Product Manager, Systems Change Lab

Job Summary:

In this position, you will work with a team of climate, energy, food and oceans researchers, web developers, and data analysts through the scoping and development of the Systems Change Lab data visualization platform. You will coordinate, build partnerships, and have an infectious enthusiasm that helps to motivate our team and colleagues. As the Product Manager, you will help manage and implement WRI’s flagship systems change data platform.

 A typical working week in the position can include:

1. Brainstorming ideas with a wide range of subject matter experts and define steps to identify priorities
2. Documenting functional and data scope to discuss with partners and users
3. Meeting with data staff to ensure their research support use cases and the needs of web developers
4. Work with vendors to develop UX wireframes for internal and external review
5. Guiding vendors through web development process and manage their milestones
6. Reporting on progress to funders and partners

Your work will include working with a partner to develop scopes and UX designs, guide the research and development processes, and ensure timely implementation of the tools through vendors. In this position, you will work together with senior and management staff to coordinate across the variety of data tools and ensure full engagement of WRI programs and external stakeholders.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, but you can be based in either our office in DC, Europe, Mexico, or Brazil once restrictions are lifted. This position also has the possibility of long-term remote working.

Job Responsibilities:
Project management & tool development (60% of time required)

• 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 with dedicated workstream leads
• Guide junior and mid-level researchers that will implement research on relevant data
• Work with external vendors to support the implementation of large scale data visualization tools and ensure timely, high quality delivery of tools
• Plan the outreach for the online tools together with the central communications teams
• Monitor and manage project performance against budget, scope progress according to planned milestones, expenses and revenue, and internal and donor reporting
• Lead the presentation of new products at workshops and other internal and external events
• Maintain the product backlog and prioritize features based on user needs, stakeholder input, and the Resource Watch product roadmap
• Regularly conduct user research and usability testing, which will then be used to drive both the product strategy and the development roadmap
• Liase with the Data Lab Engineering team to ensure that integrated RW projects are aligned with the long-term technical strategy and within the technical constraints of the RW platform
• Act as Product Owner (e.g. SCRUM) for the external vendor delivering the technical components of this product

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

• Work with our engagement staff to take results of stakeholder interviews and propose next steps on scope and designs
• Arrange regular meetings with partner organizations
• Lead the preparation of scoping documents, working plans and wireframes, ensuring quality deliverables on time
• Assist in developing overall initiative strategy and prioritizing of research and project activities. Coordinate with WRI colleagues across programs and countries
• Support the project leads with fundraising and donor stewardship, and engage directly with foundation and government funders

Research & knowledge: (20% of time required)

• Guide and support junior staff to do high-quality data research
• Coordinate with other organizations on research efforts and guide their staff for the creation of a common database
• Co-authoring knowledge and outreach products (e.g., reports, briefs, data products, blogs)
• Participate in internal and external peer review processes for publications and papers
• Develop project proposals and concept notes

Job Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience, ideally project managing data-driven websites or online visualization tools
• Master’s degree in related field, or bachelor’s degree with two+ years of additional work experience
• Experience managing web or other product development, particularly working with external vendors
• Ability to solve complex problems, reach decisions and solutions underpinned by consultation, evidence, and solid documentation
• Ability to work with partners and assess the need of stakeholder groups
• Working knowledge of product development and user research best practices
• 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
• Prior supervision and mentorship of one or more junior staff
• Exceptionally good communication and interpersonal skills
• Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities 

Potential Salary:
$71,000 – $93,00 if based in United States. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:
Please submit a resume with a cover letter. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. If possible, please link to previous web projects in your application.

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 systems—finance, 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 what’s working, what isn’t, 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 Tokyo’s Center for Global Commons, and the World Economic Forum. The SCL is designing a three-pronged strategy to advance transformational change across all economic systems: Monitor: Although efforts to track some transformations exist, data gaps remain.

Data required to understand critical roadblocks, actions by governments, companies, and other actors, and effective policies are also not readily available—no “one-stop-shop” to get a snapshot of progress across them all. By partnering with leading data providers and target users, such as campaigners, philanthropies, and investors, the SCL will co-develop an accessible, open-data platform where required shifts across all systems, as well their drivers, will be regularly tracked against benchmarks aligned with the best available science. An annual report taking stock of progress will also be published, with complementary outreach efforts. Learn and share: Tremendous gains have been made in advancing our understanding of historical systems change and its drivers. Building on this, the SCL will deepen the analysis of why change is occurring. In partnership with leading technical experts, practitioners, and experts (see below for its preliminary list of partners, which are anticipated to grow), it will produce analysis that not only instills greater confidence that systems change is possible but also equips change agents with compelling case studies, an evidence base across transformations, and a roadmap for accelerating change.

Mobilize action: Through strategic outreach and engagement, the Lab’s monitoring and learning work will support the many coalitions already advancing system change, such as those working with the High-Level Climate Champions (the SCL currently is partnering with those from Chile and the United Kingdom to support their work at COP26). It will rally around major moments, such as COP15 on biodiversity, the World Food Summit, and the United Nations General Assembly, to inform public and private sector leaders. In doing so, it will pay special attention to transformations that have stalled and work with partners to understand the actors, relationships, vested interests, and barriers in these systems. Furthermore, through participatory dialogues, the Lab will identify transformational solutions that are garnering support from more diverse stakeholders over time, ratchet up ambitions, and become more durable. It will also look for possible disruptors that can unlock systems change, and enlist diverse coalitions of champions to spark such shifts.

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 in order 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 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.

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States as well 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.