Program: Climate Program
Location: Washington, District of Colombia
Location: Washington, District of Colombia
Position Type: Regular full-time
About WRI
World
Resources Institute is a global research organization that turns big
ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and
human well-being. Our 500 experts and staff work with partners in more
than 50 countries; we have offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India,
Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States. WRI is consistently ranked as
the top global Think Tank working on environmental issues.
In 2014, WRI was ranked one of the Top Workplaces by the Washington Post.
Overview
The
Manager will support the management, implementation and research of two
WRI projects that aim to create data driven online decision-making
tools for policy makers and businesses. The major responsibility will be
an emission portal tool showcasing future emission pathways towards
decarbonization. This effort aims to help national decision-makers and
stakeholders to identify pathways to reach (or exceed) their emission
reduction targets and to make relevant policy decisions. The secondary
responsibility will be supporting the creation of a global data base of
power plants and associated decision-making tools. The Manager is
expected to help design and structure the work to develop the two tools,
provide guidance for junior level staff, monitor progress, support
research, coordinate with partners and develop and execute fund raising
plans.
Background
Countries have put
forward climate action plans that aim to curb greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions in the next few decades. Access to high quality data and
analysis will be critical to assess progress towards targets, identify
additional mitigation potentials, and to evaluate different policy
options. The Manager will help to guide the creation of an online data
platform that will document and communicate relevant data in a clear and
visual way and highlight the assumptions that underpin several
different models (including integrated assessment models –IAMs– as well
as relevant computational general equilibrium –CGE– models). A series of
country-specific analyses and engagements with stakeholders will
maximize the use and impact of the portal. This will help countries stay
on the right track toward decarbonization, and achieve the objective of
the Paris Convention of limiting temperature increase below 2 degrees
Celsius.
The Manager will also support the creation and curation
of a global database of power plants that will incorporate data from a
wide variety of sources, and will be used as the basis of a growing
number of online decision making tools to analyze and present the data
to government, corporate decision makers and academic researchers. This
project will use a similar framework as Global Forest Watch to work with
a wide range of partners to turn a unique data set into actionable
tools.
The Manager will also support strategic development and fundraising of both projects.
The Manager will work in WRI’s Climate Program (Tools, Reporting and Analysis for Climate (TRAC) & Climate Data Explorer team (CAIT))
and its Economics Center. TRAC is a WRI initiative with a focus on
international climate change data and policy. It brings together
independent research institutes and civil society groups from key
countries to track and report on their countries’ progress toward
addressing climate change. CAIT is WRI’s online climate and energy
public data explorer. For nearly a decade, CAIT has been a leading
online destination for international greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
other key climate data, providing data tables, maps, and charts for view
and download. It offers an emissions projections module, which already
supplies transparent emissions pathways data.
WRI’s Economics
Center uses an economics lens to analyze problems and solutions at the
intersection of environment and human well-being. For example, the WRI
economists conduct in-depth economic assessments of the value of
terrestrial and marine ecosystem services, renewable energy investments,
and the impact of climate vulnerability for communities and their
livelihoods and more. They develop tools and guidance to help
decision-makers understand the economic, environmental and social
trade-offs of policy changes.
Responsibilities
The Manager's main areas of responsibility will include the following:
Research & Knowledge: (40% of time required)
- Oversee the development of an emissions database, collecting and structuring climate modeling data on decarbonization pathways to be presented in a user-friendly manner on a data platform, and developing a protocol for ongoing maintenance and updating of the platform.
- Support the development of a global database of power plants and support the development of associated decision making tools
- Work with junior level staff to implement in depth research on emission scenarios, modeling and power plant data
- Lead the creative process to draft and implement a major online decision-making tool
- Authoring or co-authoring knowledge products (e.g., reports, briefs, data products).
Project Management (60% of time required)
- Monitor and manage project performance against budget, scope progress according to planned milestones, expenses and revenue, and internal and donor reporting.
- Manage junior level research assistants that will implement research on relevant models
- Lead the preparation of scoping documents, working plans and wireframes, ensuring quality deliverables on time.
- Organize stakeholder interviews to assess demand and use cases of a portal
- Coordinate complex partnerships with external organizations that will help to develop the platforms, and or with whom we may work for inputs to it.
- Coordinate with WRI colleagues across programs and countries
- Liaise with web development contractors to ensure timely, high quality implementation of tools
- Lead the presentation of new products at workshops and other internal and external events
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Economics, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Sustainability Science, International Relations, or related.
- Minimum 3-5 years of full-time work experience in relevant field, with program implementation and project management experience (ideally for a multi-partner project)
- Demonstrated quantitative analysis and research skills.
- Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities
- Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
- Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office and internet research
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team
- Extremely well organized and efficient
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with teams of individuals and colleagues.
- Ability to travel when needed
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with online data tools, similar to the CAIT Climate Data Explorer or Global Forest Watch
- Knowledge of relevant models (e.g. Integrated Assessment Models) or GHG emissions scenarios highly preferred.
- Familiarity with the climate policy space
- Familiarity with power plant or electricity sector data
- Experience with external communications and/or donor management
- Prior supervision and mentorship of one or more junior staff
Final candidates will be required to take a writing/analytical test.
Finalists will need to submit 2 writing samples.
Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package
How to Apply
Qualified
applicants should apply online at careers.wri.org. All applications
must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be
formally considered.
The World Resources Institute is an environmental and development research and policy organization
that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives.
As 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, gender identity,
parental status, protected veteran status, or disability. WRI’s global
agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender,
cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and
experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as
the creativity and applicability of WRI's policy research and analysis.
WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons
from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of
all backgrounds.
About WRI
Established
in 1982, WRI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization respected globally
by policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and corporate leaders.
WRI’s
reputation is grounded in its excellent analysis, non-partisan
approach, and high-impact results. We measure our success based on how
our work helps to create real-world change on the ground—and approach we
call “Managing for Results.”
WRI’s work is united by and driven by our values: Innovation, Integrity, Urgency, Independence, and Respect.
WRI
fosters a culture of innovative ideas, working collaboratively, and
thinking independently. WRI employees are driven by the organization’s
mission and have the satisfaction of helping to create a more prosperous
and healthy planet.
loading...
