Project Specialist, Business Center

Job Summary
In this role you will lead grant and financial management for all Center for Sustainable Business (CSB)  projects (excluding the platforms PACE and P4G) and provide business development support to the Center. Your daily work will include managing budgets, reporting to donors, processing contract agreements, ensuring grant compliance, liaising with research staff on project deliverables, engaging with vendors and sub-grantees, guiding CSB program staff through internal processes and systems, planning events, and leading operations for multiple teams matrixed across several of our programs and centers. You will report to the Operations Manager of the Center, working closely with them to implement existing processes and improve processes where needed.

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
Financial Management – 30%

• Oversee day-to-day financial management for all core CSB workstreams excluding P4G and PACE under supervision of the Operations Manager
• Monitor monthly expenses and keep direct project budgets up to date in budgeting software
• Deliver monthly updates on project budgets to Project Managers and Practice Directors and alert them of funding deadlines and other financial concerns
• Provide strategic advice to project managers on the best use of funds to ensure achievement of deliverables while maximizing financial resources
• Provide input into quarterly CSB financial reviews
• Lead project financial closeout and coordinate with CSB teams in closeout process, including financial reconciliation and reporting

Grant Management – 30%

• Manage project grants and contracts, including ensuring compliance with terms and conditions and liaising with funders
• Lead the drafting of financial grant reports, including collecting team inputs and transparent accounting of financial records from WRI standard into funder-specific templates
• Lead the drafting of technical grant reports as needed
• Support donor and grants management by keeping CRM database updated with timely and accurate information
• Create and maintain subgrant and contract agreements with partners and contractors, including processing payments, and amending agreements when necessary
• Track sub-awardee compliance with administrative grant requirements, including the timely submission of reports and audits

Strategic Planning and Operations – 20%

• Provide advice to Directors and Project Managers in resolving operational and project management issues
• Monitor and track project deliverables to ensure that they are submitted within the period of performance and coordinate the submission of invoices
• Keep track of past performance and lessons learned to use on future project preparation
• Manage and update the CSB Dashboard tracking project deliverables, publication status, and fundraising pipeline for use during monthly CSB financial review meetings and regular Director/Project Manager check-ins

Business Development – 10%

• Support in identification of potential donors by connecting funding pipeline to active CSB opportunities and projects and new funding prospects
• Research and analyze relevant business development trends for the CSB and disseminate findings to relevant Directors and Project Managers
• Lead in the drafting of grant proposal budgets for CSB projects, manage the collection & submission of requests for proposals, and assist on coordinating and reviewing the formation of formal concept notes

Administration and Events – 10%

• Provide occasional logistical support for internal and external events, workshops, and conferences such as A/V and catering preparation, participant and speaker coordination, and preparation of meeting materials
• Coordinate recruitment and support on-boarding of CSB staff members and interns
• Prepare expense reports, cash advances, and other transactions as needed; ensure timely and accurate submission of timesheets
• Plan, coordinate, and administer yearly and quarterly retreats
• Provide occasional admin support to the Global Director when the Program Specialist is on leave

Job Qualifications

• Two+ years of full-time, professional work experience focused on project, grants, and contracts management and administration, preferably in a non-profit setting
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or an additional four years of full-time, professional work experience
• Experience managing complex subagreements and ability to juggle simultaneous active subawards with vendors and partners across multiple projects preferred
• Creative, detail-oriented, and highly organized individual with a strong interest in financial and grant management and program administration/coordination
• Self-motivated with an ability to juggle multiple priorities, handle assignments independently, and work under tight deadlines. Demonstrated capacity to work well under pressure with competing demands
• Experience with IBM Cognos/TM1 or similar budgeting software preferred
• US work authorization required for this position

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

Potential Salary: $53,000 – $68,000. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

Program Overview
The Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) mobilizes corporations and investors to transform business models so society can thrive within planetary boundaries. We envisage a world where companies’ practices, political engagement, and products are science-aligned and socially equitable. Our outputs are often the bedrock of sustainability targets, resource monitoring and management, and ambition of the world’s largest companies. Center for Sustainable Business experts join peers and partners to drive solutions that accelerate the private sector’s transition to inclusive, sustainable models that go from doing better to doing enough across all WRI’s programmatic areas. We measure how high to raise the bar and encourage transformation from business as usual.

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.