Grants and Finance Specialist II, Land & Carbon Lab

This position is hybrid-based in Washington DC office. 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:

The World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Food, Land and Water Program is focused on shifting the world’s food, land and water system to meet the needs of all people while protecting nature and halting climate change. Our approach is to: • Produce more food on the same or less land while minimizing environmental impacts. We work to increase agricultural yields, reduce water stress and safeguard ocean health through better farming, fishing and management. • Protect remaining natural ecosystems on land and in the ocean. We monitor forest loss and map and set strategies to alleviate water risks, help companies rid supply chains of deforestation, increase finance for nature-based solutions and empower Indigenous Peoples to secure their ancestral territories. • Shift consumption patterns and reduce food loss and waste. We work with companies and governments to measure and cut waste, while employing behavioral science to help consumers adopt lower-carbon diets. • Restore degraded and deforested lands back into healthy ecosystems. We identify restoration opportunities; provide technical assistance to farmers, entrepreneurs and local actors; build project pipelines; line up financing and monitor progress.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Operations Manager of Land and Carbon Lab, you will work in close coordination with the Senior Operations Manager, Land and Carbon Lab. You will be anchored in the Land and Carbon Lab Program and will work with other Grants and Finance Specialists across the FLW Program team, and with WRI’s central finance teams including the cost and pricing team, grants and contracts team, and accounting team. This will involve working colleagues across programs to provide grants, contracts, and financial management. This will also include managing grants and contracts, developing budgets for new proposals, tracking and updating project budgets, preparing financial and program narrative reports, processing invoices, and managing subawards.

What will you do:

Grants and Contract Management (40%):

• Negotiate, prepare, and maintain grant and contract agreements with donors and contractors
• Monitor project performance against contract requirements and deliverables and ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of grants and contracts
• Monitor the life of grant reporting requirements and prepare detailed financial and narrative progress reports for donors and ensure that all reports are submitted promptly

Financial Management (40%):

• Develop fiscal year and funder budget forecasts on a yearly basis in coordination with your Land and Carbon Lab colleague
• Regularly review, update, and monitor all transactions, commitments, and revenue prospects for team projects to support healthy financial management and help prepare for quarterly projections and reviews
• Follow WRI’s internal processes and deadlines related to funding, including quarterly reviews, monthly & annual closeouts, and annual budget planning
• Update and maintain project budgets utilizing WRI’s budgeting and forecasting software (TM1)

Administration (20%):

• Process documentation for project commitments (i.e., agreements, contracts, work orders, and purchase orders)
• Advise team on budget management, raise and address any financial issues with managers

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, management or similar discipline related to the job description
• Experience: You have 3 years full-time work experience in grant administration, financial management or operations preferably in a non-profit setting
• Experience organizing and managing detailed and complex budgeting structures, donor reporting and/or grant or financial management
• Experience with oral and written communication, working with international teams or projects
• Experience using Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), especially Excel along with project management tools such as Monday or Asana. Budgeting experience with Excel, or other budgeting software is highly desirable.
• Experience handling multiple projects with varying deadlines as well as rapidly changing priorities
• Languages: Verbal and written English proficiency
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: Salary range is between 69,000 and 73,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with cover letter by the date of 12 February 2024. 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 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.