This position is remote or office based in WRI US Global Offices in either East Coast or Central time zone and only for consideration within the United States where WRI is state registered. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission. WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

Grassroots Environmental Defenders (GEDs) and their families face significant security risks, criminalization, loss of livelihoods, and even extrajudicial killings due to their advocacy. Standing Together for Environmental Defenders (The STAND Initiative) is designed to expand available resources and strengthen the ability of GEDs to access legal mechanisms, participate in environmental decision-making processes, seek justice, and leverage coalitions and platforms as part of their advocacy, while using appropriate safety and protection strategies. The STAND Initiative will create differentiated capacity-building programs in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Kenya and a global Defender Small Grant Fund.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to: The Center for Equitable Development Operations Manager.

In this role you will be responsible for budget and operations for the Center for Equitable Development’s STAND Initiative, funded by a $4.2 million US Department of State grant

Specific duties will include:

• Developing and updating budgets, tracking expenditures, preparing grant proposals and financial reports
• Drafting and monitoring contracts and sub-grants including coordinating with sub grantees or grant reporting, processing payments and expense reports
• You will manage team meetings, and other tasks as assigned
• The respective Team members will support you

What will you do:

Financial Management (35% of time):

• Oversee day-to-day financial management of project budgets
• Monitor monthly expenses and keep direct project budgets up to date in budgeting software Deliver updates on project budgets to project managers and alert them of funding deadlines and other financial concerns, especially financial cliffs
• Provide strategic advice to project managers on the best use of funds to ensure achievement of deliverables while maximizing financial resources
• Lead project financial closeout and coordinate with project teams in other project closeout processes, including financial reconciliation and reporting
• Prepare proposal budgets and ensure alignment between proposed activities and budgets

Grant Management (30%):

• Manage project grants and contracts, including ensuring compliance with terms and conditions of US government awards
• Lead the drafting of financial grant reports, including collecting team inputs and transparent accounting of financial records from WRI standard into funder-specific templates
• Create and maintain subgrant and contract agreements with partners and contractors, including processing payments, and amending agreements when necessary
• Work with international and grassroots partners to build their capacity to understand and meet subgrant and contract requirements Track sub-awardee compliance with administrative grant requirements, including the timely submission of reports and audits

Project Management (25%):

• Provide proactive operations and management advice to project managers,
• Managing up when needed to ensure sound implementation of projects per donor standards and in resolving operational and coordination issues
• Monitor and track project deliverables to ensure that they are submitted within the period of performance and coordinate the submission of invoices
• Keep track of past performance and lessons learned to use on future project preparation

Administration (10%):

• Lead logistics for internal and external events, workshops, and conferences through A/V and catering preparation, participant and speaker coordination
• Preparation of materials, assisting with recruitment and on-boarding of staff members and interns
• Support the timely and accurate submission of expense reports, timesheets, cash advances, and other transactions as needed

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed bachelor’s degree
• Experience: You have a minimum of 2+ year of full-time relevant work experience in operations, program coordination, or administration
• Must be adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and have the ability to manage multiple projects with varying deadlines
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong process orientation with sensitivity to quality, timelines, and organizational systems
• Strong IT skills including high level of comfort with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), web-based communications (Microsoft Teams), with CRM database (Salesforce) and budgeting (IBM Cognos) preferred
• Experience creating and managing budgets, preparing donor reports, especially to US government agencies, and processing subcontracts preferred
• Languages: English, fluency in Spanish and/or French a plus
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: Salary range is between 57,000 and 62,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with cover letter by the date of October 20, 2023. You mustapply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• 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 driven organization with 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.