Senior Policy Advisor

About Us

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 300 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

Overview

The Senior Policy Advisor contributes to the development, implementation, management, and reporting of research and outputs related to the Energy Program.

The Senior Policy Advisor is expected to

(a)   Develop thematic expertise relating to an aspect of the program and secure and manage projects relating to this thematic expertise; and/or

(b)   Develop general expertise across the program and manage a range of projects across the pillar simultaneously.

Scope

IISD’s Energy Program (https://www.iisd.org/topics/energy) aims to support governments around the world in systematically shifting public financial flows to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy while promoting social welfare and overall sustainable economic development. IISD’s Energy Program is a diverse and dynamic team of more than 40 experts based in the IISD Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto offices, as well as remotely in India, Indonesia, South Africa, and other countries, supporting governments in clean and just energy transitions.

At an international level, our work program delivers cutting-edge research and practical policy support for energy policy reforms in developed and developing countries, including by shifting public financial flows from fossil fuels to clean energy and implementing commitments to go beyond fossil fuels in a socially just way.  

At the national level, our approach is hands-on through country-level research and outreach in Canada, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and other countries.

Working under the guidance of the Director, Energy Program, Just Transitions and Canada, and the Director, Energy Program, Public Financial Flows, the Senior Policy Advisor contributes to the development, implementation, management, and reporting of research and outputs related to the energy transition, subsidy reform, carbon pricing, fiscal policy, electric mobility, and energy policy instruments. The incumbent will work primarily on two projects—the Emissions Ambition for Sustainable Economies in Southeast Asia (EASE-SEA) initiative and Energy is the Key to a Climate Stable Future (EnerKey)—with minimal supervision. They will contribute to the design, development, and implementation of projects; promote, communicate, and share research through a variety of media; provide leadership for conducting, delivering, and presenting research; and support fundraising efforts. The incumbent is expected to help create a strong enabling environment for the implementation of carbon pricing while ensuring that civil society, communities, and industry have strong voices in shaping its implementation. They will also support a separate and emerging workstream on electric mobility in the Philippines and Indonesia through a mix of independent analysis and technical assistance.

The Senior Policy Advisor will work with international colleagues to support international initiatives and may support IISD activities in other countries or internationally, as required, as IISD’s project portfolio evolves over time. The candidate should be a strong communicator and a fast learner with demonstrated experience in the sustainable development or energy and climate change nexus.

Detailed Description of Responsibilities

Policy Research

·        Lead the delivery of primary and secondary research in assigned thematic areas, such as the existing carbon pricing policy context or the policy support required to achieve national ambitions on transport electrification, working with a good deal of independence to ensure the successful completion of projects and working with contractors, as required.

·        Deliver research and other project outputs to the required standard, including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports, asking for guidance and advice as required to ensure the successful delivery of quality outputs.

·        Undertake research and/or design and manage research conducted by more junior colleagues, consultants, and institutional partners, focusing on technical rather than financial deliverables, such as identifying and estimating the financial value of taxes and support policies related to energy; estimating the relative cost of different energy technologies through Excel-based models; estimating the micro- and macroeconomic impacts of changes in taxes and support policies related to energy, including impacts disaggregated by gender and other identities and impacts on household incomes; running consultations with policy and industry stakeholders; and designing schemes to pilot and evaluate the potential for specific policy solutions.

·        Draft and take lead editorial responsibility for major English-language research reports and other project outputs to a publication-ready standard, including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports.

·        Develop and conduct capacity building for governments and regional and national parliamentary bodies on law and policy.

·        Review existing laws and policies or draft relevant model laws/contracts.

·        Contribute to tracking and influencing normative processes for relevant institutions and prepare commentaries, reports, and paper contributions for different processes.

Outreach and Communications

·        Represent IISD projects and programs to clients and stakeholders, including at forums, conferences, and public events.

·        Establish and maintain contacts with domestic and international project partners, including stakeholders in the government, academia, non-governmental and international organizations, civil society, private sectors, and media, with appropriate support from senior colleagues.

