Position title: Campaign Partnerships, Manager

Department: Political Strategy and Advocacy

Reporting to: Head of Campaign Partnerships

Location: Johannesburg & London - Please note that if your right to work in one of the listed locations is not confirmed at the time of applying, C40 will be unable to proceed with your application.

Salary: (Grade 4) Johannesburg ZAR 736,496, London GBP £54,920 gross per annum - Due to its commitment to maintain equity and fairness, C40 operates on a spot salary model. This means that our employees are paid the same salary according to their grade and location.

Term: Indefinite

Background

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis, and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

C40’s team of 400+ staff is based in offices in London, in New York, Johannesburg, Singapore, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Beijing and Paris, and individual staff based across 25+ different locations.

The strategic direction of the organisation is determined by an elected Steering Committee of C40 mayors, which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown. Three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, responsible for operational oversight. A regionally diverse management team, led by Executive Director Mark Watts, leads the day-to-day management of C40. C40’s two core strategic funders are Bloomberg Philanthropies and Realdania.

Our international staff work with the C40 network under the leadership of city governments to deliver this mission. Using a data-driven approach, our team identifies and promotes the exchange of proven programmes and policies developed by cities; provides world-class research, technical expertise and access to key partners to deliver new programmes and policies with cities; and communicates cities’ individual achievements and collective leadership.

Diversity Statement

C40 is committed to supporting and promoting equity and diversity and creating an inclusive working environment for everyone. We believe that when people with different life experiences are involved in decision-making, we deliver better.

We believe having a diverse workforce ensures we connect better with all the different communities and people affected by the climate crisis. This enables us to make better decisions which lead to better outcomes in the work we do through increased creativity, productivity, greater global impact alongside a broader perspective and approach to our work.

We welcome applicants that are diverse in terms of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity and perspective. Our goal is for C40 to be an environment where everyone, from any background, can flourish and can be themselves whilst contributing to our mission. If you identify as a person with a disability, we work to provide reasonable appropriate measures and any additional support needed to provide an equitable working experience. If you are living with a disability, chronic illness or neurodiversity please inform us, to provide you with the proper assistance in the application process.

C40 promotes a work culture where staff can input to improve equity, diversity and inclusion through staff-led groups and formal forums. We know that creating our ideal working environment is a learning process and we are committed to the ongoing effort.

Department description:

The Political Strategy and Advocacy (PSA) department drives C40’s work to support collective mayoral leadership on the global stage and build public and institutional support for local climate action. The department brings together expertise in political strategy, diplomacy, campaigns, policy, strategic foresight, partner and youth engagement to strengthen mayoral leadership, influence global processes, and build public and institutional support for local climate action.

PSA works across C40 to translate leadership priorities into coordinated action, support high-impact initiatives, and strengthen alignment between strategy, delivery and external engagement.

Position description:

You will be responsible for helping to drive impactful campaign partnerships to increase, strengthen and showcase stakeholder support for mayoral climate action.

You will immerse yourself in the overarching strategic priorities of C40 at both the local and global levels and use this understanding to identify the critical partners and voices needed, determine the key avenues to engage them, and define the activities required for delivery.

To achieve this, you will have a laser-sharp ability to read the room, interpersonal dynamics, and politics, enabling you to rapidly build rapport and co-create successfully with partners.

At the same time you will have meticulous organisation and project management skills that ensure smooth and seamless delivery of projects and reporting.

You will also be highly collaborative and will work closely with issue experts from C40’s Climate Solutions & Networks, Inclusive Climate Action, C40’s Regions & Mayoral Engagement, Communications, Advocacy, Climate Finance, Research & Partnerships teams to design and deliver successful stakeholder engagement and campaign activities.

Responsibilities:

Work hand in hand with the Head of Campaign Partnerships to ensure the successful delivery of campaign partnerships across key priorities.
Act as the point of contact for campaign partners.

