The mission of the Green Ribbon Commission is to accelerate the implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan by convening, organizing, and enabling leaders from Boston’s key sectors. 

The Green Ribbon Commission supports Boston toward a climate safe, carbon free, equitable future. The Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) has partnered

with the City of Boston for nearly 15 years to accelerate climate resilience, carbon neutrality, and climate justice in our city. Our robust and growing network of business and civic leaders is informed, engaged, and connected – helping design and implement the City’s climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. We work together to share best practices, advance cohorts of “first movers” on climate actions, and weigh in on important policy directions. In sectors from real estate to health care to education, we provide leadership and partnership to help the City achieve its climate goals. The GRC’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan focuses the work of the organization around 3 strategic goals: accelerate Boston’s path to coastal resilience; accelerate grid modernization and a just energy transition; and accelerate large building decarbonization.

The Executive Director of the Green Ribbon Commission is responsible for driving progress on the GRC’s Strategic Plan to address the most pressing issues of climate change in the City of Boston, by building consensus among a variety of private and public constituencies and closely aligning with the City.  Strategic, long-term thinking, coupled with immediate, short-term actions are required in constant interplay to move the city toward safety and security in the face of significant climate impact.  Reporting to an executive committee and two co-chairs, the Executive Director must have a sympathetic understanding of the motivations of various institutions, sectors, and leading individuals, in the context of the broader politics of Boston, Massachusetts, and the federal government.  Convening, fundraising, planning, communicating, new member recruitment, and engaging with leaders and senior staff in the public and private sector are all necessary skills.  A deep and broad understanding of the nuances of carbon mitigation, coastal resilience, and the clean energy transition are important, especially for Massachusetts and New England.  Finally, the Executive Director must have a strong theory of how to most effectively motivate and deploy a cohort of high-profile leaders to influence climate progress while supporting the City of Boston.

Responsibilities

• Development and Execution of Plans. Develop and implement comprehensive GRC plans, including the current six-year strategic plan; annual plans for each of seven working groups, and operating plans and budgets.  At the same time, allow room for flexibility and opportunity, as circumstances change.  
• Member Engagement. Ensure that the GRC is engaging all members and their staffs, that their key climate-related postures and issues are known and understood, and that they are attentive to and supportive of the GRC’s work.  Constantly seek and evaluate potential additions to the membership; participate in member events; try to personally know and understand members and staff. Support demonstration of climate leadership by members.
• Fundraising. Fundraise to meet the needs of the organization’s annual operating budget of approximately $1.5 million, including securing “membership dues” from those institutions that can contribute.  From time to time seek larger, project-focused grant funds from within and without the Green Ribbon Commission for special projects and reports.  
• Executive Committee Engagement. Participate in Executive Committee discussions and help to manage the agenda, in conjunction with the Co-Chairs.   Communicate the intent of the Executive Committee to the broader GRC membership.
• Stakeholder Convening. Identify issues and convene cross-sector or intra-sector meetings to further discussion and/or motivate action.  This involves careful agenda development, curation of participants, potential facilitation, in addition to supervising all logistical aspects of the meeting.
• City of Boston Relationship. Maintain strong strategic relationships with key City of Boston staff to assure alignment between the work of the GRC and the City of Boston Climate Action Plan. Lead GRC engagement with and support for implementing Boston’s climate action planning and execution.
• Staff Leadership. Work closely with senior staff to deliver value to the members, the City, and the broader network through well-designed convenings, public communications, and programs.
• Field Knowledge. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of climate science, regulations, and sustainability trends, in particular in Boston and Massachusetts.  Because of the small staff, the Executive Director needs deeper expertise in at least one (and ideally multiple) of the areas of the strategic plan: building decarbonization, coastal resilience, or grid modernization (energy transition).
• Climate Justice. Ensure that the principles of climate justice, equity, and inclusion are embedded in all of the discourse and work of the GRC such that the delivery of the City’s climate action results in a decarbonized, resilient and just Boston that maximizes the opportunity to address longstanding climate justice challenges.

Competencies

Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term strategies aligned with City and organizational objectives, in light of changing circumstances.

Leadership: Ability to lead and inspire teams to achieve goals, to effectively collaborate, to see opportunity, and to know when to prune unproductive activity.

Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly understanding different audience capacities and interests. Strong ability and comfort in conversing with C-Suite executives from diverse business sectors on climate change and the business imperatives of action. Translation of the language of climate change to the language of the board room.

Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze complex climate data and make informed decisions. Ability to translate climate data and science into business and strategic impacts and insights for diverse Boston business sectors. 

Problem Solving: Effective in identifying issues and developing sustainable solutions.

Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with various stakeholders across the organization, recognizing that most stakeholders are outside of the GRC.

Relationship Management: Excellent relationship management skills to deliver positive GRC member experience and ensure long term member buy-in on climate action in alignment with the GRC and City of Boston.

Climate Expertise:  Demonstrated knowledge of and leadership role in climate action broadly and deeply in at least one (and ideally multiple) of the areas of the strategic plan: building decarbonization, coastal resilience, or grid modernization (energy transition).

