Executive Director – Expeditions & Operations (In Berlin or remote within Europe)

About Active Philanthropy 
 

To safeguard life on Earth, we must be bold and act now. Mitigating the causes of the climate crisis and helping those most affected to adapt is essential for the well-being of future generations. The coming decades are critical, as the decisions and actions we take now will determine the future of humanity. 
 

Philanthropy can be highly effective in driving progress towards a just and sustainable future by providing unrestricted capital, fostering public awareness and ownership, scaling and innovating solutions and creating the space for inclusive dialogue. Yet not enough philanthropic attention is given to fighting the drivers of global emissions and driving innovative climate solutions that have benefits beyond emissions cuts. 
 

Active Philanthropy is working to change this. We’re on a mission to unleash the power of philanthropy by supporting individuals, foundations, and businesses to channel their resources into solutions that tackle the climate crisis and catalyse systemic change. For over 20 years, we’ve worked alongside our clients to deepen their understanding of climate challenges and turn ambition into action.  
 

Through our expeditions, we create immersive, first-hand experiences that connect leaders with the realities of climate change, the latest science, and pathways to solutions. They are designed in collaboration with local communities and subject-matter experts to ensure diverse, on-the-ground perspectives are at the heart of the experience. Our knowledge and content work bridges science and solutions, providing the crucial expertise and insights needed to enable our clients and communities to design impactful giving strategies and make confident decisions that lead to lasting impact. These insights come to life via our Publications and Tools which are publicly accessible and make complex climate and philanthropy topics clear, practical, and actionable.  
 

We are a non-profit organisation and rely on donations and grants as well as service fees to fund our work.  
 

In our day-to-day work, we depend on expert knowledge, international collaboration, and creative thinking but, above all, on people who want to make a difference. Are you one of them? 

 

Context & Profile  
 

As Active Philanthropy celebrates its 20th anniversary, we are entering an exciting new phase. Following two decades of leadership, our founder is stepping back from operational responsibilities, and we are introducing a co-leadership structure with two Co-Executive Directors, each heading a core pillar of our work – Climate Insights and Philanthropic Strategies and Expeditions & Operations.  
 

We are now seeking a full-time Executive Director of Expeditions and Operations to steward the next phase of the organisation.  
 

The Executive Director of Expeditions and Operations will be responsible for driving external engagement and strategic growth, designing and facilitating expeditions, leading business and partnership development and strengthening key networks. Alongside their outward-facing focus, they will be responsible for ensuring the effective and smooth running of internal operations. This is a rare opportunity to pair strategic vision with hands-on delivery.  
 

The ideal candidate should bring senior leadership experience in a foundation, philanthropic advisory or mission-driven organisation. They should have a genuine passion for climate action and the role philanthropy can play in driving catalytic change. Candidates should bring a proven track record of both working with stakeholders at the highest levels to affect meaningful change and of developing unique learning experiences that enable participants to connect to their head, hands and heart.  
 

Although the Active Philanthropy team is primarily based in Berlin, we are open to remote working within Europe. Candidates based elsewhere will be expected to travel to Berlin for team engagement at least once a month. In the first six months, candidates should be prepared to spend several days a week in Berlin to build strong relationships within the team.