Research Fellow – Development finance

Role and responsibilities:

The Research Fellow will contribute to I4CE’s research activities in the field of development finance and support the implementation the Initiative’s work programme. He/she will work under the supervision of the Team lead in charge of development finance (also Head of the Initiative).

1.Production of original research and contribution to public debates

The Research Fellow’s main activities will be to contribute to research and public debates on the role of public development banks in aligning international financial flows with Paris Agreement objectives. His/her work will cover a broad range of topics related to the integration of climate considerations into the investment decisions of financial institutions, including climate risk management, alignment with the Paris Agreement, and the impact of financial institutions’ actions on the transformation of real economy.

In relation to this area of work, the Research Fellow will be expected to:

• Contribute to the identification of relevant research topics (identifying the main issues to be examined, analysing the inherent political agenda and possible actions to be taken to position I4CE on this theme, etc.);
• Build convincing project proposals (participating in the search for partners, identifying potential funders, developing a draft proposal and budget);
• Be responsible for one or several research projects (project management, literature review, conducting interviews, developing case studies, organising expert workshops, writing, integrating reviewers’ comments, supervising layout, supporting in communication and outreach to partners on research outcomes);
• Support the information and analytical needs of team members and partners that may be related to other research topics or projects.

2. Participate in the implementation of Mainstreaming Climate in Financial Institutions’ work programme:

The Research Fellow will work under the supervision of the Head of the Secretariat and in close collaboration with the current Secretariat Project Manager to contribute to the implementation of the Initiative’s work programme. These tasks may include but are not limited to:

• Organisation and facilitation of technical exchanges between financial institutions: drafting of event concept notes, organisation of webinars, workshops and public events, monitoring of priority topics, contribution to case studies as appropriate.
• Facilitation of exchanges between financial institutions: responding to members’ requests, participation in interviews.
• Implementation of the communication strategy (including content production for newsletters and website updates).
• Contribution to strategic discussions: participation in coordination group meetings (including the drafting of minutes), contribution to the elaboration of the annual work programme, and to biannual reports when needed.

3. Participation in I4CE’s outreach and day-to-day activities
In addition to the main tasks identified above, the Research Fellow’s specific tasks may include:

• Contribution to increasing the impact of I4CE’s research programme: participating in the communication effort (social networks, websites, press relations), and contributing to engagement with I4CE’s network (attending working groups, external events…);
• Contribution to I4CE’s day-to-day activities: supporting the integration of interns and other team members, active participation in team meetings and in other transversal activities and events.

Experience and competencies:

To fill this position, we are looking for an individual with a minimum of 5 years of prior research and/or project management experience and an MSc or PhD level of education related to climate change and/or sustainable development.

This position requires a strong knowledge of climate issues for the financial sector. Experience in a research centre or a financial institution working on climate-related considerations (alignment of financial operations, climate risk management, transition planning, etc.) and/or development finance is desired.

The candidate should be able to evolve in an international team, while integrating a broader team working mainly at the French level, and be available for occasional travel abroad for conferences, meetings, and events.

Perfect command of spoken and written English is essential, including to run meetings and conduct interviews with high-level experts. Knowledge of French is desired. Knowledge of another language such as Spanish or Portuguese is valued.

The precise skills and motivations expected are as follows:

1) A rigorous mindset that allows to problematise research questions, carry out thorough analysis and summarise results in a clear fashion, so that their impact can be maximised:

a.Good analytical and writing skills.
b.Ease and rigor in manipulating data from a variety of sources.
c.Ability to conceptualise and take a step back from the materials collected.
d.Good autonomy and an inquisitive mind to get to the bottom of issues.

2)High motivation to work with financial actors for the implementation of the low-carbon and resilient transition.

3) Excellent project management and networking skills:

e. Ability to develop funding requests and partnership proposals with international organisations and donors.
f. Ability to work in a team while being proactive and autonomous on assigned tasks.
g. Ability to develop, implement, and adapt a work programme according to the international agenda.
h. Appetite and ability to organise technical and high-level events in person and remotely.