·        Maintain and identify new contacts with domestic and international project partners.

·        Develop, maintain, and deliver original content relating to law and policy developments, including team briefings, op-eds, quarterly newsletters, webinars, and blogs.

·        Keep up to date regarding emerging issues related to the project and the broader Energy and ELP Programs.

·        Work with the IISD Communications team and colleagues to ensure the development of communications materials that are relevant to national policy discourse for maximum policy or implementation impact.

Strategy, Vision, and Team Leadership (within the specific projects/areas of thematic expertise to which they are assigned)

·        Contribute to identifying challenges, emerging issues, and solutions.

·        Contribute to the development and growth of new projects.

·        Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.

·        Manage own time and inputs on projects to deliver research outputs on time and to budget.

·        Supervise and guide assigned team members.

Fundraising and Donor relationships

·        Identify fundraising opportunities based on existing work or new ideas and support fundraising efforts by establishing and strengthening relationships with existing and potential donors.

·        Initiate and contribute to drafting proposals for specific funding opportunities.

Operations and Program Management

·        Design and implement projects that support current program initiatives in collaboration with IISD staff, affiliates, partners, and consultants.

·        Set up and manage parts of projects as required, ensuring that delivery risks are highlighted and escalated as appropriate.

·        Participate in project missions, arranging elements of the mission as appropriate.

·        Manage the organization and documentation of webinars, meetings, and public consultations, as required.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Qualifications

·        A minimum of a master’s degree in energy, social science, politics, environment, and climate change or a relevant interdisciplinary program or equivalent.

Experience

·        At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in energy and climate policy at a national or international level in one or both of the following areas: energy and climate policy research.

·        Demonstrated experience in building new institutional relationships and partnerships through entrepreneurial outreach and networking.

·        Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality briefing materials in support of policy research teams or meetings with policy-makers, ideally in the context of energy and climate policy.

Technical Skills

·        An understanding of policy research processes and methods. The successful candidate will have experience working with researchers to develop messages and ideas for communication with policy-makers and civil society audiences.

·        Experience in quantitative and qualitative research tools, such as structured interviews, political economy, or focus group research.

·        Data-savvy with demonstrated analytical skills and the ability to think critically and learn fast. Strong attention to detail, including the ability to conduct quality control checks of one’s own work.

·        An understanding of relevant ministries and departments related to energy, tax, trade, infrastructure development, and climate change, like power, petroleum, coal, electricity, renewable energy, electric mobility and transport, fiscal measures, and international trade, at both the national and subnational levels.

Core Competencies

·        Familiarity with sustainable development, policy theory, and the current agenda on climate, energy, and transport transition.

• The ability to produce analysis and writing that is “publication-ready” with a limited degree of oversight and editing.
• “Can-do” work attitude and ability to work both independently and within teams, managing the workload and producing deliverables on time and to budget. Ability to work under pressure and meet deliverables under competing timelines.
• A strong team player with the ability to work collaboratively across different cultures and be inclusive and positive with different colleagues.
• Results-focused, with an ability to prioritize and work quickly and accurately over a range of tasks.
• Available to travel nationally on a regular basis, potentially internationally as required.
• Excellent analytical, research, oral, and writing skills in English and Filipino.
• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office/Teams applications and experience in handling web-based communications and management systems.

Location: Remote-based, anywhere in the Philippines, with a preference for Metro Manila. Candidates should be comfortable with moderate travel to support engagement activities

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience.

Employment type: 100% full-time equivalent staff position, including under an Employer of Record model. Full-time with a 6-month probation period. This is a 2-year contractual position with a possibility of extension subject to funding. 

Closing Date: April 30, 2025, 4pm CST

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for location where they expect to be based without any sponsorship from IISD.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. 

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. 

• A CV (no longer than two pages) 
• A one-page letter of motivation 
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional) 

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.  

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. 

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CompensationSalary commensurate with experience