The Green Ribbon Commission supports Boston toward a climate safe, carbon free, equitable future. The Green Ribbon Commission (GRC) has partnered

with the City of Boston for nearly 15 years to accelerate climate resilience, carbon neutrality, and climate justice in our city. Our robust and growing network of business and civic leaders is informed, engaged, and connected – helping design and implement the City’s climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. We work together to share best practices, advance cohorts of “first movers” on climate actions, and weigh in on important policy directions. In sectors from real estate to health care to education, we provide leadership and partnership to help the City achieve its climate goals. The GRC’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan focuses the work of the organization around 3 strategic goals: accelerate Boston’s path to coastal resilience; accelerate grid modernization and a just energy transition; and accelerate large building decarbonization.

The Executive Director of the Green Ribbon Commission is responsible for driving progress on the GRC’s Strategic Plan to address the most pressing issues of climate change in the City of Boston, by building consensus among a variety of private and public constituencies and closely aligning with the City.  Strategic, long-term thinking, coupled with immediate, short-term actions are required in constant interplay to move the city toward safety and security in the face of significant climate impact.  Reporting to an executive committee and two co-chairs, the Executive Director must have a sympathetic understanding of the motivations of various institutions, sectors, and leading individuals, in the context of the broader politics of Boston, Massachusetts, and the federal government.  Convening, fundraising, planning, communicating, new member recruitment, and engaging with leaders and senior staff in the public and private sector are all necessary skills.  A deep and broad understanding of the nuances of carbon mitigation, coastal resilience, and the clean energy transition are important, especially for Massachusetts and New England.  Finally, the Executive Director must have a strong theory of how to most effectively motivate and deploy a cohort of high-profile leaders to influence climate progress while supporting the City of Boston.

Responsibilities

• Development and Execution of Plans. Develop and implement comprehensive GRC plans, including the current six-year strategic plan; annual plans for each of seven working groups, and operating plans and budgets.  At the same time, allow room for flexibility and opportunity, as circumstances change.  
• Member Engagement. Ensure that the GRC is engaging all members and their staffs, that their key climate-related postures and issues are known and understood, and that they are attentive to and supportive of the GRC’s work.  Constantly seek and evaluate potential additions to the membership; participate in member events; try to personally know and understand members and staff. Support demonstration of climate leadership by members.
• Fundraising. Fundraise to meet the needs of the organization’s annual operating budget of approximately $1.5 million, including securing “membership dues” from those institutions that can contribute.  From time to time seek larger, project-focused grant funds from within and without the Green Ribbon Commission for special projects and reports.  
• Executive Committee Engagement. Participate in Executive Committee discussions and help to manage the agenda, in conjunction with the Co-Chairs.   Communicate the intent of the Executive Committee to the broader GRC membership.
• Stakeholder Convening. Identify issues and convene cross-sector or intra-sector meetings to further discussion and/or motivate action.  This involves careful agenda development, curation of participants, potential facilitation, in addition to supervising all logistical aspects of the meeting.
• City of Boston Relationship. Maintain strong strategic relationships with key City of Boston staff to assure alignment between the work of the GRC and the City of Boston Climate Action Plan. Lead GRC engagement with and support for implementing Boston’s climate action planning and execution.
• Staff Leadership. Work closely with senior staff to deliver value to the members, the City, and the broader network through well-designed convenings, public communications, and programs.
• Field Knowledge. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of climate science, regulations, and sustainability trends, in particular in Boston and Massachusetts.  Because of the small staff, the Executive Director needs deeper expertise in at least one (and ideally multiple) of the areas of the strategic plan: building decarbonization, coastal resilience, or grid modernization (energy transition).
• Climate Justice. Ensure that the principles of climate justice, equity, and inclusion are embedded in all of the discourse and work of the GRC such that the delivery of the City’s climate action results in a decarbonized, resilient and just Boston that maximizes the opportunity to address longstanding climate justice challenges.

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term strategies aligned with City and organizational objectives, in light of changing circumstances.
• Leadership: Ability to lead and inspire teams to achieve goals, to effectively collaborate, to see opportunity, and to know when to prune unproductive activity.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly understanding different audience capacities and interests. Strong ability and comfort in conversing with C-Suite executives from diverse business sectors on climate change and the business imperatives of action. Translation of the language of climate change to the language of the board room.
• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze complex climate data and make informed decisions. Ability to translate climate data and science into business and strategic impacts and insights for diverse Boston business sectors. 
• Problem Solving: Effective in identifying issues and developing sustainable solutions.
• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with various stakeholders across the organization, recognizing that most stakeholders are outside of the GRC.
• Relationship Management: Excellent relationship management skills to deliver positive GRC member experience and ensure long term member buy-in on climate action in alignment with the GRC and City of Boston.
• Climate Expertise:  Demonstrated knowledge of and leadership role in climate action broadly and deeply in at least one (and ideally multiple) of the areas of the strategic plan: building decarbonization, coastal resilience, or grid modernization (energy transition).
• Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy and attention to detail.

Salary

Salary range for this position is $230,000-$250,000 plus a generous, flexible benefit stipend.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter outlining your qualifications for this role and a resume to home@greenribboncommission.org  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.