Senior Director, Finance and Private Sector

Finance & Economy Programme & Policy

Overview

Lead the Finance and Private Sector strategy to support climate and development goals.

You have:

• You have completed a master’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, international affairs, international or sustainable development, or other discipline relevant for sustainable finance and private sector climate action.
• You have a minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience with a minimum of 3 years of program leadership and management in a similar role.
• Strong commitment to WRI’s mission, values, and approach, with demonstrated passion for addressing international and national climate finance and private-sector climate issues.
• Recognition as a thought-leader in the field with in-depth understanding of climate and development finance and/or private sector climate policy and action.
• Experience collaborating with developing country governments, public and private finance institutions, and the private sector more broadly, as well as navigating international geopolitics, negotiations, and processes.
• Experience working on finance and with private sector in relation to sectoral climate issues e.g. energy, cities, food/land/water.
• Track record of visionary and strategic thinking.
• Strong team leadership and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to effectively lead, ensure coherence across, and motivate large teams, and manage senior staff across diverse expertise and geographies, mentoring them to fulfill their potential.
• Demonstrated ability to build strategic alignment and coherence across an international organization, working across different countries and geographies, with international and country-based teams.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work and be influential with internal and external partners at a high level and up to the highest standards of integrity.
• Experience managing, fundraising, and overseeing budgets of greater than $10M annually.
• Demonstrated work with research-based policy recommendations, and a record of contributing to, reviewing, or participating in high-quality publications.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Availability to travel internationally for internal and external meetings, conferences, fundraising etc.
• Strong professional network in climate and development finance and/or private sector climate action field, across contacts in the private sector, international organizations, governments, and NGOs/think tanks.
• Languages: Fluent in English, with additional languages a plus.

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in any of our WRI country offices. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

The world needs to cut its emissions in half by 2030, reach net-zero by mid-century and adapt to prevent the worst effects of climate change. This will require a transformation in the economic, financial and governance systems at global and country levels, to simultaneously achieve the world’s people, nature and climate goals. To address this important challenge, WRI’s Global Climate, Economics and Finance (CEF) Program undertakes research and analysis; develops tools and standards; communicates and engages; and builds coalitions and capacity to accelerate climate ambition, country transitions and the required shifts in economic and financial systems and incentives.

The CEF Program works with national governments, policymakers, businesses, civil society, local governments, and other non-state actors as they pursue their own emissions-reduction and adaptation goals. We work at the global level and in partnership with WRI’s twelve focus countries and regions and WRI’s three ‘human system transition’ teams (focused on energy, cities and food/land/water) to deliver this transformation.

The CEF program includes 250 staff and an annual budget of $50 million. It is comprised of three pillars: Climate Ambition (focused on raising global and country ambition in line with 1.5C, adaptation and financing needs), Climate Action (focused on enabling ‘just country transitions’ and adaptation) and Finance and Private Sector.

The Finance and Private Sector pillar is responsible for delivering the shift in the quantity, quality, accessibility, and accountability of public, private, domestic, and international finance required to empower just country transitions, especially in developing countries. It is responsible for shifting private sector incentives and actions towards being a driver for emissions reduction and resilience, in line with global goals. The pillar has an annual budget of $24 million and manages over 60 staff in global and country offices.

On finance, the pillar leads WRI's work on mobilizing international and domestic finance for climate, nature and people goals. We work on ensuring public, national, and international finance transparency for ambition and accountability, through filling the missing finance data gap, and translating existing finance data into accountability. We examine how private finance can be mobilized for climate and nature through policy reforms, instruments to reduce risk, and building a pipeline of start-ups that advance our goals. The pillar also leads on setting private-sector incentives and standards for financial institutions and companies to quantify and disclose their emissions and climate risks, set meaningful reduction targets, and be held accountable. Connecting finance and private sector incentives, the pillar leads on the carbon market. It will also lead on WRI's emerging work on broader regulatory, market and trade systems, considering ways to move from voluntary to mandatory systems and build 'rules of the game' which work for climate, nature, and people.

The Finance and Private Sector pillar will work closely across the other CEF pillars and with WRI's human system teams as well as country offices. It will work with the Ambition pillar, to identify and build support for finance commitments required to achieve 1.5C, adaptation, nature and people goals. It will work closely with the Action pillar given the essential role of a shift in financial systems and private sector action to support just country transitions and adaptation on the ground. Finance and private sector expertise will help identify and implement ways to support transitions in energy, cities, and food/land/water systems.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Global Climate, Economics and Finance Director, you will have in-depth understanding and be an established expert in the fields of climate and development finance and/or private sector action to reduce emissions and increase resilience. You will have a good understanding of public, private, international, and domestic sources of finance for achieving climate, nature, and people goals in climate finance. You will understand private sector climate (and nature) standards, regulations, targets, finance, and markets.

You will draw on a strong track record of research and policy engagement at the global and national level to develop a compelling vision of the changes needed in the financial system and private sector incentives and help implement changes that shift investment flows and private sector practices in a way which transforms global and national economies. You will understand the international system and geopolitics, influencing decisions at a senior level. You will have experience working in and with developing countries, allowing you to support country offices in identifying investment priorities, mobilizing finance, and incentivizing private sector action. You will be familiar with financing and private sector considerations in one or more of WRI’s ‘human system transitions’ (energy, cities, and food/land/water), ensuring best practice across a team which provides finance and private sector expertise in support of these transitions. You will be strong at relationship building and influencing. You will be the lead fundraiser for the outcomes and objectives of the Finance and Private Sector pillar.

As one of three Senior Directors of the Global CEF Program, you will be responsible for turning your vision into the design and execution of the finance and private sector strategy globally, making sure it is well-connected to our country strategies, as well as with WRI’s overall 5-year strategy. Leading a large team, you are a strategic thinker and people manager with proven leadership skills. You will use your strong experience collaborating within diverse organizations to ensure WRI’s impact and coherence across the organization. You will play an important role in CEF’s management team, substituting for the Global Director as needed.

What will you do:

Program Leadership (20%):

• Lead definition of the long-term Finance and Private Sector strategy, with a clear goal, objective, and theory of change that is aligned with WRI’s global, country, and human system strategies
• Within this strategy, work with research and data and strategic communications colleagues to design an approach which ensures the program delivers high-quality research and impactful communications and outreach
• Build a global network, positioning WRI as a key collaborator, thought leader, and influential player on climate and development finance and private sector climate action
• Represent WRI externally, at meetings and in the media, on issues related to Finance and Private Sector, communicating, convening, and influencing at a senior level across Ministerial, Executive, or other high-level partners
• Participate as a critical member of the CEF Management Team, contributing to the overall leadership, management, and coordination of the CEF program by collectively ensuring a clear vision and strategy; alignment, integration, focus and impact; funding; coordination across WRI; management of risks and results and ensuring CEF is a great place to work for all staff
• Ensure effective coordination and cross-team working within CEF global and country teams and across WRI
• Stand in for the Global Director internally and externally, as needed

Program Delivery (20%):

• Lead definition of how WRI will deliver the Finance and Private Sector strategy, particularly through the work of Finance and Private Sector global team, staff in country offices, core support (research and data, communications, development, program and operations) and finance and private sector experts working with human system transition teams
• Align, integrate, focus, and find synergies across existing global, country, and human system programs and activities, and develop a future pipeline of larger, longer-term programs to support delivery
• Oversee, and ensure delivery of the Finance and Private Sector strategy, with responsibility and accountability for the strategy, delivery plan and performance of the portfolio of programs and projects
• Support Directors and Sr. Managers within the global and country teams to deliver impact, outcomes, and outputs for which they are responsible, ensuring they have what they need to deliver and holding them to account for these.
• Monitor and report against the Finance and Private Sector strategy milestones and outcomes, and ensure cross-pillar, -Program, and -Institute learning from successes and failures
• Monitor and manage risks within the Finance and Private Sector pillar, including oversight and leadership of financial health and other risks including strategy, delivery, and reputational risk

