Grants & Finance Specialist, Systems Change Lab

World Resources Institute

Job Summary:

In this role, you will support the Systems Change Lab (SCL) and ClimateWatch teams by assisting in the management of budgets, contracts, and sub-contracts for a growing portfolio of grants and partnerships. Working with the SCL Director and project managers, you will develop contracts with partners, manage and update project budgets and expenditure, track project deliverables, execute work orders and payments, prepare financial reports, and support development of grant proposals, strategy documents, and other internal, administrative, or operational tasks as needed. Team meetings, note-taking, event planning, travel coordination, and external communications are also routine aspects of your position. You will have responsibilities for both the Systems Change Lab and ClimateWatch projects, which have overlapping staff, but will focus most of your time on SCL (80%) due to the smaller portfolio of ClimateWatch grants, contracts, and activities. In addition to direct engagement with the SCL Director and Project Managers, you will be an integral part of SCLs multi-faceted team of experts, collaborating with staff across multiple WRI programs and international offices as well as external partners. You will be supported by a team of senior Operations, Development, and Communications staff within the Global Climate Program.

This position will begin as remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based in Washington, DC once restrictions have been lifted.

Job Responsibilities:

Financial Management (30%)

• Create, monitor and maintain multiple project budgets including cross-team collaborative projects and other complex financial arrangements
• Review and monitor all project transactions, commitments, and revenue prospects, and work with project managers to collect updates and resolve issues in these areas
• Monitor overall financial health of SCL portfolio, and advise Director on financial, staffing, and other operational risks and recommend mitigation strategies
• Solicit, review and process invoices and other payments in compliance with WRI policy
• Maintain financial reports, tools, and databases for standard internal reviews and programmatic oversight.

Grants Management (30%)

• Draft grant proposal budgets and assist in the collection & submission of formal proposals for all SCL fundraising efforts
• Prepare and ensure timely submission of detailed financial reports to external donors in accordance with grant requirements, including any supplemental documentation, audit, or funder inquiries
• Ensure team compliance with terms and conditions of complex grant and contract agreements
• Maintain timely and accurate information on donor contacts and fundraising efforts, including management of regular updates to donor and grant management databases
• Support proposal documentation and institutional knowledge management for all grants, proposals, and long-term prospects

Contracts & Partner Management (20% time)

• Draft and process documentation for project commitments (i.e., agreements, contracts, work orders) for project manager and Director approval
• Monitor project and partner performance against established workplans and track outcomes for internal reporting
• Support management of contract vendors and subgrant partners by tracking deliverables, reviewing invoices and final reports, and ensuring partners documentation is complete and aligned to donor or institute requirements.

Project Support & Events (20%)

• Support project closeouts, including final deliverables, knowledge management, financial reconciliation, and associated reports
• Liaise with other SCL-related projects across WRI and peer NGOs to coordinate on staffing, fundraising, and financial management. Coordinate and schedule team meetings and assist in the coordination of the teams planning processes
• Coordinates recruitment and manage onboarding of new staff members and interns
• Coordinate conferences, webinars and event logistics

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in a relevant field is desired, relevant work experience in lieu of a degree is accepted
• Minimum of 2 years full-time relevant work experience in financial or grants management, preferably with nonprofit and/or international organizations
• The position requires a detail-oriented, highly organized individual with experience and interest in program operations, grant compliance, financial management, and budgeting
• Must be adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and have the ability to manage multiple projects with varying deadlines
• Attention to deadlines, particularly with regard to grant compliance and monitoring subgrantees and contractors
• Patience and perseverance in understanding and explaining issues to partners and contractors.
• Strong process orientation with sensitivity to quality
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and demonstrated strong work ethic
• Comfort working with remote managers
• Entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to take initiative to develop more efficient processes and share new ideas to improve operations
• Strong writing, database management, and proofreading skills
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to work well in and with a diverse and dispersed team
• Commitment to WRIs mission, values, and approach
• US work authorization is required.

Potential Salary:

$53,000 - $68,000. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with cover letter. Applicants mustapply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

Program Overview:

Reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and shifting to nature-positive development, while also building a fairer economy, will require transformational change across all major economic systemsfinance, energy, transport, the built environment, agriculture, land use, manufacturing, and consumption. Broader transitions must also occur, such as how we measure progress, deliver basic services, and equitably distribute the costs and benefits of change. As a virtual and dynamic situation room, the Systems Change Lab (SCL) will monitor systems change globally, taking stock of where shifts are accelerating (or stalling), and analyzing whats working, what isnt, and why. It will partner with visionary leaders and diverse coalitions, arming them with the evidence they need to mobilize more effective action and cross positive tipping points. The Lab is being housed jointly within World Resources Institute, the Bezos Earth Fund, and the High-Level Climate Champions team, is part of the Global Commons Alliance and is working with a wide consortium of partners, including the University of Tokyos Center for Global Commons, and the World Economic Forum.

WRI Overview:

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.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills, and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include integrity, innovation, urgency, independence, and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the worlds greatest environment and international development challenges and improve peoples 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.

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years, and our operating budget is nearing $200 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of over 1,600 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, aswell as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

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.

Please see job description

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