We Are Hiring — Chief Operating Officer

Position Title: Chief Operating Officer
Start Date: Immediate
Salary range: USD $100,000 to $120,000 plus benefits, dependent upon location and experience
Term: Permanent position

Position Background: The Ammonia Energy Association (AEA) is a global non-profit organization that promotes sustainable technologies to accelerate the clean energy transition. Specifically, we advocate for ammonia to be produced using sustainable technologies, which could eliminate 1% of global GHG emissions, and for ammonia to be adopted in energy applications, which could enable the hydrogen economy and help to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.

The AEA was established in the US in 2004 as a 501(c)(6) membership organization with an academic focus. It relaunched as a global trade association in 2018 and is growing quickly, now with ~160 corporate members around the world. In 2019 we hired our first part-time employee and today we have an international staff of six.

Position Detail: The AEA now seeks to strengthen its team with a Chief Operating Officer, who will oversee our operational processes and collaborate with the Executive Director to drive AEA’s growth, operational strategy, and performance. In the last three years, the AEA’s annual budget has grown from $100,000 to $1 million, and the COO will be expected to develop and implement robust operating systems, procedures, and policies to support the organization’s current scale and to facilitate its future growth.

The COO will play a critical role coordinating the activities of our staff of technical experts, project managers, and communications specialists, and will develop and implement future staffing plans to support the organization’s maturation. The successful candidate will also work closely with AEA member companies across multiple industry sectors — including senior executives, engineers and technology developers, and policy and public affairs specialists on every continent — to accelerate the clean energy transition.

As the AEA’s second-in-command, the COO will also be expected to represent the organization at public events and private meetings, to share information about ammonia energy, to advocate for the AEA’s mission, to develop strategic partnerships, and to recruit new members. The COO will deputize for the NYC-based Executive Director on occasion, and an international candidate could lead regional growth and advocacy efforts.

Essential qualifications:

• Demonstrated success in a senior operational role at a membership organization or trade association.
• Demonstrated experience of financial governance and budget preparation and oversight.
• Desire to work in a fully remote, globally-distributed start-up environment, building the foundations for a young non-profit that aims to mature into a resilient, efficient, and impactful organization.
• Preferred experience and training:
  • International business experience in energy, manufacturing, or related industries.
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in business, finance, and administration.

Position Duties:

• Financial Management: to assume the duties of a Chief Financial Officer, including:
  • To develop the association’s budgets in collaboration with the Executive Director, and to implement and oversee systems for tracking income and expenditure.
  • To develop and implement plans for revenue diversification, including sponsorships, events, publications, and grants.
• Governance:
  • To work with the Executive Director, Board, and Committees to develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures, including management systems and a membership handbook, and to oversee the process for revisions of the bylaws.
  • To prepare all statutory filings (IRS Form 990, Washington State Annual Return, NY State quarterly taxes, Australian Business Activity Statements, etc), and ensure compliance in all relevant jurisdictions.
• Planning and Administration: to oversee coordination of Member Services, Events, Publications, Marketing, and Communications activities, including:
  • To identify, implement, and manage IT solutions, including CRM systems, staff workspace, cyber security, and collaboration platforms for member working groups.
  • To oversee campaigns for member recruitment and renewals.
  • To lead a process to develop, implement, and review a 5-year plan for the AEA, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Board, and Committees.
• Human Resources:
  • To be responsible for hiring, payroll, benefits, contracts, performance evaluation, workplace culture, and professional development.
  • To manage third-party contracts with consultants, vendors, bookkeeper, accountants, auditors, conference partners, etc.

Reports to: Executive Director
Location: Fully remote. International candidates are welcome, especially those based in locations where ammonia energy has significant momentum or opportunity.
Schedule: Full-time position, flexible hours. The role will require meetings across all time zones and occasional early mornings / late nights may be necessary.
Travel: Travel is negotiable; in-person attendance at conferences / events is desirable.
Salary range: USD $100,000 to $120,000 per year plus benefits, dependent upon location and experience.
Benefits: This position will be eligible for all benefits that the AEA extends to employees. The AEA aims to offer competitive benefits, and the successful candidate will design and implement this policy. This includes Unlimited Paid Time Off, and monthly reimbursements for the use of personal devices / internet.
Performance: Key Performance Measures will be negotiated with the selected candidate with an initial performance review 6 months after commencement followed by annual performance reviews. Performance reviews will be undertaken by the Executive Director and members of the Executive Committee, and will include performance interview, member assessments, and peer reviews.

To apply:

Please e-mail the AEA’s Executive Director, Trevor Brown (tbrown@ammoniaenergy.org), with the subject line “COO application,” and attach two files: a PDF resume, and a PDF cover letter that explains why you would like this position and addresses the essential qualifications specified above. The position will be filled as soon as the right candidate is identified. If you have additional questions, please e-mail.