Job Opportunity for Senior Project Associate- Climate Finance ,Climate Program at WRI in Delhi

Who we are and what we do?

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’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. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 150 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Program Overview For Climate

At WRI India’s Climate Program, we focus on integrated solutions that can enable a low-carbon transition in India, while ensuring that the transition is equitable and just for its people and protects natural resources. Through applied research, the use of frameworks and tools, partnerships with key stakeholders and ground-level implementation, we seek to achieve impact at scale.

About Your Role

India has set for itself ambitious decarbonization targets that can put the country on a low carbon development pathway. While this climate ambition must also ensure that India meets its developmental targets and raises the standard of living of all its people, climate change impacts are already affecting communities and must be addressed. Additionally, while low carbon shifts in our energy systems, industries, and transport can bring in better economic, job and development outcomes at the aggregate levels, if not managed well, they could also disproportionately and negatively impact the livelihoods of the most vulnerable – including informal workers, small businesses, low-income households, and women. This is particularly critical for Indian MSME sector which employs 110 million workers and contributes 30% to India’s economy. Almost 99.5 percent of registered MSME units fall under the micro or small enterprise category, while a majority belong the informal economy, making it difficult for them to access formal channels for financial and other support or to connect to the global or national markets. Therefore, MSMEs will need support to adapt to climate change impacts, implement climate actions to remain competitive, and adapt to the industry and policy trends moving India towards clean energy economy through skilling, technology change and access to adequate finance.

Taking cognizance of such potential impacts in planning and implementing low carbon/climate policies and undertaking measures to minimize and manage such impacts is critical to ensure that the India’s low carbon transition is also just and equitable. In this regard, WRI India’s research is aimed at supporting decisionmakers on policy planning and implementation through economic modelling, policy analysis, developing tools and guidance, conducting vulnerability assessments, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and skilling interventions. WRI India is also working actively on building a thriving and resilient MSME sector in India by reducing their vulnerability to climate change, building capacity on undertaking climate action, accessing technology and finance for decarbonization, and preparing MSMEs for the low carbon transition though targeted, sector-specific skilling programs.

To support these initiatives, WRI India’s climate program is seeking a dynamic and resourceful Senior Project Associate to support the program’s vision of enabling a low carbon, resilient, just and equitable development pathway for India by leading the climate finance work assessments and interventions for the program. The position provides an opportunity to enable impactful interventions for mobilizing finance for MSMEs and other vulnerable sectors and stakeholders in India. The selected candidate will work closely with the Project Lead and the team on understanding the financial challenges and needs as they relate to the low carbon transition and will actively participate in dialogues with the industry, experts and financing organizations, conduct desk research on financial vulnerability, map the policy landscape and financial instruments available, and assist in implementing interventions such as skilling programs and capacity building to access climate finance.

How Your Day Will Unfold

The selected candidate will support the Climate Program at WRI India with the following:

Research And Analysis

• Plan, design, and conduct policy-relevant research, analysis, and writing on relevant aspects of climate finance
• Develop clear understanding of the financial vulnerability of key stakeholders, including MSMEs, scoping the financial needs and current financial instruments available
• Develop workplan and engage with the industry, associations, technology providers, and other experts to understand the financial challenges and needs
• Analyze the financial policy landscape and suggest recommendations for accessing climate finance and other finance instruments
• Assist the team with development of capacity building modules related to climate finance
• Conceive and produce high quality knowledge products and articles

Additional Responsibility

• Manage project deliverables as per the standards and expectations of the organization
• Assist in preparation of technical documents for projects including data collection, surveys, analysis, periodic review reports, and presentations
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders/ partners to get input on research pieces
• Assist in developing relations with external partners, grassroot organizations, associations, and government agencies
• Contribute to internal and/or external communications such as assisting in development of articles, web content, etc. on need basis

Qualifications And Requirements We Seek

• Post-graduate in the related field of finance, economics, policy or environmental studies
• At least 4-5 years of full-time relevant work experience
• Clear understanding of relevant low-carbon policies at national and subnational level
• Deep familiarity of relevant policies at the confluence of climate and finance
• Excellent research, writing, editing, and communication skills
• Proficiency in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, including experience with tools and/or frameworks for climate risk assessment
• Experience in leading and writing research papers on climate finance for academic journals, conferences, or international platforms preferred
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Highly motivated, proactive workstyle, detail oriented, organized, and independent thinker
• Ability to work independently and with a team
• Fluent in English. Fluency in regional languages is strongly preferred.

Salary and Benefits: INR 11,00,000 to 13,00,000 Per Annum

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

Duration: 1 year (extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Location: New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, India

Start Date: At the earliest

List Of Documents To Be Attached

• Cover Letter (outlining your interest and suitability for the position)
• Resume

A writing sample (no more than 1000 words; preferably on a climate policy related topic for a general audience)

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.