Associate / Senior Associate, Collective Climate Action Objective

The World Resources Institute’s Climate and Energy Program seeks an Associate or Senior Associate to join its Collective Climate Action Objective. Under the supervision of the Objective Director, the Associate/Senior Associate will implement and refine a strategy to build, by 2015, an international enabling environment capable of generating collective climate action in line with the science. The overall strategy consists of three pillars to pry open a new window of opportunity to drive low carbon climate resilient development. The first pillar aims to align economic incentives with low carbon climate resilient development; the second pillar aims to strengthen rules within the UNFCCC so that it is ready to be a point of reconvergence for increased ambition by 2015; the third pillar is designed to address the political aspects of the enabling environment with a specific focus on the multilateral processes that provide a venue for discussing interrelated geopolitical issues.

In particular, the Associate/Senior Associate will identify and carry out activities under the second pillar to build rules within the UNFCCC, particularly with regard to: the measurement, reporting and verification of country actions; the first periodic review between 2013 and 2015 of the adequacy of the long-term goal; and the establishment of a legal framework to formalize and coordinate country commitments. This work is the centre piece of our Collective Action Strategy and is an area of great potential for the Program, and consequently has considerable scope for professional development. The Associate / Senior Associate will lead and support research, policy analysis, project management and fundraising activities for this line of work.

He/She is will also be responsible for establishing or sustaining successful partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including governments, multilateral organizations, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations around the world, as well as leveraging synergies with relevant projects within WRI. The successful candidate will have excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills and a deep understanding of mitigation, finance and development issues from an political economy, governance or legal perspective.

Project planning and management. Define and manage a work program for WRI to build the rules within the climate regime to drive collective climate action in line with science by 2015. The Associate, with the support of Climate and Energy Program staff, will oversee lead and support this suite of activities, including budgeting and project financials. The Associate/Senior Associate will provide conceptual leadership, solve problems independently, and oversee the work of other staff involved in the project.

Research, analysis and writing. Identify strategic research opportunities and conduct or oversee the development of high-quality and effective analytical research pieces to support WRI’s objective. This includes providing substantive inputs into projects and reports and reviewing the work of team members.

Outreach and communications. The Associate/Senior Associate will identify outreach and engagement opportunities to support the project. Effective collaboration with domestic and international partners is an important aspect of this position. Similarly, coordination will be required within a broader team of over 10 internal experts working on related issues at WRI. The Associate/Senior Associate will participate in relevant conferences (such as those of the UNFCCC) and give presentations at workshops and other events related to climate and energy policy. In addition, he or she will be responsible for organizing events within WRI and at outside conferences aimed at delivering our findings and messages to target audiences. Outreach and communications may also include conducting media interviews, as well as liaising with governments, Board members, the private sector, and others in the environmental community.

Fundraising and donor stewardship. The Associate/Senior Associate will be expected to build and maintain relationships with donors and prospective donors. Responsibilities will include drafting fundraising proposals for private foundations, U.S. government agencies, and bilateral donors, as well as grants management and reporting to funders.

·         Strong understanding of climate change, energy, environment and international development issues.

• Candidate must demonstrate thorough understanding of climate change policy, political economy and climate diplomacy, including UNFCCC negotiations to date.

• A strong professional network in the climate community.
• Strong program management, organizational and team leadership skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively in and across teams.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality research and analysis on policy-related questions and to communicate results accurately and objectively to a range of audiences.
• Excellent English writing and oral communication skills. Fluency in languages other than English is a strong advantage.
  • Willingness to travel 10-20% of the time

• Candidate must have expertise in issues related to measurement, reporting and verification and/or the design of multilateral environmental agreements and regimes.
• Advanced degree in environmental policy, international relations, law, public policy, economics, or related field.
• 5-8 years of relevant professional experience, with previous management experience.

• Candidate must be highly motivated and proactive with an ability to juggle multiple priorities, handle assignments independently, and work under tight deadlines as part of a team.

About WRI

WRI is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to create practical ways to protect the planet and improve people's lives. Our mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment for current and future generations.

• People and ecosystems. Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
• Climate change. Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change.
• Markets and Enterprise. Harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
• Access. Guarantee public access to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment.
• Institutional excellence. Support and enhance WRI's ability to achieve results. In all of its policy research and work with institutions, WRI tries to build bridges between ideas and action, meshing the insights of scientific research, economic and institutional analyses, and practical experience with the need for open and participatory decision-making.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Salary & Benefits:

WRI offers a competitive and commensurate salary and comprehensive benefits package.

All applications must include a resume and a cover letter and must be submitted online at www.wri.org/jobs

World Resources Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is WRI's policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.