Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Program Manager, Clean Cooling Collaborative
at ClimateWorks Foundation
🏢 About ClimateWorks Foundation
ClimateWorks Foundation is unique as a philanthropic organization that amplifies donor impact by coordinating global climate initiatives across sectors. Working here offers the opportunity to be at the nexus of climate policy, finance, and implementation with a mission-driven team focused on scalable solutions. Their collaborative model means you'd work alongside experts and grantees worldwide to combat climate change.
About This Role
This Senior Program Manager role focuses on advancing clean cooling solutions in India through grant development, stakeholder engagement, and South-to-South knowledge exchange. You'll directly support India's cooling lead in identifying opportunities, building partnerships, and tracking policy developments to reduce emissions and enhance climate resilience. The impact lies in scaling India's cooling innovations while adapting global best practices to local contexts.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve coordinating with the India Cooling Lead to review grant proposals, followed by meetings with local partners to discuss policy developments or collaboration opportunities. You could spend time researching emerging cooling technologies in Southeast Asia for potential adaptation in India, then draft reports on key trends for CCC's global team. The role blends strategic planning with hands-on engagement, ensuring progress toward clean cooling goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who ClimateWorks Foundation Is Looking For
- Has 7+ years of hands-on experience in India's appliance efficiency, energy-efficient buildings, or climate adaptation sectors, with proven grant management or project development skills.
- Demonstrates deep understanding of India's political economy around climate issues, with established networks among government, industry, and civil society stakeholders.
- Possesses strong analytical abilities to scope opportunities and assess grant proposals, coupled with experience facilitating cross-regional learning (e.g., between India and Southeast Asia).
- Is adept at balancing strategic thinking with operational execution, able to cultivate partnerships while tracking and reporting on programmatic progress.
📝 Tips for Applying to ClimateWorks Foundation
Quantify your 7+ years of experience with specific examples related to appliance efficiency, built environment, or climate finance in India—mention projects, grants, or policies you've influenced.
Highlight any South-to-South collaboration experience, such as sharing India's cooling innovations with other regions or adapting global solutions locally.
Tailor your resume to show familiarity with India's stakeholder landscape (e.g., government agencies like BEE, industry associations, NGOs) and climate policies (e.g., India Cooling Action Plan).
Research and reference CCC's existing portfolio in India (e.g., grants or initiatives) to demonstrate how your skills align with their ongoing work.
Emphasize on-the-ground experience in India, including language skills or regional expertise, as this is a strong plus per the requirements.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain how your background in India's climate sector (e.g., policy, engineering, or finance) prepares you to develop grants and partnerships for clean cooling.", "Describe a specific example of South-to-South learning or collaboration you've led or contributed to, highlighting outcomes.", "Articulate your understanding of CCC's programmatic goals in India and propose one actionable idea to advance their portfolio.", "Connect your experience to ClimateWorks' philanthropic model, showing how you can amplify impact through grant-making and stakeholder engagement."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review CCC's current grants and initiatives in India (available on ClimateWorks' website) to understand their focus areas and gaps.
- → Study India's Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) and recent policies on appliance standards or extreme heat adaptation to contextualize your responses.
- → Explore ClimateWorks' annual reports or case studies to grasp their philanthropic strategy and how they measure impact.
- → Look into CCC's global network and South-to-South projects to identify potential learning exchanges you could leverage.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning India-specific experience or CCC's work—this role requires deep local knowledge.
- Overemphasizing technical skills without demonstrating grant management, partnership-building, or cross-regional collaboration abilities.
- Failing to show how your experience aligns with ClimateWorks' philanthropic model—they prioritize scalable, collaborative solutions over isolated projects.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to ClimateWorks Foundation!