Executive Director

Anthropocene Alliance (A2) is the nation’s largest coalition of frontline communities fighting for climate and environmental justice. We represent almost 400 member-communities in 55 US states and territories. The breadth and depth of our interventions make us distinct in the environmental movement: By educating, organizing and supporting grassroots leaders and their communities, we are at the forefront of the movement to stop the use of fossil fuels, restore threatened ecosystems, and establish an environmentally sustainable economic and social order.

Our 2025-28 Strategic Plan outlines steps we intend to take to expand our impact. These include state and federal movement building as well as local organizing, initiating national campaigns in collaboration with other non-profit organizations, and supporting community-based programs in renewable energy. We also aim to develop more democratic means to identify grassroots priorities and make bigger investments in written and photographic documentation. (We have begun a long-term collaboration with the renowned Magnum photo-consortium.)

Our current Executive Director, Harriet Festing co-founded the organization in 2017, with her husband, Dr. Stephen F. Eisenman. They recently moved to England to help care for elderly parents. Thus, A2 is seeking a new ED to carry forward the strategic plan. The Executive Director answers to a supportive 12-member Board of Directors composed of activists, academics and other professionals, and four grassroots leaders.

We aim to hire an energetic, courageous, and compassionate director who is as comfortable on the road visiting community leaders as reviewing budgets and directing a staff of 18 (16 full-time). Most of all, the new Executive Director must be able to advance the Strategic Plan, fundraise for the organization, and help our community leaders advance the campaign for environmental and climate justice.

Our team is currently organized into four groups: Finance and Operations (led by our Chief Operations Officer); Field Organizing; Grant Writing and Technical Assistance; and Communications. Staff includes a writer/journalist, wildlife ecologist, resilience planner, federal finance and operations specialist, IT administrator, two community organizers, communications expert, project navigator, and grant writer. Once the new ED is in place, it is expected that after a three-month step-down period, Harriet will stay as half-time Director of Development, at the discretion of the new ED. She will help ensure continuity of relations with A2’s generous funders.

The Executive Director will work remotely, but has the option to review working conditions for A2 staff in the future. We are currently exploring the creation of field/satellite offices.

Expected Qualifications

• Experience in grassroots movement building, community organizing and leading campaigns
• Knowledge and commitment to the ideals of climate and environmental justice and a desire to help mobilize people from underserved communities
• Ten years of non-profit management experience in organizations with a staff of 10 or more, and a budget over $1.5 million.
• Experience developing relationships with local, state and federal government officials, elected leaders, and the media
• The ED must reside in the U.S., and be comfortable travelling to community leaders
• Experience with raising funds from philanthropic foundations
• Highly organized and able to track and manage multiple projects at once
• Flexible, and willing to work odd hours in response to members’ needs
• Brave, empathetic and a good listener

Prefer but not required:

• Speak and read Spanish
• Connections to funders and partners engaged with environmental justice