Board Relations Manager

Position title: Board Relations Manager

Department: Governance & Executive Engagement

Reporting to: Deputy Chief of Staff

Location: 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) 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.

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:

Governance and Executive Engagement department stewards the Executive Director, C40 Co-Chairs, Steering Committee and Board in their role as ambassadors and decision makers of C40. The department represents the C40 leadership both internally and externally. Through the Office of the Co-Chairs and the Executive Office, we spearhead and coordinate cross-organisational strategies and partnerships with key stakeholders; through global and regional events we create platforms for our leadership and programs to engage the global community.

The Executive Office sits within Governance and Executive Engagement. Through our private office, we ensure the highest standards for all of C40’s Executive Director engagements, including with the Board of Directors and Strategic Funders. Through our funders partnership team, we support meaningful partnerships between C40’s leadership and our funding community.

Position description:

The Governance Manager is responsible for the seamless execution of C40’s highest-level decision-making processes. The postholder will serve as the ‘centre of excellence’ for board operations, combining rigorous project management with excellent editorial oversight to ensure all governance outputs are professional, consistent and punctual.

This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to join the Executive Office of a global climate NGO. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, often high-pressure environment. They should be able to navigate complex demands from multiple global stakeholders, requiring exceptional attention to detail and clear communications.

Responsibilities:

Governance project management

• Manage the annual governance cycle for the C40 Inc. Board and UK Board and their sub-committees or other bodies of delegation.
• Manage and optimise the internal project management system, ensuring clarity on deliverables and timelines.
• Responsible for all Board related logistics including travel, venue and catering booking.
• Coordinate and edit slide decks for Board meetings.
• Act as the primary liaison for staff regarding governance processes, maintaining a transparent calendar and providing clear guidance on paper submission deadlines, standards and templates.
• Act as primary liaison with the legal and compliance team to ensure processes are delivered appropriately, including a strong filing infrastructure.

Editorial lead and content production

• Sub-edit all governance papers to ensure a consistent style, clarity of argument, and grammatical perfection.
• Translate complex data and strategic updates into high-impact, visual presentations for Board-level audiences.
• Draft
  formal correspondence, papers, and briefing notes on behalf of the Management Team as required.

Internal communications coordination

• Project manage C40’s all-staff newsletter and calls.
• Coordinate the internal communications working group.

Cross-departmental support

• Manage the department’s procurement processes, ensuring compliance with C40 financial policies and timely vendor payments.
• Coordinate monthly departmental calls, ensuring agendas are strategic and action items are tracked to completion.
• Provide high-level administrative support for special projects or urgent reporting tasks as they arise.

Person specification:

• 3-4 years experience managing projects to a high standard.
• Process-first mindset, with the ability to manage multiple overlapping timelines with excellent attention to detail.
• Proven experience of editorial excellence.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, including those more senior, understanding varying perspectives.
• Experience of Asana (or similar PM tools), Adobe Suite, Microsoft Suite and Google Suite.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive, confidential information regarding C40’s finance, personnel, and legal standing.
• Ability to maintain calm and positive attitude during busy work periods.
• A great communicator who is able to work seamlessly across teams, cultures and time zones.
• Experience working on governance / board relations processes.
• We expect the postholder to come to the London office at least once per week.

Other requirements

Applicants must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom. 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, 7th August 2026 at 4pm 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.