Senior Associate, Transport and Climate Change

WRI seeks a Senior Associate, Transport and Climate Change who will create a cross-programmatic body of work on transport and climate, leveraging the strengths of both EMBARQ and CEP, and lead its progress toward delivering outcomes. An important objective of this position will be to provide thought leadership to WRI and external partners on issues of international climate–transport policy and finance, and cultivate WRI as a leader in the field. The Senior Associate will be expected to develop a strategy to deliver both national and international outcomes and potential funding, lead the Institute’s team in implementing the strategy, and work jointly with all relevant WRI programs on this effort.

 Operational

• Lead the planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Institute’s transport and climate change initiative.
• Direct the body of work across the Institute, coordinating preparation of the strategy and delivery plan and guiding its progress. 
• Work with relevant WRI programs to perform joint activities, including EMBARQ, CEP, and the Institutions and Governance Program. The goal is to find synergies between the programs’ work, develop projects, and improve institutional understanding of transport-related climate change issues and develop joint project ideas.
• Manage relationships with external partners such as national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, corporations, academic institutions, major development banks, and multilateral and bilateral institutions.
• Coordinate with EMBARQ’s centers and other WRI staff in-country, as well as external partners and stakeholders, in preparing and implementing projects and other project-related matters dealing directly with disbursements, budget expenditures, selection of staff, etc.
• Lead the preparation of project budgets and monitor and report on revenue and expenses.
• Hire and manage a geographically dispersed and multicultural staff to implement the body of work. Supervise and mentor them for their personal development and career growth.

Subject Matter Expertise

•  Lead project planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation on the topics of transport-related climate change, including direct project support to EMBARQ centers, CEP projects, and other WRI programs.
• Serve as an expert internally and externally on a broad range of areas related to transportation and climate change such as vehicle and fuel standards, mass transit etc...
• Working with the GHG Protocol, co-lead the development of transport evaluation monitoring and reporting methodologies.
• Undertake research activities using technical and professional journals and publications, the Internet, library databases, etc., to extract and summarize information.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to both internal and external audiences.
• Author and review WRI publications of relevance to the issue.
• Attend professional and academic meetings.
• Provide content to online and conventional publications.

Fundraising and Donor Stewardship

• Develop a short and long-term fundraising strategy to achieve identified outcomes.
• Lead on proposal writing for strategic partnerships/potential donors to fund specific projects, in collaboration with other staff.
• Lead on preparing reports to donors.
• Manage donor relationships on all related proposals and projects.

• Advanced degree in environmental sciences, environmental policy, civil and environmental engineering, environmental management, transport planning or economics. Doctorate degree in the field is preferred.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in sustainable transport with emphasis on environmental considerations, including climate change issues.
• Experience developing and implementing a program’s strategic plan.
• Proven fundraising or development success.
• Excellent management skills, including project management, staff supervision, financing and budgeting.
• Excellent quantitative skills, including data analysis and project evaluation.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and time-management skills, with a proven ability to work promptly, independently, and efficiently under pressure, and to meet tight deadlines with a minimum of supervision and with emphasis on accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent command of English (a strong knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, or major Indian language is highly desirable).
• Ability and aptitude to pursue several tasks in parallel and prioritize, handle tight deadlines, and expand the scope of work and responsibilities as needed.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with staff and external stakeholders at all levels, demonstrating the ability to respond and deal effectively with diverse situations using good judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
• Willingness and ability to travel or participate in international meetings and work with diverse professionals and cultures.
• Proactive attitude, a self-starter, and team player with a high degree of motivation, initiative, reliability, and willingness to help others meet WRI’s work objectives.
• Understanding of, and preferably exposure to, developing country national transport policy issues and hands-on experience in developing and managing  projects

Location:

Washington, D.C.

Salary and Benefits:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience.