Job Opportunity for Associate – Finance and Operations at World Resource Institute in Bengaluru/Chennai

Who we are what we do?

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, non-profit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. Our work focuses on building sustainable and livable cities and working towards a low carbon economy. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, World Resources Institute puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

WRI India has the capacity to convene key stakeholders, and forge strategic partnerships with governments, business, foundations, civil society organizations, institutes and NGOs, to scale-up solutions that can bring game-changing results for the sustainable management of natural resources in India.

Program Overview for Energy

The objective of the WRI India energy program is to inform and guide India’s transition to cleaner energy. The program focuses on three inter-related aspects of this energy transition: enhancing energy access, scaling renewables among specific consumer categories, and achieving higher levels of energy and buildings efficiency. Our energy access work is specifically aimed at ensuring access to affordable and clean energy so as to improve socio-economic development in rural and remote regions of India. Through strong research, ground-level implementation experience, partnerships with key stakeholders and communicating our work, we seek to achieve impact at scale.

About your role:

The Energy program at WRI India is seeking a candidate to support the Sustainable Energy Transformation in Tamil Nadu project. In this role, you will assist the project manager in budget management, grant compliance, managing procurement, managing partnerships, facilitating outreach efforts, and organising state and national workshops. Additional duties will include communications support, facilitating knowledge products and other appropriate duties as assigned.

This position is currently remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based at WRI India’s Bengaluru office once restrictions have lifted.

How your day will unfold:

Financial Management

• Track grant expenditure against the proposed budget closely using WRI’s budgeting software and internal processes
• Coordinate with and advise project manager on budget management, supporting them in expense forecasting and revenue analysis
• With the Program Operations Manager, review budgets and spending on a monthly basis to ensure compliance and appropriate spending of this grant budget.
• Assist in project reporting processes including preparing semi-annual, annual and any mid-cycle financial reports.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of financial reports, audits, and other relevant paperwork.

Grant Management

• Support the Project Manager in ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions of grant
• Monitor grant reporting requirements and ensure that progress reports are submitted in a timely manner
• Submit and track requests for payment in a timely manner and ensure that payments processed are consistent with WRI’s internal policies and grant requirements

Partner Management and Procurement

• Prepare and maintain subgrant and contract agreements (including amendments if needed) with partners and contractors
• Track contract deliverables to ensure that they are submitted within the period of performance and coordinate the submission of invoices
• Work with partners to help them understand and meet subgrant requirements
• Monitor partners to ensure the timely and accurate submission of progress and financial reports
• Process letters of engagement, work orders, and other formal documentation for project commitments with external vendors
• Prepare and maintain procurement documentation (for example sole source justification, tendering process etc.) if applicable

Project Support

• Support project managers in coordinating with external partners, and provides close liaison with WRI staffs across operations teams (primarily with finance and audit functions)
• Coordinate outreach efforts (in support of the Communications team) on behalf of the project
• Support the tracking of project milestones against timelines.
• Provide well-rounded proactive operations and management advice to Program Director to ensure sound implementation of project per donor standards and in resolving operational and coordination issues

Event Support

• Book, organize, and ensure the successful execution of meetings to include venues, facilitators, interpretation services, catering, availability of materials, and any other needed services as well as complete the necessary contracts and payments, in line with WRI guidelines
• Coordinate travel arrangements for participants, in keeping with donor requirements and budgets.
• Coordinate participant travel reimbursements, ensuring proper documentation.
• Assist with staff travel arrangements and expense reports as needed
• Provide logistics support for online events (meetings, webinars, brownbags, presentations) including Zoom/Teams administration, participant and attendee tracking and regular updating of member engagement monitoring systems

Other

• Support the Project Managers with other administrative duties as needed (for example, maintaining contact lists, scheduling team meetings and note taking, drafting correspondence, taking and circulating meeting notes, ensuring follow-up on action items as appropriate etc. )

Qualifications and skills we seek: 

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, accounting, business, public policy, political science, non-profit management, international affairs, or similar subject required. Master’s degree preferred
• 2 to 4 years of work experience on financial management, grant management, administrative support preferably in a non-profit organisation
• Detail-oriented, highly organized thinker with experience and interest in project operations, grant compliance, financial management, and budgeting
• Strong process orientation with sensitivity to quality
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Attention to deadlines, particularly with regard to grant compliance and monitoring subgrantees and contractors
• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), especially Excel
• Proven experience in financial budgeting. Experience in using budgeting software is highly desirable
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to work well in a team and with international colleagues
• Strong writing, database management and proofreading skills 
• Results focused, with a strong team orientation, and the ability to work well under pressure toward a tight deadline;

Salary and Benefits: 8,00,000 to 9,00,000 CTC PA

Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Duration: : Term hire for a period of 1 year which is extendable based on performance and project requirements

Location: Bengaluru/Chennai, India 

List of Documents to be attached:

Cover Letter
Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.