Manage day-to-day administrative tasks and engagement with campaign partners.
Where appropriate, lead partner engagement tactics, including visible and creative partner mobilisation activities, the development of reactive toolkits, political statements, talking points, knowledge products and other resources.
Contribute significantly to developing campaign partnership strategies aligned with the Political Strategy and Advocacy department’s key priorities.
Work closely with the Regions and Mayoral Engagement team to appropriately engage C40 cities in campaign partner activities, following guidance from regional directors.
Significantly support efforts to expand C40’s partner relationships, including with civil society and community leaders, institutional and political figures, scientists, VIPs, and businesses that can support C40 Cities' climate action, influence decision-makers, and shape media and public opinion.
Identify and plan engagement opportunities with key campaign partners at C40 events, such as the C40 Summits, and at other global, regional, and local initiatives relevant to the organisation's mission.
Support the delivery of campaign activities and youth engagement, working closely with the Head of Campaigns and the Head of Youth Engagement.
Support on partner coordination for C40 milestones when appropriate and connected to campaign partners or broader partners of the Political Strategy and Advocacy department..

Lead on internal campaign partner tracking using C40 reporting systems.

Collaborate closely with the communications team in the development and delivery of stakeholder engagement activities, including work in partnership with them to target, influence and mobilise key public audiences.
Leverage partner insights to contribute to the strategy of the Political Strategy and Advocacy department and C40 as a whole.
Contribute to the development of fundraising bids for priority campaigns and team projects as appropriate.
Prepare high-level presentations and briefings for the Management Team, funders, and C40 Co-Chairs on campaign activities and strategic plans.
Contributing to the wider objectives of the C40 Political Strategy and Advocacy department, including coordinating with other teams, supporting procurement, planning retreats and workshops, drafting presentations and reports, among others.
Ensure C40’s campaigns effectively deliver on our Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism KPIs and objectives.
Contribute to a culture of openness, trust, transparency, mutual support and continuous learning and improvement.

Person specification:

Demonstrable track record of delivering successful partnerships and campaigns to achieve tangible real-world change, including building alliances and forging strong relationships with global spokespeople and mobilising partners/ target audiences in support of specific goals.
Ability to ‘read the room’, understand what’s not been said to identify clear needs and position of partners.
Experience of working in or with city governments, or an understanding of the needs and barriers cities face in implementing climate action.
Strong experience of project management, including creating and managing project timelines, reporting, and budgets.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Experience of cross-team or matrix working, drawing on the insights of colleagues with different expertise (across communications, research, mayoral engagement, policy etc) to collaborative design approaches and tactics.
Strong political analysis skills, including the ability to spot opportunities and threats to climate action and design responses.
Ability to acquire specialist knowledge quickly in relation to campaign issue areas, drawing on the expertise of colleagues.
Strong commitment to socially just climate action.
Excellent team player/collaborator.
Experience of working in a global organisation and across multiple time zones is desirable.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in either the UK or South Africa. Moderate travel will be required as part of the role.

We seek to recruit individuals who not only have the appropriate skills and experience for the role, but are committed to carrying out their roles in line with our organisational values.

C40 offers a comprehensive benefits package to support employee well-being and work-life balance:

Paid Time Off: Full-time employees receive 35 days of paid time off annually, which includes all national holidays.
Company Close-downs: In addition to the standard paid time off, C40 provides two non-contractual, non-statutory close-down weeks each year (mid-year and end-of-year) for a full break.
Parental Leave: All employees are eligible for up to 52 weeks of parenting leave. The first 16 weeks are paid at 100% of the employee's current salary. Weeks 17 through 52 are unpaid by C40, unless payment is required by national law.
Flexible Working: C40 supports flexible working arrangements to enhance work-life balance, provided they align with business requirements.
Time off in Lieu (TOIL): Employees can take TOIL to recover following periods of excessive hours or travel in line with C40’s Toil Policy.
Sick Leave: Entitlement to sick leave increases upon the successful completion of the employee's probation period.
Employee Training: Training and development opportunities are available to all staff (excluding temporary staff and interns) after they have completed and passed their probation period.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): Confidential services, such as counselling, are accessible for short-term support.

C40 offers additional benefits based on specific location requirements. This might include Private Pension Schemes and/or Private Health Insurance (where publicly funded healthcare is not available). Therefore, availability is determined on a country by country basis.

Application process

Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and cover letter.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 1st May 2026 at 5 p.m. BST. C40 reserves the right to close this job opening before the closing date for applications so please do submit applications early.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Campaign Partnerships, Manager