Project Manager, Systems Change Lab

This position will be based in WRI Washington DC office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission. WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

Mitigating climate change and halting biodiversity loss will require transformational change across nearly all systems — from how we generate electricity and move goods around the world to how we feed a growing population and manage the world’s terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. To ensure that these transitions are just, broader shifts toward good governance, improved social inclusion and equity, and new economic paradigms must also occur — all within the next three decades.

To help accelerate these rapid, far-reaching transformations, the Systems Change Lab is pursuing a three-pronged strategy:

• Monitor systems change globally. The Lab will join forces with leading data providers to build an open-data platform (launching in 2022) that will enable everyone, everywhere to see a complete picture of progress: which shifts are accelerating, stalling, or heading in the wrong direction entirely, as well as key conditions that enable these changes. The Lab will also produce complementary annual reports that assess global progress made toward accelerating transformations.
• Identify important barriers to and enabling conditions for systems change, and share lessons learned. While monitoring progress will reveal where transformations are accelerating, it will not shed light on why they are occurring. The Lab’s research will also focus on identifying the ingredients of systems change by partnering with experts around the world to produce analysis that not only instills greater confidence that change is possible, but also equips decision-makers with a roadmap for sparking and sustaining transformational change.
• Mobilize action for systems change. Our open-data platform and research will equip existing coalitions with the knowledge they need to identify the most impactful levers of change. We will also focus attention on transformations that have stalled or are heading in the wrong direction, convening new coalitions to support these important transitions

Job Highlight:

As the Project Manager for Systems Change Lab, you will work with a team of climate, energy, and forest researchers, web developers, product managers, and data analysts through the scoping and development of a new tracking partnership based on the Systems Change Lab data visualization platform. You will be supported by members of the Systems Change Lab data team and will report to the Director of Climate Data.

What will you do:

Project management & partner management (60% of time required):

• Plan the outreach for the online tools together with the central communications teams
• Conduct user research and usability testing alongside the product manager and engagement manager, which will then be used to drive both the product strategy and the development roadmap
• Arrange regular meetings with partner organizations ensuring they are happy with the process and our offers
• Manage the whole process of tool development, including the development of scope, use case, font-end designs, data analysis planning, user testing and delivery with some of the tasks being carried out by external vendors
• Organize and document the project across workstreams so partners understand the process and it can be reused with additional partners
• Monitor and manage project performance against budget, scope progress according to planned milestones, expenses and revenue, and internal and donor reporting
• Support the product manager in overseeing the external vendor(s) delivering the technical components of this project
• Maintain the partnership backlog and prioritize features based on user needs and stakeholder input
• Coordinate with several high-level partners to understand their needs
• Lead the presentation of new partnership functionality at workshops and other internal and external events
• Develop project proposals and concept notes
• Guide researchers t0 implement research on relevant data

Idea development, scoping, UX and tool development (20% of time required):

• Support the project leads with fundraising and donor stewardship, and engage directly with foundation and government funders
• Coordinate with WRI colleagues across programs and countries
• Work with our product and engagement staff to take results of stakeholder interviews and propose next steps on scope and designs
• Lead the preparation of scoping documents, working plans and wireframes, ensuring quality deliverables
• Work with external vendors to support the implementation of data visualization tools and ensure high quality delivery of tools
• Help develop overall initiative strategy and prioritizing of research and project activities

Research & knowledge: (20% of time required):

• Coordinate with other organizations on research efforts and guide their staff for creating a common database
• Support the internal and external peer review processes for the platform
• Work with the SCL research and data team to ensure that our partner and our data, messages and content is aligned to enable a consistent tracking partnership
• Guide and support partners and SCL team to do high quality data research

Additionally, in keeping with WRI’s commitment to gender equity across our programs, the manager will contribute to the identification of relevant gender issues, as determined through a gender analysis, and ensure adequate and effective attention to these issues in project and partner development, budgeting and management

What will you need:

• Flexibility, sense of humor, breadth of interests, and willingness to explore unfamiliar issues all are qualities that will be looked for during the hiring process
• Prior supervision and mentorship of one or more junior staff
• Ability to work with partners and assess the need of stakeholder groups
• Experience managing web or other product development, particularly working with external vendors
• Experience: Minimum 6 years of full-time work experience, ideally project managing data driven websites or online visualization tools
• Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities
• Education: Bachelor in related field in Environmental Science, Computer Science, Sustainability Science, International Relations, and Economics or related
• Exceptionally good communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to solve complex problems, reach decisions and solutions underpinned by consultation, evidence, and solid documentation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to understand issues from different perspectives, and the confidence to take principled positions or seek help when needed
• Working knowledge of product development and user research best practices

Potential Salary: Salary range is between 110,000 and 114,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with cover letter by the date of July 5, 2023. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US.
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• Long-term commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours.
• A competitive salary

About Us:

Founded in 1982, 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. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

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

Our mission and values:

WRI’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.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

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. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.