WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems, change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.
With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate.
Landscape approach to restoration is gaining momentum in India as a strategy that delivers multiple benefits, including food and water security, biodiversity enhancement, job creation, livelihood improvements and climate change mitigation and adaptation. To achieve impact at scale, restoration efforts need to be funded by philanthropy, CSR, bilateral grants, and private finance. This requires a blended finance approach to mitigate the risks inherent in this early sector, and to ensure available finance is appropriate for restoration business models. Restoration businesses deliver a range of products (e.g., fruits, bamboo) and services (e.g., water, carbon, biodiversity).
As part of this program, WRI India is looking to recruit a Program Research Analyst (Restoration Finance) with a master’s degree in business, finance or economics, with at least two years of full time, relevant post-study work experience of their skills in natural resource management field.
You will work with the restoration team, international offices, and partner organizations to support Food, Land and Water (FLW) programs related to finance and market, this includes support in execution of restoration strategy on finance, support with research on use cases for blended finance, support with external engagement and communication.
What you will do:
Executing restoration finance strategy and projects :
- Support the execution of restoration finance and markets projects, from launch to completion, ensuring adherence to timelines, scope, financial compliance, quality standards.
- Monitor and evaluate the performance of restoration finance projects, ensuring effective financial disbursement, risk management, and adherence to funding agency requirements.
- Develop financial models and instruments to unlock funding for restoration, and its alignment with public funding
- Support with comprehensive investment strategies, including identifying key public, private, and blended finance sources and modalities for restoration projects.
- Explore knowledge gaps where WRI India’s research can improve the quality and quantity of restoration finance available.
- Monitor relevant international and national finance landscape, identifying strategic opportunities for the program to develop blending finance mechanisms
- Identifying key public, private, and blended finance sources for restoration projects
Program Management :
- Develop and implement work plans and procedures that enhance project delivery.
- Assist with internal capacity building through workshops, training, and knowledge-sharing events focused on restoration finance.
- Assist with ensuring compliance with reporting requirements for donors and other partners by preparing narrative reports and other materials to enhance donor relations and support with fundraising
Partnership and engagement :
- Attend external meetings and travel related to ongoing projects.
- Understand and promote the tools and solutions offered by the FLW program
- Write and edit material including blog posts, op-eds, e-blasts and other compelling communications that serves to translate technical material for various audiences.
What you will need:
Master’s degree in Business, Finance or Economics
At least two years of work experience preferably in the environment, land use or development sector
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Proven track record of analysis, writing and working with interdisciplinary teams
Data-driven approach to decision-making and continuous improvement.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with multiple partners.
