Program Officer

Program Officer

Department: Super Pollutant Action Alliance

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: SPAA - Washington, DC

Reporting To: Executive Director

Compensation: $130,000 - $160,000 / year

Description About the Super Pollutant Action Alliance Super pollutants are responsible for half of today's climate change, but they receive much less than half of global climate funding and attention. Reducing super pollutants–including methane, tropospheric ozone, and black carbon– is the fastest way to limit dangerous near-term temperatures, which is all the more important in a rapidly warming world. In addition, reducing super pollutants improves air and water quality, bolstering food production and potentially saving hundreds of thousands of lives per year. 
The Super Pollutant Action Alliance (SPAA) is a philanthropic collaborative backed by some of the world's leading climate foundations. Our mission is to enable and expand highly-effective super pollutant reduction efforts to reduce global temperatures as much and as soon as possible, and to save lives from reduced heat and pollution. With dedicated resources, SPAA serves as a backbone organization for the field, working closely with experts, civil society, and policymakers to develop the thought leadership, targeted interventions, and convenings that increase the impact of the field as a whole.
Position Summary  Working in close collaboration with the Executive Director, the Program Officer will support SPAA's mission by building and maintaining the philanthropic program portfolio of the organization with specific responsibilities of grantmaking strategy, learning and portfolio development, grantee and field engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.

Across these core functions, the Program Officer will lead the implementation and evaluation of SPAA's grant portfolio while engaging and measuring the impact of the ecosystem of organizations working to reduce super pollutants on a global level. 
This is a unique opportunity to come in at ground-zero of a well funded philanthropic collaborative and build a high impact portfolio of organizations making meaningful contributions to SPAA's mission. 

Primary Responsibilities Grantmaking Strategy, Learning and Portfolio Development

• Develop new and assess existing strategies in super pollutant sub-fields such as regions, sectors, and pollutants
• Develop and manage a portfolio of grants within SPAA's theory of change, with a particular focus on developing strategies in under-developed areas of super pollutant action 
• Lead the due diligence process, including reviewing proposals, using SPAA's diligence framework, and supporting the Executive Director in preparing recommendations for the Steering Committee
• Implement, track, and adapt strategies with partner and grantee organizations over time
• Monitor grantee progress, outcomes, and reporting, ensuring compliance and learning
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Operations and Impact to support the organizations ecosystems metrics tracking

Grantee and Field Engagement

• Proactively identify and cultivate relationships with stakeholders and potential grantees to advance SPAA's philanthropic strategies
• Build trust-based partnerships that foster collaboration, innovation, and shared learning
• Identify emerging needs and trends in the field and in SPAA areas of interest
• Serve as a visible and accessible representative of SPAA
• Support the Director of Operations and Impact with implementation of SPAA's Funder Alliance

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with other SPAA staff to share knowledge and coordinate efforts
• Participate in organizational planning, staff meetings, and cross functional projects

The Ideal Candidate "You are relentlessly curious about impact, data, and solutions, with a deep drive to fundamentally understand the science and technologies behind promising interventions. You bring a consulting and research mindset to your work, always seeking to get to the bottom of complex problems through rigorous analysis and inquiry. You hold relationship-building and impact in equal regard, recognizing that meaningful change requires both technical excellence and authentic partnerships. You are self-reflective and aware of your own limitations with an attitude of continuous improvement, and you're open to receiving and giving feedback. You're skilled at systems-level thinking and strategy, able to see how individual components interconnect and to identify leverage points for change. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills and can effectively engage diverse stakeholders across contexts. You have significant experience living and/or working in the Global South, and you allow that experience to inform your perspective, bringing cultural humility and contextual understanding to your approach."

Qualifications The Program Officer need not possess all of the following qualifications, but should have a majority and should be interested in developing the remainder.

• 5-7 years of experience developing strategies or theories of change in philanthropy, government, or grantmaking organizations of some kind, prior Program Officer experience is strongly preferred;
• Experience working in the field of climate mitigation, and/ or air pollution reduction, ideally with some experience in super pollutant reduction or in sectors that are major sources of super pollutants–namely food and agriculture, fossil fuel supply, waste, industry, buildings, or transportation; 
• Academic training in a technical field (e.g. chemistry, engineering) and/or demonstrated ability to deeply understand and accurately synthesize the state of a scientific or technical field;
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders and crafting and implementing strategy developed from their needs and impact;
• Advanced active listening, writing, and communications capacity in a hybrid environment;
• Experience using and organizing grants management software or customer relationship management software (CRM) products;
• Experience working or living in the Global South is highly prioritized, particularly experience working or living in major economies in Latin America, sub Saharan Africa, and Asia. 
• Experience working internationally within a region or across regions.
• Demonstrated capacity to connect across cultural differences.

Workplace, Compensation & Application
Workplace and Travel: This position is based in our Washington D.C. office (2 days per week in person). A hybrid option is possible in a time zone with at least a 4 hour overlap with 9am-5pm EST and 4 working days per month in our Washington D.C. office. This role may travel up 25% of the time.

Compensation:  SPAA and Multiplier provide a comprehensive compensation package, including competitive salary ($130,000-$160,000 annual salary, representing the low and high end of the pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on experience), excellent medical and dental benefits, retirement savings, and generous vacation and sick leave policy. 

How to Apply: To apply, please visit our Applicant Portal. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Priority will be given to applications received on or before November 15, 2025. Please include:

• Your resume 
• In lieu of a cover letter, we request you answer a few short questions in the application. 

We respectfully request no follow-up calls or emails.

Multiplier and SPAA are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable, and accessible application process for all candidates. We recognize that the traditional hiring process can create barriers. If we can support your participation in the job application or interview process by providing specific assistance or accommodation, please reach out to   Requests for accommodations are confidential and will not impact your candidacy.
SPAA is an independent operating project of Multiplier, a nationally recognized nonprofit that accelerates impact for sustainability-focused initiatives.

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