ABOUT CRC

In the Bay Area, as throughout the world, under-resourced communities are disproportionately
vulnerable to climate change impacts. Since 2016, Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) has
been on the ground, learning the specific needs of residents in diverse, under-resourced
communities in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven (Menlo Park), and North Fair Oaks. We have now
expanded to San Bruno, and South San Francisco in San Mateo County. Additionally, we’ve
begun building social movement infrastructure in Santa Clara County in the Alviso and East San
Jose neighborhoods. CRC’s on the ground, community organizing cultivates environmental
awareness while giving local residents a voice in proactive resilience planning and adaptation
initiatives. By building stronger alliances between residents, schools, local government programs
and community-based organizations, our work builds social infrastructure and community
resilience against climate related stresses such as sea-level rise, displacement, and economic
instability.

CRC’s work is guided by community leaders through our Climate Change Community Teams
composed of frontline residents in each neighborhood we work in. CRC partners with these teams
to meet community-identified needs through programs that advance youth education and
leadership development, provide vital home safety repairs and energy efficiency improvements,
and directly address community-led climate adaptation priorities like distributing air purifiers.
CRC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a strong record of transparency and community
oversight. Through this opportunity you will have a unique opportunity to interact with and learn
from experienced movement and community leaders and contribute to building climate resilience
in a way that centers and empowers the voices of working families and frontline residents.

 

PURPOSE

 

The Director of Programs is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing and managing
the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Resilient Homes and Resilient
Adaptation programs within our organization. This role requires a combination of strategic
planning, project management, team leadership, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement
skills.

This position reports to the Executive Director (ED) and is a member of the four-person executive
team composed of the ED, Chief of Staff, and Director of Outreach and Education.

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Programmatic: (30%)
● Develop and implement strategies that will maximize the synergies among program areas.
● Create procedures, deadlines, and milestones to monitor a program's progress.
● Develop, approve, and monitor program budgets; track grant deliverables and spenddown.
● Evaluate programs and project leaders for efficiency and accomplishments.
● Make changes and improvements to programs to align with the strategic plan and
maximize impact as measured by CRC’s core metrics.
● Coordinate with program managers and other stakeholders to create detailed program
implementation plans with deadlines, milestones, processes, and risk mitigation protocols.
Strategic: (30%)
● Research and plan programs based on the organization's strategic objectives, provide
strategic guidance from the programmatic perspective into overall organizational strategy.
● Establish clear goals for programs, secure or allocate the resources to achieve them.
● Hire and supervise new program managers for projects, oversee associate level hiring.
● Foster and maintain relationships with funding partners, stakeholders, and organizational
partners, including government representatives, nonprofit partners and NGOs.
● Create processes for monitoring performance and collaborating with program teams to
improve program delivery and maximize effectiveness.
Leadership: (30%)
● Cultivate new and strengthen existing relationships with vendors with the goal of ensuring
sufficient space and resources, and access to services for program implementation.
● Hire and supervise program managers as direct reports and program associates indirectly.
● Monitor program performance and collaborate with program teams.
● Provide operational and technical reports on performance to the leadership and Board.
● Apply change, risk, and resource management principles when needed.
● Work with leadership to set strategic goals and objectives for programs.
● Resolve problems between program teams and other internal or external stakeholders.
Policy Analysis and Research: (10%)
● Serve as the lead researcher and advocate for the organization on all environmental justice
policies and proposals impacting our communities including state and local initiatives
across a wide array of topics
● Represent CRC in advocacy efforts as directed by the Executive Director

● Lead CRC’s involvement in local, regional, and statewide coalitions related to
environmental justice initiatives
● Author and approve public comment letters and engage with elected officials on
environmental justice policy priorities

Desired Qualifications
● 5 years of proven experience as a program director or other managerial position
● Outstanding understanding of project/program management techniques and methods
● Successful management and procurement of grants
● Excellent knowledge of performance evaluation techniques and key metrics
● Thorough knowledge of data analysis, reporting and budgeting
● Working knowledge of MS office and program management software (e.g. Basecamp, MS
Project etc.)
● Excellent organizational and leadership skills
● An analytical mindset with great problem-solving abilities
● Excellent communication skills
● BSc/BA diploma in management or a relevant field; MSc/MA is a plus
● Experience with policy advocacy from an environmental justice perspective

COMPENSATION

 

This is a full-time, (40 hours a week) non-exempt position in Palo Alto, CA. Your schedule may
vary based on need and may include evening and weekend hours. Exact salary will depend on
qualifications, but will be in the range of $95,000 to $115,500. CRC strives to provide equitable
and competitive compensation for all of its employees.
Benefits include health insurance (100% employer-funded for employees, 50% funded for
dependents), access to a 403B retirement plan with 3% company match, a flexible work schedule,
generous holiday and paid leave policies (5 weeks PTO), and a highly collegial work
environment. Opportunity to make a meaningful impact on climate change. Professional growth
opportunities available.

 

APPLY

 

Applicants should submit a substantive and thoughtful cover letter describing their interest in the
position and making the case for the relevance of their experience. The cover letter and resume
should be submitted together to this google form. Applications missing a cover letter or resume
will not be considered. Applications will be accepted through August 7, 2026.
CRC does not discriminate in employment because of age, gender, race, national origin, or sexual
orientation. We strive to engage, celebrate, and reflect the rich diversity of the communities we
serve. We value inclusion and equity in our programs, leadership, and hiring practices.