Grants and Finance Specialist II, Electric Mobility, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

Job Summary

In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing budgets, contracts and sub-contracts for the various projects within WRI’s Electric Mobility team. This will include developing budgets for new proposals, tracking and updating current project budgets, preparing grant financial reports, preparing and managing invoices, contracts and sub-contracts. You will work closely with WRI’s grants and contracts team, project managers within the e-mobility and will be part of a growing team of Grants and Finance Coordinators within the Cities Program.

WRI’s Electric Mobility team resides within the Urban Efficiency and Climate workstream of the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. Our work focuses on facilitating the successful and strategic expansion of electric vehicles throughout the world, with regional focuses in China, India, Latin America, and the United States. Specific emphases are also placed on activities that minimize global greenhouse gas emissions, ensure equitable access to clean transportation, and support broader sustainable energy and transportation objectives. To these ends, the Electric Mobility team researches and implements programs across a wide range of topics, including but not limited to battery and vehicle production, transportation planning, financing, government procurement, national and sub-national policies, and charging infrastructure development.

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 (60% of time)

Maintain oversight of a wide portfolio of funds for the Electric Mobility team and responsibly manage overall program finances

Develop fiscal year and funder budget forecasts in coordination with operations and workstream directors

Work closely with program directors and managers and advise team monthly on budget management and proactively raise or address financial issues that arise

Follow WRI’s internal processes and deadlines related to funding, including quarterly reviews, monthly & annual closeouts, and future planning

Draft grant proposal budgets and assist in the collection and submission of formal proposals for team fundraising efforts

Update and maintain project budgets utilizing WRI’s budgeting and forecasting software (TM1)

Update and maintain project funding and allocations in coordination with workstream director(s) and project managers

Process invoices and payments for projects in compliance with WRI’s policies (subgrants, consultancies, work orders, etc.)

Assist project team in project closeout process including turnover documentation and financial reconciliation

Coordinate and advise on project budget management and reports

With project managers, review on a monthly basis the transactions and finances of the projects and update the budget

Prepare financial review template(s) for review with workstream director(s) and operations staff

Work with Salesforce to add new proposals

Develop fiscal year budget forecasts on a yearly basis in coordination with operations and workstream directors of both teams

Prepare participant agreements and provide travel support

Any other actions needed to ensure a healthy financial management

Program/Project Management (35% of time)

Monitor project performance against grant/contract requirements. Ensure team compliance with terms and conditions of complex grant and contract agreements

Process documentation for project commitments (i.e. agreements, contracts, work authorizations, and purchase orders)

Keep track of deliverables and reporting required under grants

Keep timely and accurate information on donors and contacts

Submit all required grant forms as instructed by grant

Liaise with internal staff and stakeholders to problem solve and generate solutions to systematic issues and effective ways to complete tasks as needed

Provide guidance to partner organizations and consultants to ensure their compliance with funder policies, while proactively and professionally communicating with partners and consultants

Monitor partners by reviewing and drafting language for contracts, reviewing interim and final reports and ensuring they have all their supporting documentation, reminding them of deadlines, keeping records of all their documents (financial reports, invoices, receipts etc.)

Work with partners to help them understand and meet subgrant and contract requirements. Cross reference payments and financial status reports to ensure compliance with terms of agreements

Monitor program/project performance against contract requirements and deliverables

Maintain institutional knowledge management for all grants and proposals

Administration (5% of time)

Coordinate and schedule team meetings; provide support in organizing presentations, workshops, conferences, research seminars, and other events for the program as needed

Provide timesheet guidance to workstream team members on a bi-weekly basis

Coordinate recruitment and manage onboarding of new staff members as needed. Update and maintain new hire staffing information with operations

Job Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, accounting, business, public policy, political science, non-profit management, international affairs, or similar subject required, master’s degree preferred

Minimum 2 years of relevant, full-time work experience, preferably in financial management, budgeting, administration, or nonprofit operations

Keen interest in the mission and work of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

Keen interest in electric mobility, transportation planning, and sustainable energy systems

Detail-oriented, highly organized individual with experience and interest in program management, financial management, grant management, budgeting, and writing

Must be adaptable to rapidly changing priorities and manage multiple projects with varying deadlines

Strong process orientation with sensitivity to quality

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Strong writing, database management, and proofreading skills

Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office, especially Excel; experience with statistical analysis and budgeting software is highly desirable

Excellent communication skills, including the ability to work well in a team and with international colleagues.

In addition to excellent written and spoken English, additional language skills are a plus, especially in Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, French, and/or Hindi

US work authorization is required for all WRI US opportunities. WRI cannot offer visa sponsorship for this opportunity

Potential Salary $53,000 – $68,000 if based in the US. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

Program Overview

The WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (Cities Program) helps to transform cities into compact, connected and resilient spaces that provide healthy, accessible, and prosperous living environments for their residents. We coordinate the Cities Program’s extensive technical and practical expertise through eight integrated solution areas: Integrated Transport Systems, Vision Zero, Zero Carbon Buildings, Livable Neighborhoods, Electric Mobility, Water/Heat Resilience, Air Quality and Inclusive Climate & Energy Action Planning. Data and Urban Finance are cross-cutting themes that inform all of our solution offerings. We implement our solutions by working deeply with multiple stakeholders over long periods of time to demonstrate possibilities in rapidly transforming cities. We expand our impact to other cities by leveraging these demonstrated possibilities to convene multiple cross-sectoral stakeholders and partnering with city networks. Our research and projects in cities and in national policies connect environmental sustainability, health, safety, equity, and quality of life.

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.

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