Director, Strategic Initiatives

Director, Strategic Initiatives

The EFI Foundation is seeking a highly capable, creative, and results-oriented Director of Strategic Initiatives to join our expanding team. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, this senior role offers the opportunity to shape and lead work at the intersection of clean energy solution scaling, finance and policy.

The successful candidate will combine corporate / project finance expertise, policy development and leadership skills, with the ability to manage complex projects and convene diverse stakeholders. You will direct studies, guide a team, help build coalitions, and represent EFI Foundation and the Nuclear Scaling Initiative (NSI) with credibility in front of commercial, policymakers, and civil society stakeholders.

This position is based at EFIF headquarters in Washington, DC. As of the date of this posting, EFIF employees work from the DC office Tuesday through Thursday.

Your responsibilities will include :

Leadership & Management

• Lead project teams and mentor junior staff, fostering professional growth and accountability.
• Exercise independent judgment in setting priorities and making strategic decisions under uncertainty.
• Manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy.

Research, Analysis & Strategy

Lead in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis of clean energy solutions, policies, and financial frameworks.

Draw on direct commercial experience to design and evaluate project structures, financing approaches, and corporate investment strategies.

Develop and work with advanced financial models and economic analyses that inform decision-makers.

Integrate policy, regulatory, and market signals into financial analysis to generate actionable recommendations understandable across commercial, policy and civil society audiences.

Stakeholder Engagement & Coalition-Building

Build and manage relationships with across commercial, policy and civil society audiences.

Convene coalitions and facilitate structured discussions that advance project bankability and nuclear deployment at scale.

Demonstrate emotional intelligence and executive presence in high-stakes external engagements, ensuring EFI Foundation and NSI are represented with credibility and composure.

Execution & Impact

Translate complex analysis into actionable strategies for policymakers, investors, and industry leaders.

Author reports, briefing materials, and executive-level presentations with clarity and influence.

Drive new ideas and frameworks that shape the future of clean energy and nuclear finance.

General time breakdown :

Leadership & Management : approx. 35%

Research, Analysis, & Strategy : approx. 35%

Stakeholder Engagement : approx. 20%

Execution & Impact : approx. 10%

Time will be split approximately 85% / 15% between NSI and EFI Foundation, respectively.

Who you are :

A people manager & team leader

An independent, strategic decision-maker

Analytical

Calm under pressure

High emotional intelligence & interpersonal skills

Mission-oriented

Sense of humor

What you'll need :

7+ years of relevant experience; at least 2+ years in corporate finance, investment banking, project finance, venture / private equity, or capital markets.

Strong quantitative and structured problem-solving skills; experience building and interpreting advanced financial models.

Deep familiarity with corporate and project investment decision-making, including FID processes and balance sheet finance.

Experience working on commercial transactions, either within a corporate finance team or as an advisor to corporations, with direct exposure to investment decision processes.

Ability to interpret and integrate policy, regulatory, and market signals into financial and strategic decision-making.

Executive presence, with proven ability to engage senior stakeholders across sectors.

Strong writing and presentation skills, with a track record of producing influential, polished outputs.

Preferred : experience on Capitol Hill, in government, or in public-private coalitions.

Preferred : demonstrated success in fundraising or grant-writing.

Must have work authorization in the U.S. EFIF is unable to sponsor or take over work sponsorships at this time.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. EFIF is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

To apply :

Resume

Cover letter (optional)

Writing sample or similar (510 pages, ideally sole authorship)

Statement on Diversity

EFIF is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBT individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans are encouraged to apply. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

If you need assistance or accommodation for this job application due to a disability, you may contact us at info@efifoundation.org.