In this role, you will facilitate the work of the Lab. You will work in close partnership with the Systems Change Lab’s Co-Director at the Bezos Earth Fund; with WRI staff members across programs, centers, and the Resource Watch team; as well as key external funders and partners, including a broad range of institutions that have relevant research and data and coalitions and partnerships that are helping to drive change in systems.

For this role, you must have experience in developing and managing international, multi-stakeholder programs, a track record in fundraising and managing grants, and the ability to manage large teams that are matrixed across organizations to deliver impactful results. To be successful in this role, you will need to have proficient managerial skills with the ability to build meaningful relationships with an interest in representing the Lab at key external moments and helping to coach and guide junior staff working on the project.

Job Responsibilities:

Program Management and Leadership

• In collaboration with the Bezos Earth Fund Co-Director, develop strategies to refine and deliver the Lab’s mission to inform and drive systems transformation for climate and nature
• Directly manage a small, but growing core team, as well as indirectly manage almost two dozen staff across WRI’s Programs, Centers, and International offices who contribute to the work
• Manage cross-programmatic and cross-institutional relationships; identifying linkages, securing the participation of critical expertise, and aligning related work with the projects, objectives, and priorities of WRI’s Programs, Centers, and International Offices
• Monitor the Lab’s financial performance and take appropriate action to ensure key financial objectives are met, providing oversight for potentially several million dollars annually
• Coach and mentor program staff to build critical skills, including fundraising, donor presentation, and proposal development Program Development
• Establish, cultivate, and manage partnerships with a wide range of global institutions and partners
• Ensure the timely delivery of high-quality work and full compliance with WRI’s and funders’ restrictions and reporting requirements
• Provide strategic direction to a wide variety of staff, including research guidance, and ensuring consistency with overall the Lab’s goals, drawing on staff throughout WRI and key partner organizations to deliver best-in-class research products and analysis
• Monitor and manage project deliverables, setting and clarifying priorities for staff
• Complete institutional and donor reporting for projects, including project outcomes
• Develop and lead outreach/funding presentations to potential donors consistently in the six and seven figure range
• Monitor and help evaluate the managed body of work’s performance and impact
• Help project staff manage existing fundraising relationships, as well as cultivate new funding prospects Research and Analysis
• Guide the development of SCL’s research in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund Co-Director
• Review and provide input on knowledge products written by the Lab’s staff

Outreach & Communication

• With the team, develop communications strategies, materials (PPTs, articles, briefing notes, summaries), concept notes, and timely content related to the SCL for external and internal audiences
• Give presentations at numerous conferences, workshops, and other events internationally, delivering the Lab’s findings and key messages to target audiences
• Conduct media interviews and be help build a widely recognized media profile for the SCL
• Liaise with partners, including governments, donors, academic community, action coalitions, and partnerships, and other change agents