Chief Operating Officer

Position Overview Position Title: Chief Operating Officer Classification: Strategic Leadership / Senior Management Location: Remote-first (Eurasian time zone preferred, with overlap for London HQ and Asian/China partners) Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO); maintains functional engagement with the elected Board and Board Treasurer Direct Reports: Head of Operations, Senior Finance Manager (part-time), other direct reports may be added as role develops Salary range: £80,000 - £120,000 London - Tier 1 / Tier 2 benchmark location equivalent About Global Solar Council The Global Solar Council (GSC) is the non-profit, membership-based global industry association representing the solar energy and battery storage sector worldwide. Bringing together national solar and storage industry associations and leading private-sector companies across global markets, GSC serves as the unified global voice for solar and storage deployment. The Council convenes key international stakeholders across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America to drive the global transition toward clean, sustainable energy. Position Purpose The Chief Operating Officer serves as a "trusted adviser" and key operational leader, dedicating their focus to developing and embedding internal systems, organizational stability, financial management, and operational governance. Partnering closely with the CEO, the COO will translate organizational strategies and growing company membership and philanthropic/grant portfolios into robust, sustainable operational execution. This includes bridging strategic oversight between a part-time finance manager and an elected voluntary Board Treasurer, managing complex international membership governance, and fostering a high-performing, remote-first global workplace culture. This role is part of the Organization Builder Program, designed to help climate civil society organizations (CSOs) scale their impact by building essential operational capacity. The program directly solves operational bottlenecks faced by many climate CSO leaders by recruiting experienced, strategic operations experts into CSOs to build the systems, processes, and governance necessary for sustainable growth. To support your transition into the climate sector, and in addition to the role, the program provides structured climate education, mentorship and coaching, and a strong peer network. Ultimately, this role serves as your launchpad for a long-term career in the climate sector. Key Accountabilities 1. Financial Strategy and Stewardship

• Direct overall financial planning, multi-year budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation to safeguard the organization's long-term sustainability.
• Oversee audit requirements and relationship with auditors and regulatory authorities in the various jurisdictions the organisation operates in.
• Oversee revenue generation and business development from memberships, sponsorships and philanthropic funding and more.
• Serve as the bridge between the part-time Senior Finance Manager and the elected Board Treasurer, managing financial reporting, board disclosures, and audit processes.
• Oversee fund accounting, maintaining segregation of grant funds (restricted and unrestricted), unrestricted membership revenues, and international initiative budgets.
• Ensure financial stewardship across growing multi-year philanthropic commitments and grant agreements, sponsorship and membership revenue.
• Maintain robust regulatory compliance, risk management frameworks, and data governance policies across all operational jurisdictions.

2. International Operations and Remote Infrastructure

• Optimize and manage the organization's remote-first operational infrastructure using Microsoft 365, Teams, and digital workflow tools. Put in place effective project management processes and tools.
• Drive digital transformation, automation, and the practical integration of AI tools across internal operational workflows to maximize efficiency.
• Manage international administrative setups, cross-border contracts, international remittances, and travel/logistics coordination for a globally distributed workforce.

3. People Management and Cross-Cultural Leadership

• Provide empathetic, structured leadership and professional development to internal operational and administrative staff.
• Cultivate an inclusive, high-performing organizational culture across diverse international business environments, fostering cross-cultural alignment between Western, Asian (including Chinese), Middle Eastern, African, and Latin American stakeholders.
• Oversee core HR frameworks, including remote recruitment, performance management, contractor compliance, and global team alignment.

4. Membership Governance, Board Relations, and Fund Administration

• Spearhead revenue growth and business development strategy (30% of scope); champion revenue diversification through strategic oversight of fundraising, membership growth, and sponsorship sales.
• Manage the operational, voting, and administrative procedures for international membership bodies, including annual general meetings (AGMs) and board election frameworks.
• Oversee logistical support for the AGM and other senior level gatherings.
• Work alongside the CEO to navigate complex, political multi-stakeholder governance dynamics across global industry members and regional trade associations.
• Administer grant programs, and corporate partner commitments, ensuring full compliance with reporting standards and contract terms.

Required Qualifications and Experience 1.Education & Certification : Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Management, or a related field. Master of Business Administration or relevant professional financial certification highly desirable. 2.Membership & Operations Leadership : Senior-level experience (10+ years) in operations management, ideally within a membership-based industry association, global trade group, standard-setting body, or international non-profit. Proven track record supporting an organization grow from early stage startup to a more mature organization through stabilizing and scaling internal processes. 3.Financial & Board Governance : Strong financial acumen and experience translating strategic goals into multi-year operational budgets. Demonstrated expertise working with executive boards, board treasurers, and multi-stakeholder governance structures. 4.Grant & Donor Administration : Demonstrated success overseeing philanthropic grants, institutional funding, and donor reporting compliance. 5.Global & Cross-Cultural Capacity : Deep experience working across international time zones and navigating varied global business cultures (specifically across Europe, Asia/China, the Americas, and emerging markets). Should be able to travel, when required. 6.Digital & Systems Experience : Advanced proficiency in remote collaboration tech stacks (Microsoft 365, Teams, Signal, WhatsApp). Experience with CRM, accounting and expenses software is desirable. Comfort deploying process automation and AI-driven tools to enhance operational productivity. Personal Characteristics and Competencies

• Operational Grounding & Reliability: Calm, structured leader who brings organizational stability, attention to detail, and sound operational judgment.
• Cross-Cultural Intelligence: Exceptional diplomatic skills and high cultural intelligence to work seamlessly across diverse geopolitical contexts and international business cultures.
• Adaptability & Remote Fluency: Thrives in an agile, remote-first environment, balancing hands-on system building with high-level strategic oversight.
• Proactive Problem Solving: Takes initiative to build internal capabilities, resolve bottlenecks, and establish clear policies from a lean base.
• Language Proficiency: Full professional fluency in English as the working language. Proficiency in other major global languages is an asset given the global membership footprint.