Director, Global Methane Markets EDF + Business

Overall Function

For more than a decade, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has combined cutting edge science with strategic global advocacy to make the case that reducing methane pollution is the best and most immediate way to slow global warming near term.  EDF also showed that the oil and gas industry can reduce emissions faster and cheaper than any other sector. Our field studies and MethaneAIR flights demonstrate that government and industry reports have vastly understated emissions. Building on these findings, the MethaneSAT satellite was designed to provide empirical data needed to know the true scope of global methane emissions from oil and gas production. EDF is bringing this actionable information to governments, companies, communities, and other stakeholders to push for rapid reductions across the oil and gas industry.

The Director – Global Methane Markets position involves leading development and refinement of strategy and project concepts, particularly our access to markets strategy - conditioning access to major markets on strict methane emissions performance and advocating for importers and purchasers to adopt standards that rewards exporting companies for reducing methane emissions. The director will oversee execution of this work - managing oil and gas industry and other key external relationships, initiating, spearheading, and amplifying thought leadership, assisting in fundraising opportunities and responsibilities, and overseeing project operations.

The Director will be located in Europe (preferred) or the East Coast of the United States, available to travel to offices of EDF, and will and work closely with directors, managers, and senior leadership across the department and organization, with an emphasis on the Energy Transition program and its strategic objectives on reducing oil and gas methane pollution. The Director will report to the Senior Director, Business and Energy Transition

Responsibilities

Strategy

• Refine EDF’s strategy for achieving significant methane emission reductions in the oil and gas sector by conditioning access to major markets on strict methane emissions performance.

• Reimagine the art of the possible for durable market solutions that encourage private sector implementation of robust methane emissions reduction targets in fossil fuel producing countries while securing equitable social and environmental outcomes.

• Coordinate closely with other EDF mission teams, such as Policy, Science, Economics and relevant regional teams in Europe, India, China, Japan,  US etc., and manage efforts of EDF staff and consultants across multiple programs in a matrixed organization; collaborate seamlessly with external partners critical to the program’s success.

• Participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals, in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges aligned with EDF values.  

Analysis and research

• Work with EDF Business, Energy Transition Policy Advocacy, Science and Economics teams to identify and coordinate necessary research and technical priorities; interpret results and leverage findings to advance advocacy goals.

• Lead and support efforts writing and preparing white papers, reports, policy briefs, and communications materials aimed at external audiences; draft internal decision memos, policy documents, testimony, talking points; contribute to funding proposals and reports.

• Engage with partner organizations and manage consultants with a deep understanding of global gas trade and markets to generate and share critical insights.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead engagement with key stakeholders in finance, industry, thinktanks, NGOs and community partners. Catalyze new relationships with stakeholders within the LNG industry and the global gas buyer and trading spheres. Devise strategy and tactics to leverage these relationships to drive emissions reductions and policy recommendations.

• Work with EDF’s Global Methane and Regional teams to equip industry and policy makers with new tools and strategies to reduce methane emissions across global energy value chains.

Communications

• In close coordination with EDF’s communications teams, direct and guide the development of key messaging and external communications materials such as press releases, thought leadership pieces, reports, publications and blogs to advocate for EDF’s positions, elevate EDF’s global profile