Vice President, Environment at The Pew Charitable Trusts

About The Organization

Pew's environment work spans all seven continents, advancing science-based, nonpartisan, and sustainable solutions to benefit human health and economies through conserving vital ecosystems and striving to diminish global environmental problems such as climate change, toxic chemicals, and ocean and land degradation.

Pew informs and engages public-spirited citizens, policymakers, and organizations through rigorous research, analytical expertise, and the strategic execution of impactful initiatives. By linking diverse perspectives and interests, we advance fact-based solutions to complex challenges across public policy, civic life, and global issues.

Our culture is defined by integrity, service, intellectual curiosity, and collaborative problem-solving. Employees benefit from a respectful, inclusive workplace that values thoughtful inquiry, shared expertise, and the responsible stewardship of resources in pursuit of lasting public benefit.

For more than three decades, Pew has been a leading force in addressing some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, and the destruction of marine environments. Working in partnership with governments, Indigenous rights holders, intergovernmental organizations, scientists, and local stakeholders, we lead initiatives aimed at meaningful environmental impact.

Pew's Environment Portfolio Includes Initiatives Centered On

• Oceans: ending overfishing, strengthening ocean governance, and protecting marine ecosystems
• Land and Freshwater: safeguarding critically important lands, rivers, and freshwater systems
• Resilience: Building resilience in local communities and ecosystems to climate-accelerated natural disasters
• Environmental Threats: Reducing threats to people and nature from toxic chemicals, plastics, and climate change

About The Role

What You'll Do

The Vice President of Environment will help shape, influence, and lead this multi-faceted environmental portfolio and oversee significant elements of Pew's environmental work. They will guide existing large-scale initiatives and collaborate with internal teams and external partners to design, implement, and evaluate strategies that advance science-based, nonpartisan solutions to critical environmental challenges. In addition, they will establish new relationships and launch innovative projects to expand Pew's impact on oceans, terrestrial ecosystems, and other priority environmental areas.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

Strategic Leadership

• In partnership with the SVP, Environment and Cross-Cutting Initiatives and the other VP, Environment, work to develop overall portfolio strategy, determine programmatic trade-offs, engage with the Pew board, and prioritize work consistent with Pew's overall vision and goals.
• Develop new evidence-informed strategies and lead projects focused on ocean health; freshwater and land conservation; resilience; and environmental threats. Key themes cutting across all these programs include innovative and sustainable financing, benefits for people, and strong community engagement.
• Contribute to broader institutional strategy and priority setting as a member of Pew's Leadership Team, including close collaborative working relationships with other departments.

Portfolio Management & Program Oversight

• Lead implementation of initiatives, ensuring strong program management, rightsholder and stakeholder engagement, and driving to clear metrics/outcomes.
• Manage the budget for key Pew-funded programs (including a combination of shorter two-to-three-year projects under five-year strategies as well as longer-term projects and partnerships); collaborate with SVP to manage the portfolio-wide budget.
• Develop and mentor the team, enabling diverse perspectives and high performance.
• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust and respect, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring and compassionate.

External Engagement & Partnerships

• Establish new relationships and partnerships, enabling the launch of new collaborations and projects.
• Cultivate and engage with an external network of key players within business, governments, international organizations, NGOs and institutions, as well as philanthropists/donors to raise grants and co-funding.
• Communicate vital environmental messaging that will resonate with and rally support from key constituencies and leaders in the U.S. and around the world.

Who You'll Work With

• You will report to the Senior Vice President for Environment & Cross-Cutting Initiatives.
• You will frequently collaborate with a peer Vice President, Environment and be an active member of the Environment leadership team.
• You will manage several Senior Directors and will oversee project teams across the whole portfolio, varying in size from small, targeted efforts to larger global teams.

Required Skills And Experience

• Minimum of 15 years of professional experience, with at least 10 years of previous direct supervisory experience, including experience managing large teams.
• A sophisticated understanding of the environmental policy landscape, including ecosystem protection, systematic threats, and related socio-political dimensions, in the U.S. and abroad.
• A track record of having advanced impactful large-scale policy initiatives in partnership with local, philanthropic, and government actors, including mobilizing significant funding from partners.
• Demonstrated success as a team leader, with experience overseeing performance management processes for direct reports, providing career development, and ensuring the team's work is aligned with strategic goals.
• Experience with and access to broad professional networks; experience building solid relationships both inside and outside their organization to influence positive outcomes.
• A multi-disciplined approach with the ability to place and plan environmental program strategies within the context of larger economic, public health, and political landscapes.
• Strong political acumen, able to navigate a complex institution and competing priorities while cohering support for a common vision.
• Seasoned judgment, with the capacity to make decisions attentive to internal and external risks and to justify recommendations; responsive, clear, and firm with colleagues and partners.
• Exceptional analytic and problem-solving skills; ability to synthesize large amounts of information and focus on the essence of an issue, as well as identify actionable approaches to address it.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage key constituencies in a broad range of environmental topics.
• Collaboration and active listening to fold in external perspectives and forge enduring partnerships.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $290,000 - $310,000. The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew's commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Our Comprehensive Benefits Package Includes

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Generous time off
• Hybrid work schedule: three days in office; two telework days; up to four flex-weeks per year
• 401(k) employer contribution and match totaling up to 12%
• Additional 457b deferred compensation plan
• Core and supplemental life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• And more

Additional Details

Location and Work Environment

• Location: This position is based in Washington, D.C., with a hybrid work schedule of three core days in the office and two telework days per week.
• Travel: Frequent domestic and international travel throughout the year for meetings.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Pew is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or any other protected characteristics.