Applications for this role have now closed.
About Alta Futures
Alta Futures invests in bold ideas in unexpected places—overlooked opportunities that equip the next generation to flourish on a healthy planet, within a strong civil society, and as part of thriving communities. The team uses a full philanthropic toolkit that includes grants, c4 giving, and impact investing to accelerate meaningful progress.
Operating within a dynamic family office platform, Alta Futures brings a startup mindset to philanthropy. Unconstrained by traditional models, the team experiments with new ways to drive impact from co-creating with grantees to cross-pollinating expertise across ventures. Past collaborations have included introducing nonprofit leaders to tech veterans for skill-sharing and leveraging their network of gearheads to support STEM education through motorcycles. The approach is nimble, creative, and deeply relational.
Alta Futures is currently leading a national funder collaborative within our Democracy Pillar that focuses on boys and men, an emerging area of national focus. Watch this short video to learn more about the challenges and opportunities shaping this work. We also host events that amplify the efforts of our grantee partners and encourage others to see philanthropy as more expansive and creative than they may have imagined.
With a 20-year spenddown commitment and an ambitious roadmap ahead, Alta Futures is hiring for three roles to round out their core team with plans to onboard a Climate Lead, Democracy Lead, and Chief of Staff in the fall of this year.
For more information about Alta Futures, please visit our website.
The Opportunity
Alta Futures is seeking a Climate Lead to shape and execute its work on one of the most time-sensitive challenges of our era: reducing super pollutants. These potent contributors to climate change, including methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), present a critical opportunity to bend the curve on warming in the near term.
This role offers the opportunity to drive a high-impact climate strategy while leading a learning journey that surfaces emerging trends, elevates grantee perspectives, and informs both internal decision-making and external engagement across the philanthropic field. The Climate Lead will represent Alta Futures in a growing ecosystem of climate funders and practitioners, and serve as a thought partner to the Founder and Chief of Staff by integrating climate insights into broader organizational efforts.
The position combines strategy, execution, learning, and relationship building and is ideal for someone with subject matter expertise, systems-thinking capabilities, and the ability to thrive in a startup-like, values-aligned environment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy & Learning
- Lead and evolve the Climate pillar strategy, with a focus on reducing super pollutants.
- Develop and steward pillar-specific learning to drive strategy refinement over time.
- Track policy, scientific, philanthropic, and geopolitical developments to stay ahead of the curve.
- Synthesize field learnings into actionable insights for Alta’s internal strategy and external voice.
Program Leadership
- Source, assess, and recommend a diverse array of high-impact grantees.
- Develop and manage a robust learning and impact measurement agenda for the Climate portfolio.
- Steward long-term relationships with grantee partners, advisors, collaborators to ensure sustained impact beyond the grant itself.
- Collaborate with the Investment Committee on reviewing impact investing opportunities aligned to the climate strategy.
- Identify and recommend opportunities to deploy c4 dollars where advocacy can accelerate or amplify strategic objectives.
Field Engagement & Collaboration
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with funders, nonprofits, civic leaders, and researchers working to limit the impact of global warming.
- Represent Alta Futures in key networks and collaborative initiatives, and high impact convenings.
- Collaborate with colleagues leading other pillars on learning strategy and bringing Alta Futures’ organizational vision and potential to life.
Organizational Contribution
- Strengthen cross-pillar impact by contributing to key organizational cadences including Founder Syncs (board meetings), strategy meetings, team tacticals, and staff offsites.
- Oversee grantmaking and c4 budget and resources; manage data tracking, reporting, and grant administration processes.
- Contribute to a collaborative, joyful, and learning-oriented organizational culture grounded in the Alta Futures core values.
Candidate Profile
Ideal candidates will bring a nuanced understanding of climate change, with particular knowledge of super pollutants. They will be deeply motivated by Alta Futures’ vision of accelerating evidence-based solutions that limit the impact of global warming and will be energized by contributing to a team that is activating a wide range of tools and approaches.
While no single candidate is expected to possess every qualification, strong candidates will demonstrate many of the following competencies and attributes:
Climate Depth and Strategic Range 7–10 years of experience in philanthropy, research, investing, nonprofit leadership, or policy related to climate, ideally with exposure to work on super pollutants.
Systems Thinking A strategic mindset capable of connecting dots across science, policy, community, and culture to identify leverage points for impact.
Field Fluency Comfort navigating climate funder networks, research institutions, nonprofits, and other ecosystem actors.
Relationship Intelligence Proven ability to build and manage complex relationships with humility, integrity, and strategic intent.
Learning Mindset Motivation to ask thoughtful questions, engage in reflection, and continuously pursue greater effectiveness.
Exceptional Communication Skills Ability to convey complex ideas with clarity and nuance; strong listening skills; trusted by peers across diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
Adaptable and Self-Directed Comfortable operating in evolving contexts; takes initiative and enjoys refining processes in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Values Aligned Demonstrates and fosters Alta Futures’ core values:
- Curiosity: We believe there is always something new to learn
- Humility: We’re not the smartest people in the room
- Optimism: Problems intimidate, but possibilities inspire
- Pragmatism: A plan is what turns possibility into reality
- Joy: Work worth doing and doing well makes life better for everyone
While not required, experience in impact investing or c4 strategy is considered a plus.
Compensation, Benefits, & Work Environment
The salary range for this role is $170,000 - $200,000 with a generous benefits package that includes a matching 401k plan, top-tier health coverage, fitness and wellness stipend. Our culture and work environment reflects our values, and includes regular opportunities for in-person team meetings and activities.
Alta Futures is headquartered in Chicago, IL. The Climate Lead can work remotely, but there is an expectation of at least 30% travel (including but not limited to a regular presence in Alta’s offices in Chicago).
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Molly Brennan, Corina Benitz, and Gina Wrolstad Kueber. To express interest in this role, please fill out our Talent Profile or email the search team directly at [email protected]. Candidates are expected to share a resume and complete a questionnaire in lieu of a statement of interest. The Koya team will follow up with the required questions after an introductory conversation. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Alta Futures is the philanthropic entity of OnDean Management LLC, the family office of Jessica and Andrew Sieja. OnDean is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages expressions of interest from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.