Governance and Executive Engagement Intern

Position title: Governance and Executive Engagement Intern

Department: Governance and Executive Engagement

Reporting to: Head of Internal Engagement and Steering Committee

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: (Intern) GBP 31161gross 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: Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2027

Background

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the worlds 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 1.5C 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 theCo-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 C40s Executive Director engagements including with the Board of Directors and Strategic Funders. Through our funders partnership team we support meaningful partnerships between C40s leadership and our funding community.

Position description:

C40 Cities is looking for a proactive detail-oriented Intern to join the Governance and Executive Engagement team. You will be working at the very heart of the organisation working across the department to support the coordination of high priority projects. This position is a fantastic opportunity for an early-career professional to gain hands-on experience working in international climate diplomacy and non-profit governance.

The ideal candidate will be someone who excels in fast-paced environments and is eager to support multiple varied projects. They should be a great communicator with strong attention to detail and organisational skills.

Responsibilities:

Support the Co-Chairs Office (40%)

• Support to the Co-Chairs office including tracking project coordination scheduling and meeting notes
• Support to the C40s Steering Committee Secretariat as required including developing project timelines project coordination creating paper packs

Executive Office operations (40%)

• Support to the fundraising team on tracking due diligence research triaging incoming requests and organising team workflows
• Administrative support on special projects as required including project coordination developing concept notes tracking scheduling meeting notes and filing

Cross departmental support (20%)

• Provide support to the Priority Initiatives and Events team as needed including supporting the project administration of Leadership Priorities and the delivery of world-class climate events as required
• Quality controlling key documents including designing slides formatting documents
• Suggesting key ways to make administrative workflows more efficient
• Ad hoc research tasks as required.

Person specification:

• Highly organised with proven experience of administrative and project coordination excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously while meeting strict deadlines.
• Comfortable communicating with diverse teams across different time zones and seniority levels.
• Passionate about C40s mission.
• Self-starter willing to get stuck into a variety of projects.
• Strong attention to detail particularly in scheduling data entry and record-keeping.
• Proactive approach to organizing meetings and supporting complex administrative workflows.
• Poise and resilience when working under pressure or with shifting priorities.
• Discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Applicants must be based in London and work in the C40 London office a minimum of two days a week.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. 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 employees 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 C40s Toil Policy.
• Sick Leave: Entitlement to sick leave increases upon the successful completion of the employees 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 Wednesday 26th 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.

Required Experience:

Exec