Job Description

Senior Project Associate - Climate Resilience Practice

Who we are and 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 Climate Resilience Practice The Climate Resilience Practice, or CRP, works to help individuals, communities, and governments at all levels to adapt to the negative effects of climate change. Climate change impacts can look very different in different places \xe2\x80\x93 they can manifest as floods in one area and droughts in another. But whatever the impact, they affect the poorest and marginalized communities the worst. CRP\xe2\x80\x99s work focuses on these most vulnerable communities and helps various stakeholders, ranging from state governments to donors, enable better adaptation.
CRP India\xe2\x80\x99s main focus areas include mainstreaming adaptation into development plans and policies, enhancing readiness to access climate finance and promoting locally led adaptation. CRP provides technical assistance, training, and capacity building as well as evidence-based research to accelerate adaptation and resilience efforts.

About your role:

WRI India is seeking a Senior Project Associate to join the Climate Resilience Practice (CRP) team in India. The Associate will support the vision of CRP to help different tiers of the government, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders to mainstream climate change into development planning and policies for the state of Tamil Nadu.

WRI\xe2\x80\x99s CRP team engages in a diverse body of work. The current projects build on a foundation of almost 10 years of work on climate change adaptation, much of which was conducted by a prior incarnation known as the Vulnerability & Adaptation Initiative. CRP has developed path-setting knowledge products to assess national institutional capacity and support civil society to enhance resilience efforts at the scale required.

This position is a unique opportunity for those wishing to be at the forefront of cutting-edge research and implementation in the field of climate change planning, institutional capacity building and mobilizing finance for climate action. The Associate will join a team of highly motivated individuals at CRP and work closely with key government stakeholders in the state to train and build institutional capacity to mainstream climate change (adaptation and mitigation) into the state\xe2\x80\x99s overall development planning. The candidate will be housed in the department of environment (DoE) with the TN government, and engage in day-to-day coordination to support the state government in planning and implementation of their climate change agenda.

How your day will unfold:

The candidate\xe2\x80\x99s main areas of responsibility will include the following:

Research & Knowledge

• Support in designing a training module and implementing capacity building workshops at state and district level on mainstreaming climate change and climate proofing sectoral development plans
• Support the development of key climate change strategies and investment plans for states
• Support research on climate finance and mobilizing resources for adaptation and mitigation activities
• Support the conceptualization and development of concept notes for funding climate change projects for states
• Helping pilot test frameworks and tools that help states prioritise climate actions to be mainstreaming with development budgets
• Conducting baseline and feasibility assessments for climate smart village across states
• Undertake field visits as necessary to the relevant priority districts for gathering information and feedback from diverse stakeholders
• Support the team in liaising with relevant representatives of the NABARD (State and district level)
• Providing technical support to states in developing and evaluating nature based solutions for climate action
• Collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data
• Contribute to knowledge products and working papers

Providing support to other CRP projects as and when required

Administrative

• Liaising with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders as well as other key identified partners
• Planning and implementing state level training programmes for key stakeholders.
• Organizing internal and external meetings, workshops, conferences and other dissemination activities.
• Supporting the state Department of Environment in developing relevant government orders. Notifications as per their demand, with support from the team

Qualifications and requirements we seek:
Required Qualifications:

• Master\xe2\x80\x99s Degree in Economics, Environment, Natural Resource Economics, Climate Change, Development Studies or related discipline.
• Between 5-7 years of relevant fulltime research work experience in related domains
• Expert knowledge of international, national and sub-national climate change policy landscape (SAPCC, NAPCC, NDC, NAP)
• A good understanding of the government budget planning process and public finance management
• Prior work experience at the sub-national level and liasoning with state governments
• Prior work experience in the state of Tamil Nadu
• Ability to undertake complex quantitative and qualitative analysis of large data sets
• Willingness to travel for work and conduct field visits on a regular basis and on short notice
• Ability to work independently and shoulder responsibility
• An analytical and creative mind who can come up with innovative solutions to tackle complex problems
• Fluency in English and Hindi required, advantage is the candidate can understand and speak Tamil

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in writing reports and publishing papers on climate change policy
• Strong, proven track record on climate finance research, in particular a firm grasp on public budgetary processes across different sectors at national and sub-national levels
• Prior work experience with research organizations, particularly field level experience
• Prior experience in engaging and interacting with governmental agencies and sectors, and networking with other key stakeholders from the environmental and developmental space.
• Prior experience with building and reviewing concept notes/proposals for Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund and other avenues of climate finance.

Salary and Benefits: 11,00,000 to 13,00,000 INR CTC 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: Bangalore, India Start date: At the earliest To Apply: Only Qualified applicants should apply online at https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/jobs. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Writing Sample
• Reports

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose. Finalized candidate will be required to take a writing/analytical test. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development. Learn more about WRI India\xe2\x80\x99s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing. Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:
Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to Rs 8 lakhs Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance Digital healthcare service: Online doctor consultations for your primary healthcare needs Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests. Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves. Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org) Equal employment @WRI India We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability.