Duration:  Initial 18-month fixed term contract if in UK, consultant with initial 18-month contract if in Asia.

£55k to £70k, depending on experience. If based outside of the UK, the compensation will be scaled per United Nations’ post adjustment system.

Location: Remote, based in either the UK or Asia. (UK Candidates will require an existing right to work within the UK).

The Degrees Initiative seeks a Policy Engagement Manager, Asia to join a growing mission-driven organisation focused on solar radiation modification, climate change, international development, and scientific capacity building.

About the Degrees Initiative

The Degrees Initiative is a UK-based NGO that builds the capacity of developing countries to evaluate solar radiation modification geoengineering (SRM), a controversial proposal for reducing some impacts of climate change by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth. Degrees is neutral on whether SRM should ever be used, but we believe that developing countries should be empowered to conduct their own research and to play a central role in SRM discussions. The initiative has been working in different forms for over a decade, and our work receives worldwide coverage and widespread acclaim.

This is a unique opportunity to inform conversations on SRM in Asia, including the Pacific Islands. Rather than lobbying for outcomes, Degrees aims to support informed, independent policymaking by fostering connections between researchers and policymakers and strengthening institutional expertise. Degrees promotes regional research, creates spaces for policy-science dialogue, and supports the dissemination of Global South research.

Responsibilities

The Policy and Engagement Manager, Asia will strengthen the voice of the Global South in discussions on SRM research and governance with relevance to Asia by connecting experts to policy processes. Accordingly, the successful candidate will:

• Identify and engage key policy actors (e.g. national delegates and legislators, scientific advisors, intergovernmental officials) in Asia, connecting them to local SRM experts and providing them with information, where appropriate, while remaining neutral regarding the potential use and governance of SRM;
• Work with SRM researchers from the region to support the creation of a coordinated community of experts;
• Build informal and formal partnerships with like-minded organisations, helping to inform discussions and counter misinformation about climate and SRM
• and participate, as appropriate, in activities in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean to gain similar expertise;
• Identify the most impactful international forums and regional SRM discussions, and work to connect local experts into these;
• Contribute to budgeting and alignment with programmes;
• Support monitoring, evaluation and learning (activities by contributing to tracking, documentation, and reporting of policy engagement outcomes;
• Identify a core group of researchers interested in policy engagement, and facilitate and join their participation in governance fora such as the UNFCCC COP, UN Environment Assembly, and meetings of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity;

Qualifications

Essential

• An advanced university degree (master’s) in relevant natural or social sciences, or equivalent professional experience;
• At least 10 years of relevant experience, such as in climate change science and policy, international development, or multilateral diplomacy, especially in Asia;
• Experience in project formulation, monitoring, evaluation, and synthesis;
• Exceptional organisational skills, adept at multitasking, setting and delivering on strategic priorities, and working under pressure;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and build relationships across diverse backgrounds and organisational levels;
• Comfort working remotely in a dynamic, evolving environment with a start-up culture;
• Proficient in communicating science to non-academic audiences with the ability to distil key messages from complex information for high-level decisions, particularly at the science-policy interface;
• A commitment to the mission and values of the charity;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English;
• Existing eligibility to work in the country you are based, either in the UK or Asia.

Desired

• Knowledge of solar radiation modification, or experience working a comparable emerging technology;Experience in interdisciplinary and/or multinational scientific environments;
• Connections in climate policy circles in Asia;
• Proficiency in an Asian language.

Benefits of working at Degrees

• You will join a growing and dynamic charity operating at the intersection of climate change and international development.
• You will have the opportunity to contribute to a potentially high-impact issue by helping shape global conversations on SRM, empowering researchers in developing countries, and collaborating with some of the world’s leading SRM experts.
• You will be part of a values-driven team committed to equity, capacity building, and high professional standards, working with globally diverse scientists, policy experts, and changemakers.
• The role is fully remote, allowing you to live anywhere within the United Kingdom or Asia subject to you having a pre-existing right to work in your chosen location. Degrees cannot sponsor visas.
• The team meets face-to-face at quarterly awaydays in the UK that are organised and paid for by the charity.
• For those based in the UK, Degrees provides an 8% employer pension contribution with no required employee contribution, which is generous by the standards of the UK third sector.
• For those based in the UK, you will receive 25 days of annual leave per year, in addition to UK public holidays. If the charity closes between Christmas and New Year, you may also receive up to 3 extra days of leave.
• For those based in Asia, we will strive to provide similar benefits.

To apply

Please answer the questions below and attach a copy of your CV.

You will receive a reply confirming receipt of the application.

The deadline for applications is 19th October 2025. Successful applicants will be invited to an initial interview, which will include an assessment exercise. Those progressing further will be invited to a second interview.

If we do not identify the right candidate during the initial recruitment cycle, then this will move to a rolling deadline.

For more information on this exciting opportunity, please contact us at jobs@degrees.ngo

Application form

Data protection statement

Any data collected in the frame of this recruitment process will be used solely for the purpose of processing your application to assess your suitability for this role. The Degrees Initiative will treat all personal information confidentially and in line with the UK GDPR. We rely on the lawful basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR relating to processing that is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract. Should your application be successful, the information that you have provided through this recruitment process will also be used to administer your employment.