Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Strategist (Asia)
at The Sunrise Project
🏢 About The Sunrise Project
The Sunrise Project is a unique global network that combines strategic grant-making with campaigning to scale social movements driving the energy transition beyond fossil fuels. Unlike traditional foundations, we actively engage in campaigns and collaborate with grassroots movements, offering staff the chance to work at the intersection of finance, advocacy, and climate justice. Joining Sunrise means contributing to high-impact strategies that shift finance away from fossil fuels in Asia, a critical region for global climate action.
About This Role
As Senior Strategist (Asia), you will lead the development and execution of campaigns to shift finance out of LNG and fossil fuel expansion across Asia. You'll identify key leverage points in public and private finance, build alliances with climate movement partners, and represent Sunrise at high-level industry events. This role is impactful because it targets the financial engines driving fossil fuel expansion in one of the world's fastest-growing energy markets, directly influencing the trajectory of global emissions.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with campaign partners in Southeast Asia to discuss a bank's new LNG financing announcement, followed by analyzing financial data to identify pressure points. You might then draft a briefing for a grantee, prepare for a presentation at an industry conference, and end the day with a strategy call with Sunrise colleagues across different time zones.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who The Sunrise Project Is Looking For
- An experienced campaign strategist with a proven track record of achieving real-world outcomes in climate or finance campaigns, particularly in Asia.
- Financially literate with a strong understanding of financial markets, institutions, and policy, able to identify leverage points in both public and private finance.
- Deeply familiar with Asia's socio-economic systems and political landscape, with existing relationships or ability to build trust with climate movement allies in the region.
- Excellent communicator and presenter, comfortable representing an organization at public fora, and ideally fluent in an Asian language to navigate diverse stakeholders.
📝 Tips for Applying to The Sunrise Project
Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight specific campaign wins where you shifted finance or held financial institutions accountable, quantifying outcomes where possible.
Demonstrate your understanding of Asia's financial landscape by mentioning specific banks, investors, or policies (e.g., China's Belt and Road Initiative, Japanese export credit agencies) relevant to LNG and fossil fuel finance.
Show your ability to work in a networked, collaborative environment by providing examples of how you've built alliances across different organizations or movements.
If you have experience with grant-making or monitoring, emphasize it, as the role involves developing and overseeing grants to partner organizations.
Research The Sunrise Project's current campaigns and mention how your skills align with their specific strategies in Asia, such as their work on stopping LNG expansion in Southeast Asia.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your strategic campaign experience in finance or climate, with concrete examples of shifting finance away from fossil fuels in Asia.', "Your understanding of the financial sector's role in fossil fuel expansion and your ability to identify leverage points in both public and private finance.", "Your commitment to collaboration and movement-building, showing how you've worked with diverse allies to achieve campaign goals.", "Your familiarity with Asia's socio-economic and political context, and any language skills or regional relationships that make you effective in the region."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore The Sunrise Project's website and read about their current campaigns, especially the 'Stop LNG' and 'Finance Shift' initiatives in Asia.
- → Research recent reports on LNG expansion in Asia, including key projects (e.g., in Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh) and the financial institutions involved.
- → Understand the landscape of climate finance in Asia, including the roles of development finance institutions (e.g., ADB, AIIB), export credit agencies, and private banks.
- → Look into The Sunrise Project's network model and how they collaborate with other organizations like 350.org, Oil Change International, and local grassroots groups.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application that doesn't specifically address the role's focus on finance and Asia. Avoid vague statements about 'climate passion'; instead, show concrete knowledge of Asian energy finance.
- Overlooking the need for financial literacy. Don't downplay your lack of finance background; instead, demonstrate how you've developed it through training or experience.
- Ignoring the collaborative, networked nature of the role. Avoid framing your experience solely in terms of individual leadership; emphasize partnership and alliance-building.
📅 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 The Sunrise Project!