The Rainforest Alliance is a growing network of people who are inspired and committed to working together to achieve our mission of conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Through creative, pragmatic collaboration, we aim to rebalance the planet by building strong forests and healthy communities around the world.

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Senior Director, Growth and Impact

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Director, Growth and Impact reports to the Chief Growth and Impact Officer (CGIO) and will act as a trusted advisor and Chief of Staff to the CGIO, driving strategic priorities, strengthening cross-functional alignment, and ensuring seamless execution across our global teams in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

This is a unique opportunity to shape how programs translate into funding and real-world impact, connecting science, programs, development, and regional teams to deliver lasting change for forests, climate, and communities.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

Chief of Staff to the Chief Growth and Impact Officer

• Partner with the CGIO to set priorities, develop and execute strategic plans to drive business growth and social impact, aligned with the organization's mission and vision.
• Identify risks, bottlenecks, and misalignments early and bring solutions to the CGIO proactively.

Cross-Departmental Integration and Strategy Implementation

• Align teams across regions and functions, breaking silos and ensuring coordinated delivery
• Lead cross-functional teams to design and implement programs, products, and services that address social and environmental challenges.
• Translate the CGIO's strategic direction into clear workplans, roles, and accountability structures across departments and geographies.

Program-to-Funding Pipeline and Development Integration

• Serve as the integration lead between the programmatic and development functions
• Ensure funding priorities are informed by programmatic strategy and that programs are positioned effectively for donor investment.
• Work with internal teams to understand the funding landscape and pipeline and identify and articulate fundable program priorities.
• Support the CGIO in donor engagement as needed, providing briefings, talking points, and strategic framing.

Organizational Leadership

• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws — including hiring, mentoring, and evaluating staff; guiding professional development; and addressing employee relations issues.
• Model and promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and producer centricity across the Growth and Impact function and the broader organization.

WHAT YOU BRING:

• Master's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field.
• Synthesize complexity and drive clarity across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• 15 years progressive, relevant experience, with at least 10 years in senior roles involving cross-functional coordination, organisational strategy, or operations within international organisations.
• Proven experience as a Chief of Staff, Deputy Director, or equivalent integrating role within a complex, multi-regional organisation or management consultancy.
• Experience working across the Americas, Africa, and/or Asia in an international nonprofit, NGO, or sustainability-focused context.
• Experience with the program-to-funding cycle in a donor-funded environment, with experience coordinating between programmatic and development teams.
• Knowledge of sustainable development issues and deep commitment to Rainforest Alliance's goals: conserving forests and other high-value ecosystems; mitigating climate change and building climate resilience; and strengthening livelihoods and securing human rights.
• Direct experience working with producers (small, medium, and large) and/or forest communities.
• Key competencies: transformational leadership, systems thinking, political acumen, adaptability, persuasion, critical and reflective thinking, relationship building based on trust, empathy, and openness, and strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time-critical manner.

• Partner with the CGIO to set priorities, develop and execute strategic plans to drive business growth and social impact, aligned with the organization's mission and vision.
• Identify risks, bottlenecks, and misalignments early and bring solutions to the CGIO proactively.
• Align teams across regions and functions, breaking silos and ensuring coordinated delivery
• Lead cross-functional teams to design and implement programs, products, and services that address social and environmental challenges.
• Translate the CGIO's strategic direction into clear workplans, roles, and accountability structures across departments and geographies.
• Serve as the integration lead between the programmatic and development functions
• Ensure funding priorities are informed by programmatic strategy and that programs are positioned effectively for donor investment.
• Work with internal teams to understand the funding landscape and pipeline and identify and articulate fundable program priorities.
• Support the CGIO in donor engagement as needed, providing briefings, talking points, and strategic framing.
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws — including hiring, mentoring, and evaluating staff; guiding professional development; and addressing employee relations issues.
• Model and promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, and producer centricity across the Growth and Impact function and the broader organization.

• transformational leadership
• systems thinking
• political acumen
• adaptability
• persuasion
• critical and reflective thinking
• relationship building based on trust, empathy, and openness
• strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time-critical manner

• Master's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field.
• Synthesize complexity and drive clarity across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• 15 years progressive, relevant experience, with at least 10 years in senior roles involving cross-functional coordination, organisational strategy, or operations within international organisations.
• Proven experience as a Chief of Staff, Deputy Director, or equivalent integrating role within a complex, multi-regional organisation or management consultancy.
• Experience working across the Americas, Africa, and/or Asia in an international nonprofit, NGO, or sustainability-focused context.
• Experience with the program-to-funding cycle in a donor-funded environment, with experience coordinating between programmatic and development teams.
• Knowledge of sustainable development issues and deep commitment to Rainforest Alliance's goals: conserving forests and other high-value ecosystems; mitigating climate change and building climate resilience; and strengthening livelihoods and securing human rights.
• Direct experience working with producers (small, medium, and large) and/or forest communities.