Urban Economist - World Resources Institute - Washington, DC

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Part 2: Overview

The Urban Economist will be a key subject matter expert and will facilitate program management and contribute to the development of high quality research products that are designed to influence targeted audiences.

WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities is seeking an Urban Economist to advance the goals of one or more areas:

Accessible, healthy, equitable, and environmentally-friendly cities: The WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities builds upon WRI’s successful track record in urban activities, introducing game-changing solutions that create more prosperous, livable cities. Our approach translates rigorous research into tangible practice at the scale and pace cities in the developing world need, leveraging a global network of trusted experts in urban economics, engineering, planning, finance, and policy. We work closely with leading financial, business, and city institutions to expand our influence and expedite the shift to sustainable cities. Through these partnerships, we provide objective information and practical proposals for policy and institutional change.

Sustainable transportation: Working across our EMBARQ Network for sustainable urban transport and other programs, we develop and support implementation of research-based solutions that reduce pollution, improve health, and create safe, accessible public spaces in cities. We collaborate with local and national decision-makers in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and Turkey to implement projects that overcome the challenges of urbanization and make for greater cities. And we partner with businesses, governments, and civil society to scale our successful pilot projects globally.

In the first two years, the Urban Economist will conduct original research for the upcoming World Resources Report dedicated to cities and other research topics such as land value capture, the urban informal economy, municipal finance, and green/climate finance for cities.

The position is located in WRI’s Washington, D.C. office and will report directly to the Director of Research within the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

Responsibilities

Part 3: Responsibilities

The Urban Economist’s main areas of responsibility will include the following:

Research & Knowledge (80% of time required)

Effectively plan, design, and conduct economic analyses that advance the objectives of project teams working on issues across urban sectors.

Scale-up the results of these economic analyses in a manner that is precise, well structured, and tailored to decision-makers (not to other professional economists). This written material may take the form of informal memos, white papers, and official WRI publications. Some research may be submitted to economic journals, as well.

Engage in the WRI Economics community, promoting the integration of an economic dimension in relevant research projects.

Author or co-author knowledge products (e.g., reports, briefs, data-products) and present findings of economic analyses to external audiences.

Review knowledge products written by other WRI researchers and suggest methods that lead to robust and unbiased findings.

Mentor junior researchers.

Use evidence, critically analyze and assess economic research and arguments presented by project partners, stakeholders, and others.

Actively engage public and private sector decision-makers in one-on-one meetings, group briefings, and other venues to persuade them of WRI’s analytically based recommendations.

Possess knowledge of a wide range of city specific databases and sources of economic data relevant for cities around the world

Have experience integrating spatial urban data with economic and other data

Program/Project Management (10% of time required)

Directly managing outcomes and partnerships.

Monitoring and managing project deliverables, setting and clarifying priorities for global team members.

Monitoring and managing project budget performance, scoping progress according to planned milestones, expenses and revenue, and internal and donor reporting.

Completing institutional and donor reporting (narrative, quantitative and financial) for projects, including project outcomes.

Program Development (10% of time required)

Contributing to research proposals between a five and six figure fundraising goal.

Identifying and developing funding partner relationships through external outreach’; conducting due diligence on feasibility of use through fit-gap analysis.

Monitoring and complying with sub agreement guidelines.

Contributes to presentations and donor proposals.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Masters in related field (urban and regional economics, public finance, public policy, political science, development economics, urban planning, etc).

Demonstrated knowledge in the political economy of urban governance, spatial economics and urban public finance in emerging economies is required.

Experience in promoting low-carbon cities, resilient cities or smart cities highly desirable.

Working experience in WRI’s main engagement countries highly desirable. (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia)

Strong track record of authoring published research.

Excellent writing skills, including the ability to write quickly under pressure and to deadline; ability to summarize complicated analyses in brief and clear messages.

Fluency in oral and written English. Fluency in another language is a plus.

Minimum 5-7 years of full-time work experience in relevant field, with research design, program implementation and project management experience

Prior supervision and mentorship of one or more junior staff

Exceptionally good communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work well in a team and with colleagues across countries

Strong quantitative, analytical research and econometrics skills

Strong statistical analysis skills with experience using statistical software such as Stata, SPSS, R, etc.

Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities

Ability to travel 20% or more when needed.

Preferred Qualifications:
PhD in Economics with emphasis on urban and regional economics

Experience conducting economic impact analyses and evaluations in the field of sustainable urban development

Experience with external communications and/or donor management.

Final candidates will be required to take a writing test.

Salary : Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package.

Location : Washington, DC

Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers . All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered.

The World Resources Institute ( http://www.wri.org/wri ) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, protected veteran status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI’s policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.

About WRI

Established in 1982, WRI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization respected globally by policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and corporate leaders.

WRI’s reputation is grounded in its excellent analysis, non-partisan approach, and high-impact results. We measure our success based on how our work helps to create real-world change on the ground—and approach we call “Managing for Results.”

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WRI fosters a culture of innovative ideas, working collaboratively, and thinking independently. WRI employees are driven by the organization’s mission and have the satisfaction of helping to create a more prosperous and healthy planet.

Learn more about our organization at www.wri.org .