Private Sector Finance Senior Associate-Washington, DC.

Overview:

The World Resources Institute (www.wri.org) is seeking an experienced finance professional to fill an open Senior Associate position within its Finance Center. This Senior Associate position entails leading and managing WRI projects that aim to scale and redirect private sector investment into environmentally-sustainable markets in developing countries.

WRI’s Finance Center works with public and private financing institutions, investors, businesses, project developers, governments and civil society to increase the volume of capital flowing to sustainable activities in developing countries by redirecting investments away from unsustainable activities. To achieve this vision both public and private actors will need to leverage each other’s capital and competencies and, more importantly, find common ground that results in financial flows moving towards sustainable activities and away from environmentally and socially harmful activities. Over the next five years the Finance Center will focus on three pillars to achieve its objectives:

(1) Shaping the evolution of the Green Climate Fund—a mechanism poised to channel significant climate finance from developed to developing countries.

(2) Shift China’s overseas investments to sustainable pathways—particularly to avoid harm—by shaping policies and business practices.

(3) Increase the capacity of national and subnational actors in developing countries to access, monitor, and effectively deploy public and private sector finance for sustainable activities.

In addition, the Finance Center works closely with WRI’s issue-based programs (“Programs”) that tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges: Food, Water, Forests, Climate, Energy, Cities & Transport.

Responsibilities:

Private sector engagement—whether with investors, project developers, financial institutions, or market information providers—is core to achieving WRI’s objectives. The Private Sector Finance Senior Associate will lead the elements of the Finance Center’s strategies that rely on private sector engagement and will be responsible for creating impactful research, financial analysis, and tools for the private sector and/or for the public sector to harness private sector investment. Additionally, the Senior Associate will be responsible for working with WRI’s Programs on projects with strong private sector finance elements. Activities will include joint fundraising, research, publications and outreach.

The Private Sector Finance Senior Associate will report to the Director of the Finance Center, with strategic reporting lines to WRI’s Business Center and WRI Programs. Core responsibilities include:

• Managing strategy, projects, research, and communications in line with the Finance Center’s five year strategic goals relating to the private sector and broader Institute-wide goals, as relevant.
• Conceiving joint projects relating to private sector finance and collaborating with colleagues across the Institute with a particular focus on Climate, Water, Energy, and Transportation;
• Devising, authoring, and publishing new research that harnesses and redirects private sector investment to more sustainable pathways;
• Providing leadership and oversight to researchers and interns in the Finance Center;
• Serving as one of WRI’s finance experts for internal and external audiences, including representing WRI at high-level events and convenings;
• Fundraising for the Finance Center and other Programs within WRI.

Qualifications:

Required qualifications include:

• Degree in a relevant discipline such as finance/economics and/or MBA
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience, including at a financial institution
• Strong project management skills
• Experience in client or donor-facing role
• Excellent analytical, research and writing skills
• Supervisory and management experience
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team
• Excellent computer skills
• Flexibility to travel internationally
• Final candidate will be required to take a writing test

Professional and/or research experience in one or more of the following topic areas is essential:

• Project finance, structured finance, and/or capital markets experience
• Experience working at a private sector financial institution or a development finance institution, with a focus on private sector engagement
• Track record in designing, implementing, or fundraising for private equity, venture capital, or other funds, especially sustainable or development-focused funds
• Experience in sustainable finance particularly in developing a pipeline of projects, risk management criteria or green financing mechanisms
• Proven ability to mobilize public and private investments in low-carbon technologies in key sectors such as energy and transport
• Strong network of contacts within the financial markets
• Experience in OECD markets, understanding of emerging economies welcomed

www.wri.org/careers