This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC, Colombia, London, The Hague, Bonn, Nairobi, Brazil or Mexico. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

WRI’s Global Climate, Economics and Finance (CEF) Program undertakes research and analysis; develops tools and standards; communicates and engages; and builds coalitions and capacity to accelerate climate ambition, country transitions and the required shifts in economic and financial systems and incentives. We work at the global level and in partnership with WRI’s twelve focus countries and regions and WRI’s ‘human system transition’ teams (focused on energy, cities and food/land/water) to deliver this transformation. Within the CEF Program, the Action Pillar leads WRI’s work on enabling the systems needed for country transitions, and our work on climate adaptation and resilience. This includes building capacity within governments and institutions to prioritize climate resilience investments and support locally led adaptation at scale.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Director of Climate Adaptation and Resilience in WRI’s Global Climate Economics, and Finance Program, you will lead the Resilience and Adaptation Mainstreaming Program (RAMP), with components in Africa and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In both, RAMP partners with leading universities to improve the capacity of governments in vulnerable countries to manage climate change risks and access adaptation finance. RAMP’s core curriculum is related to the macroeconomic, fiscal, financial, trade, and debt sustainability impacts of climate change. Partnering with local university faculty to provide training to government officials is central to RAMP’s delivery strategy. Beyond RAMP, you will contribute to other existing CEF and WRI initiatives and help develop new lines of work within the areas of adaptation and finance.

What will you do:

Program Management (50%):

• Lead the RAMP program, providing strategic leadership and operational oversight in line with WRI and donor requirements and aligned to WRI and CEF strategies
• Oversee the design and delivery of all RAMP activities, including curriculum development, capacity-building efforts, research, tools, events, and community-building
• Manage outcomes and partnerships associated with project deliverables, including setting and clarifying priorities for global and country team members and external partners
• Manage a team of researchers and project support staff, as well as overseeing work of external consultants, subgrantee organizations, and other technical partners supporting RAMP work
• Support the WRI monitoring and evaluation framework for RAMP to help ensure maximum impact and efficiency
• Monitor and manage project budgets and deliverables according to planned milestones, expenses and revenue, and internal and donor reporting
• Collaborate internally across WRI, especially with colleagues in the CEF program and with WRI’s Communications and Development teams

Engagement and Communications (20%): –

• Oversee current and expanded relationships, including government partners in Africa and SIDS; university partners world-wide; and international technical partners
• Contribute to external communications that highlight RAMP’s delivery model and achievements, including through technical blogs and RAMP’s bi-monthly newsletter
• Contribute to WRI Insights articles, webinars, podcasts, etc. that explore new areas or distill key findings from technical papers related to adaptation finance and economics
• Prepare presentations related to the above responsibilities, and present our work to counterparts in governments, private sector, universities, donor organizations, and foundations.

Development & Fundraising (15%): –

• Serve as fundraising lead for RAMP, including responsibility to manage fundraising strategy, pipeline, and intelligence sharing to ensure critical work is adequately resourced and fundraising efforts are coordinated and cross-cutting where possible
• Cultivate opportunities to fundraise for new work that drive adaptation, resilience, and finance goals, inclusive of in-country and cross-program inputs and teams
• Lead proposals to funding organizations in the 6- and 7-figure range; working closely with fundraising teams to engage donors, write compelling grants, and secure funding for collaborative projects

Research and Knowledge (15%):-

• Contribute to research and knowledge management aimed at improving the understanding of adaptation finance, tools for addressing climate risks, and capacity development in developing countries
• Provide expert review, inputs, and sign off on publications relevant to adaptation, resilience, and finance as it relates to RAMP and other relevant work by other teams

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a master’s degree (preferably a PhD), or sufficient work experience to demonstrate advanced expertise in areas of climate policy and development issues
• Experience: You have a minimum of 12 years relevant experience and at least 3 years of program management in a similar role
• Strong commitment to WRI’s mission, values, and approach, with demonstrated passion for addressing national climate issues
• Strong understanding of key concepts and actors related to climate adaptation and resilience, economic development, climate economics, climate finance, and institutional issues associated with mainstreaming climate capacities across government ministries
• Experience with capacity-building activities or teaching at the university level
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, and a record of contributing to, reviewing, or participating in high-quality publications
• Understanding of private sector investment financial analysis, and of how risk and uncertainty are addressed in investment decision-making (preferred).
• Proven verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency in Excel, Power Point, and other Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent writing skills and ability to clearly communicate technical concepts.
• Demonstrated successful management abilities through both managing and supporting direct reports, and sustained work with collaborative partners
• Success in overseeing and fundraising for budgets of at least $1M annually (preferred)
• Available for periodic international travel related to RAMP activities
• Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English, though additional language skills (especially French) related to priority countries are encouraged
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: US salary range is between 138K and 166K USD. UK: 84K – 105K GBP. Netherlands: 92K – 115K EUR. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of 06 June 2024. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission drivenorganizationwith access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute(WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment; we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.