The World Resources Institute Finance Center is seeking a results-oriented individual with excellent analytical and organizational skills for a full-time Research Assistant/Project Coordinator position to support its work on sustainability and finance in Brazil. This position can be based in either Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, Brazil.

WRI’s Finance Center works with public and private financing institutions, investors, governments, civil society, businesses, and project developers to increase the volume of capital flowing to sustainable activities.

The Research Assistant/Project Coordinator will support Finance Center’s Brazil lead by assisting in research projects and administrative tasks. Specific responsibilities include:

Research Assistant Responsibilities

• Assist in researching, editing and publishing project documents, including publications, funding proposals and reports
• Track, summarize, and share relevant literature and media for the Finance Center
• Help convene events including meetings and workshops to advance the goals of the Finance Center
• Collaborate with colleagues across the institute on cross-cutting finance issues

Project Coordinator Responsibilities

• Manage project grants including ensuring: compliance with funder rules and regulations, responsible management of funds, and meeting funder reporting deadlines
• Support developing proposals (e.g. creating budgets and drafts)
• Assist in managing project budgets including monitoring monthly expenses and budget updates
• Assist in project planning and management;
• Manage schedules, arrange meetings and other administrative tasks
• Provide general outreach support and manage communication activities such as project outreach via the website and events
• Submit and track requests for payment in a timely manner

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

• Knowledge of and experience in international development, with an emphasis on development finance
• Knowledge of and experience in international financial institutions, particularly national development banks
• Knowledge of and experience in private sector financial institutions

Required qualifications include:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in international affairs, law, economics, sustainable development, public policy, environmental management or similar required.
• Fluency in Portuguese and English
• 1 year of relevant work experience in Brazil
• Research, writing and editing skills in Portuguese and English
• Strong project management skills
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office and internet research
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work in a team
• Demonstrated capacity to produce quality inputs and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Flexibility to travel
• Commitment to WRI’s mission statement (www.wri.org)
• Final candidates will be required to take a writing test

Additional preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in international affairs, law, economics, sustainable development, public policy, environmental management
• The position requires a highly organized individual with some experience in financial management and budgeting
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing priorities and have the ability to manage multiple projects with varying deadlines

Salary and Benefits 

This is a contract position. Salary is commensurate with experience and skills.

Location

Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, Brazil

Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. 

The World Resources Institute (http://www.wri.org/wri) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI’s policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.

About WRI

The World Resources Institute is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future.

Established in 1982, WRI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization respected globally by policymakers, NGOs, and corporate leaders because of the rigorous quality, balance, and independence of its work. With its think-tank roots, WRI values innovative ideas, working collaboratively, and thinking independently. WRI employees see the results of their hard work and have the satisfaction of making a significant difference in the world.

Currently a $50 million organization with an international staff of approximately 250, WRI works with more than 400 partners in 50 countries. WRI provides objective information and practical proposals for policy and institutional change that foster environmentally sound, socially equitable development.

Values

In its day to day work, WRI is guided by several core institutional values:

Innovation: To lead change for a sustainable world, WRI is creative, forward thinking, entrepreneurial, and adaptive.

Independence: WRI’s effectiveness depends on work that is uncompromised by partisan politics, institutional or personal allegiances, or sources of financial support.

Urgency: WRI believes that change in human behavior is urgently needed to halt the accelerating rate of environmental deterioration.

Independence: Our effectiveness depends on work that is uncompromised by partisan politics, institutional or personal allegiances, or sources of financial support.

Respect: Our relationships are based on the belief that all people deserve respect.

Approach

Everything WRI does is built on four key elements:

Focus on Results: WRI organizes all of its work to produce powerful and practical solutions, strategies and tools, policies and partnerships.

Analytical Excellence: WRI identifies problems, drivers of change, economic incentives, and consequences to arrive at comprehensive, incentive-based, practical solutions.

Partnerships: WRI works with scientists, governments, businesses, NGOs, and international institutions worldwide to create incentives and pressure for change.

Communications: WRI fosters change by disseminating their solutions and ideas to targeted audiences.