People Management (30%):

• Provide direct management of up to six Directors or Senior Managers
• Make the Finance and Private Sector team a great place to work for all staff, including maintaining a high level of morale and well-being; integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into leadership, management, and processes.
• Uphold a cohesive WRI and CEF program culture through staff meetings which celebrate successes, share learnings, and highlight the opportunities for work across the program
• Contribute to an information-sharing system which identifies both staffing needs (opportunities for staff time on projects) and staffing cliffs to ensure job security and psychological safety of staff members, while meeting existing project needs
• Ensure clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability for staff, cascading from program strategy and objectives, with these clearly set out in job descriptions and long-term priorities
• Ensure the right people are in the right roles (human resources align with vision and objectives) including through structure, talent management, promotions, and recruitment
• Enable staff to deliver against their objectives through empowering and coaching staff; effective performance management; and consistent and robust onboarding

Program Fundraising (30%):

• Develop and steward the Finance and Private Sector pillar fundraising strategy, pipeline, and intelligence sharing to ensure critical work is adequately resourced and fundraising efforts are coordinated and cross-cutting where possible
• Serve as primary fundraising lead for programs and projects under the Finance and Private Sector pillar; supporting additional fundraising by Directors and Sr. Managers within the team, as well as pursuing opportunities for joint bids, coordinated upstream across CEF, country and wider WRI teams, leading to successful 6-7 figure proposals
• Cultivate opportunities to fundraise for larger, joined-up work packages that provide flexible support to global and country projects, working closely with country team members
• Develop and maintain strong relationships and accountability with existing and potential funders – as part of CEF and WRI relationship management
• Proactively identify and cultivate early-stage opportunities for collaboration within CEF and across WRI

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a master’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, international affairs, international or sustainable development, or other discipline relevant for sustainable finance and private sector climate action. and/or private sector climate policy and action

• Experience: You have a minimum of 15 years of relevant work experience with a minimum of 3 years of program leadership and management in a similar role

• Strong commitment to WRI’s mission, values, and approach, with demonstrated passion for addressing international and national climate finance and private-sector climate issues

• Recognition as a thought-leader in the field with in-depth understanding of climate and development finance and/or private sector climate policy and action
• Experience collaborating with developing country governments, public and private finance institutions, and the private sector more broadly, as well as navigating international geopolitics, negotiations, and processes
• Experience working on finance and with private sector in relation to sectoral climate issues e.g. energy, cities, food/land/water
• Track record of visionary and strategic thinking
• Strong team leadership and organizational skills with demonstrated ability to effectively lead, ensure coherence across and motivate large teams, and manage senior staff across diverse expertise and geographies, mentoring them to fulfil their potential
• Demonstrated ability to build strategic alignment and coherence across an international organization, working across different countries and geographies, with international and country-based teams
• Ability to work as part of a leadership team, driving strategy, ensuring alignment, integration, focus, and strong resourcing and operations, coordinating across an organization, reviewing outcome progress, and creating a great place to work
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work and be influential with internal and external partners at a high level and up to the highest standards of integrity
• Experience managing, fundraising, and overseeing budgets of greater than $10M annually
• Demonstrated work with research-based policy recommendations, and a record of contributing to, reviewing, or participating in high-quality publications.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills
• Availability to travel internationally for internal and external meetings, conferences, fundraising etc
• Strong professional network in climate and development finance and/or private sector climate action field, across contacts in the private sector, international organizations, governments, and NGOs/think tanks
• Experience with media interviews, and/or public communications.
• Languages: Fluent in English, with additional languages a plus

Potential Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of 26 April 2024. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.

You must apply 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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wri.org