Communications and Research Analyst, Electric School Bus Initiative

Job Summary

In this role, under the supervision of the Communications Manager, Electric School Bus Initiative, your primary responsibilities will be supporting communications and research related to equity and outreach this project. The project’s approach includes a commitment to equity through the development of a cross-cutting equity framework that will guide project decision-making and ensure fairness in school district selection, resource allocation, and the development of inclusive partnerships with local communities and other key stakeholders. Our goal is to create momentum towards electrifying the entire fleet of American school buses by 2030. 

As part of that effort, you will work on the framework and help to centralize equity throughout all the work plans. You will also be involved in the communications and outreach effort to ensure broad community engagement. Broadly speaking, you will be working on providing a more advanced understanding of the interactions between deploying EVs and creating more equitable cities. In this position, you will help support the team’s outreach and equity work through two primary areas – communications and research: Your communications responsibilities will include drafting materials and presentations for various stakeholder groups, coordinating messaging, helping draft local and national narratives, writing and editing blogs, op-eds, and commentaries, providing event support, assisting with community outreach, and giving general project support and internal and external communications coordination. In your research capacity, you will be conducting desk research and interviews, performing data analysis, and supporting the development of equity indicators that help define and measure how equity intersects with our ESB initiative across racial, cultural, educational, safety and health, and socio-economic dimensions for each pillar, among other tasks.

Among the biggest responsibilities will be working on the equity framework, which will help determine how equity will be incorporated, tracked and evaluated in project activities, partnerships, communications and outcomes.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, but you will be based at WRI’s office in Washington, DC once restrictions have lifted.

Job Responsibilities

Communications (50%)

• Draft timely fact sheets, social media posts, and relevant collateral for the ESB project
• Write talking points, draft op-eds, blogs, etc
• Help draft outreach plans and facilitate innovative community engagement practices, respond to requests for information and meetings
• Organize and follow-up on internal and external meetings, workshops, conferences, and other dissemination activities
• Draft and present content for internal and external meetings
• Draft and review equity and community engagement plans for upcoming and ongoing projects
• Assist with tracking key communications, equity, and engagement outcomes for relevant projects
• Coordinate with external contractors and internal partners across WRI programs and offices
• Support other projects and activities as needed

Research & Knowledge (50%)

• Conduct desk research and interviews, perform data analysis, and support the development of equity indicators that help define and measure how equity intersects with our ESB initiative
• Assist with the equity framework, which will help determine how equity will be incorporated, tracked and evaluated in project activities, partnerships, communications and outcomes
• Assist with research on local social, political, and economic impacts of EV deployment
• Research innovative community engagement efforts, help monitor their efficacy and develop community engagement lessons learned
• Review relevant knowledge products through the lens of equitable electrification
• Help create content for proposals and concept notes, including deliverables, timelines, and budgets

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum 1 year of work experience required
• Experience and demonstrated interest in the field of equity and community engagement
• Experience with InDesign and other relevant communications tools
• Experience with Excel spreadsheets and tools
• Experience and demonstrated interest in the field of communications
• Superb and detail-oriented writing skills, the ability to convey ideas, and arguments clearly and persuasively
• Excellent research, editing, and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Detail-oriented, organized, and independent thinker
• Demonstrated ability to work well on multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, manage multiple priorities, and work under tight deadlines
• Adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and able to manage multiple projects with varying deadlines and competing demands
• Flexibility to travel
• Additional language proficiency, especially in Spanish preferred
• Previous experience with electric mobility subject matter, particularly electric buses
• US work authorization required for this position

Potential Salary

$46,000 – $60,000. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply

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

Program Overview

The 480,000 school buses in the United States account for 80% of all buses nationwide, yet less than 1% are electrified. School bus electrification represents a unique opportunity to accelerate decarbonization while bringing direct, tangible benefits to every community in the United States. This transition can help make electric mobility the new normal for an entire generation. Through the U.S. Electric School Bus Initiative, funded by the Bezos Earth Fund, WRI’s aim is to create unstoppable momentum over the next five years on a path toward electrifying the entire fleet of U.S. school buses by 2030. Overcoming the cost, infrastructure and policy barriers to mass adoption will require a systemic approach that engages an entire ecosystem of actors and prioritizes inclusive planning with impacted communities. WRI will achieve this by partnering with key stakeholders and project partners to work on five key pillars: 1) aggregate demand 2) scale manufacturing, 3) develop innovative financing models 4) influence federal and state policy and 5) galvanize communities and stakeholders to push for an equitable and comprehensive shift towards electric school buses.

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.