How to get a role in climate tech marketing

Find a job you love and make an impact

Suppose you’re like many of our fellow Tofu members. In that case, you want to dedicate your secret sauce (=your marketing skills and experience) to the biggest challenge facing humanity today - the climate crisis.

Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash

But maybe you’re unsure if you have enough knowledge about the industry, if your skills and expertise are needed, or how to make the switch into climate tech.

Let’s address your doubts head-on: Yes, you are needed (we are ALL needed) and yes, you have enough knowledge (or if not, you will learn quickly – that’s what got you here in the first place), and you’ll find a way to make the switch.

But let’s look at it in a little more detail.

How much climate (tech) knowledge do I need to be a climate tech marketer?

You’re already climate-conscious; otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this. It’s impossible to know everything about climate change and climate tech. What’s important is that you know enough about the different areas within climate tech to understand what excites you and where you’d like to work in the future. And that you understand the broader market trends so you’ll be able to connect your future employer’s brand to the broader stories in the market.

Sign up to industry newsletters (Canary Media is a favorite here at Tofu HQ), listen to podcasts (My Climate Journey is a great one), read books, watch documentaries, attend events, and network in Slack groups. Here’s a great list of useful learning resources from someone who has just made the switch to climate.

If you want to formalize your learning, consider enrolling in a high-level climate course like Terra.do. If you’re going to go even deeper, you could get an MBA in climate and sustainability, like the one offered by Presidio Graduate School.

How can I apply my marketing skills and experience to climate tech?

Climate tech is a new-ish industry when it comes to marketing. The industry is very technical and scientific and has had little funding (up until now) to invest heavily in marketing.

This means that teams (and budgets) are often smaller and less specialized than they would be in more established industries like tech or finance.

While your skills and experience are needed to upskill the industry’s marketing game and to make climate tech mainstream, be prepared to be flexible with the role you’ll be able to find.

You’re likely to be one of the first marketers to join a team (so more of a generalist role) and/or you might need to first establish some basics around the brand, tech stack, processes, team and agency partners. Finally, the role you signed up for might evolve very quickly as your company grows and matures, so flexibility and a can-do-attitude will be key.

It might be helpful to seek out fellow climate tech marketers and ask them about their career path and current role. The Tofu Slack community is an excellent resource for this! And so is LinkedIn.

How do I find my next role in climate tech marketing?

Once you’re clear on the areas of climate tech that excite you and that you want to work in, and the type of marketing role where you can best use your skills and experience, start seeking out companies and positions that fit your goals:

• Subscribe to climate tech job newsletters (climatebase.org is the most comprehensive)

• Get on the radar of climate-focused headhunters (a quick Google or LinkedIn search should give you some pointers)

• Attend climate tech events to network and be very clear about your ask!

• Join climate-focused Slack groups (Work on Climate and New Energy Nexus are great) – introduce yourself with your ask and check out their jobs channels – including the Tofu #jobs channel!

As marketing is a nascent discipline within climate tech, be patient – the ideal role might not come around immediately. And be creative and proactive – start building relationships with companies on a growth path that will start investing in marketing soon. A promising sign is CEOs or founders hiring sales and business development roles – marketing often follows suit. Or, if they’re looking for marketing agencies, you might convince them that an in-house marketer is a right way to go. Or how about considering freelance or consulting to gain industry experience?

The most crucial step is to act. Decide, set a personal goal, and start your search. We need you and everyone else on deck. Good luck; we’re cheering for you!