is the second. Europe's clean energy build-out depends on inputs concentrated in a small number of producers, with China controlling the large majority of the battery value chain, rare earth refining and permanent magnet production. EU and UK industrial strategies have set objectives without setting a framework for deciding what to build domestically, what to source from trusted partners, and where security considerations justify higher-cost diversification. Developing E3G's position here calls for close collaboration with energy, geopolitics and political economy colleagues across arenas, and is a priority for cross-cutting capability investment.

These are political choices about industrial strategy, trade and security, and E3G has the political economy analysis, the convening role and the government access to shape how they are made.

The Opportunity

Clean economy is one of the most contested and consequential areas of climate politics right now. This role at E3G puts you at the centre of it. Industrial strategy, trade and economic security have moved from the margins of the climate debate to its core, and E3G is uniquely positioned to shape how governments, industries and international institutions navigate that shift.

This is a 12-month maternity cover appointment carrying the full accountability of the Associate Director role — strategic direction, funding, people and impact of the Clean Economy theme. The brief during this period is genuinely strategic and developmental: to take a theme that is already doing important work and extend its reach into geo-economics and clean tech supply chains, working collaboratively with E3G's climate diplomacy, geopolitics and political economy colleagues across our European, international and Asia arenas — in the context of E3G's 2026–2030 strategy.

The postholder will have real scope to shape and build the team — contributing to new hires, influencing how emerging roles are defined, and building Clean Economy's Asia capability. The theme goes into the cover period with strong programme leadership and a clear strategic direction. The opportunity is to build on that and hand it back in a stronger position than you found it. This role sits in E3G's Senior Management Team and wider Senior Leadership Team.

If you are ready to lead at the level of strategy and organisational development — and to do it in one of the most dynamic areas of the climate politics landscape — we want to hear from you.

What you will do

• Hold and lead the strategic direction of the Clean Economy theme, ensuring E3G’s work on industrial transition and trade is coherent, ambitious and positioned for impact.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across climate diplomacy, geopolitics and political economy to develop E3G’s strategic offer in geo-economics and clean tech supply chains — contributing to shared programme concepts, joint funder engagement and cross-cutting intellectual leadership across E3G’s European, international and Asia arenas.
• Represent E3G externally where climate, industry and economic policy intersect — with economic, industry and trade ministries, international initiatives, private sector coalitions and multilateral venues — as an institutional representative, not only as a subject expert.
• Build and steward senior funder relationships, lead funding strategy across the portfolio, and hold accountability for delivery to the standards our funders and partners expect.
• Lead a cohort of programme leaders and senior advisors across the EU Industry, Global Industry and Trade & Investment teams — developing their capability, enabling their influencing and impact, and creating the conditions for the theme to deliver more than the sum of its parts.
• Lead the team through a period of recruitment and change, shaping new roles and building the capability the theme needs in clean tech supply chains, economic policy, geo-economics and Asia.
• Contribute to E3G’s organisational leadership as a member of the Senior Management Team, working collaboratively with the CEO, CPO, CFOO and fellow Associate Directors.
• Hand the theme over well at the end of the cover period, with strategy, funding pipeline and team development in a stronger position.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a senior leader with expertise across industrial transition, trade or economic policy and the leadership qualities to match. You will bring:

• Strategic leadership: The ability to set direction, hold accountability for outcomes, and lead through others rather than owning everything directly.
• Facilitative and lateral leadership: Working across teams, petals and organisational boundaries to achieve shared goals; enabling others rather than directing.
• Leading leaders: Developing and managing senior programme leaders with confidence, holding accountability while empowering delivery and development and building a broad leadership base.
• External profile and influence: Representing E3G at institutional level; holding senior relationships with funders and partners; shaping debate in the industry, trade and economic policy field.
• Funding leadership: Active ownership of funder relationships and the theme’s funding strategy, including building the case for new areas of work rather than only stewarding existing grants.
• Scoping and development: Confidence taking an emerging area from strategic intent to a scoped, funded and staffed programme.
• Organisational contribution: Operating as a senior leader across E3G, not just within the Clean Economy theme; bringing a whole of E3G perspective to decisions.

You will have significant experience in the industrial transition, trade, industrial policy or economic security field — in think tank, policy, institutional, government or related settings — and a track record that demonstrates both intellectual leadership and the ability to deliver at scale.

What we offer

• 12 month fixed term contract, full-time position.
• 35-hour work week.
• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working approach.
• 25 vacation days + additional leave between Christmas and New Year.
• Additional Pension contribution plan.
• Yearly process for remuneration review.

Berlin

The indicative salary range in Berlin is €85,439 - €93,000 annually, dependant on experience.

Brussels

The indicative salary range in Brussels is €6,423.20 to €6,824.70 monthly, dependant on experience, with holiday pay and a 13th month.

London

The indicative salary range in London is £80,075 to £85,000 annually, dependant on experience.

E3G is unable to provide relocation assistance to candidates who would need to change locations in order to take up this position. We require candidates to demonstrate that they have the right to live and work in the jurisdiction in which E3G employs them.

The process

This is a 12-month fixed-term appointment covering maternity leave from December 2026. If you are ready for this level of leadership — or close to ready and want to make the case for your candidacy — we want to hear from you.

Please submit a CV of no more than two pages and a cover letter of no more than two pages setting out your interest in and readiness for the role. The deadline for applications is the 4th of October at 23:59 UK time.

In your cover letter, please address the following:

• Your assessment of the most significant strategic opportunity for E3G’s Clean Economy theme over the next two years, and how you would approach it.
• How would you approach developing E3G’s distinctive strategic offer in geo-economics and clean tech supply chains, working collaboratively across Clean Economy, climate diplomacy and political economy — and across E3G’s European, international and Asia arenas? How would you turn that into compelling joint programming and funder engagement?
• How you have held accountability for outcomes delivered through others — and what this has taught you about your leadership approach.
• Your current external profile and relationships at the level this role requires, and where you would look to develop these further.
• How you would approach leading a team through a period of recruitment and change, and handing it over well at the end of the cover period.

Further Details

This is a fixed-term appointment of twelve months. E3G is a growing organisation and we are committed to supporting the career development of our people — we would welcome a conversation about scope for longer-term opportunities.

Whilst we very much appreciate the time you will have taken with your application, unfortunately due to the level of response we receive we will not be able to reply to every candidate. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful.

E3G values diversity and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic background. We aim to build an inclusive workforce that is reflective of the populations we support, and actively seek applications from those who are marginalised and underrepresented. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.