Associate / Senior Associate - Center for Climate Aligned Finance
Do you love solving challenging problems and thinking about systemic change? Are you passionate helping financial institutions make a tangible impact to address climate change? Have you worked in the financial sector? Are you knowledgeable about industrial decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors? Do you have academic or professional experience with financial regulation or public/private blended finance programs? If yes, then join our growing team!
RMI is seeking an Associate or Senior Associate (entry and mid-level research and collaboration positions) to support the work of the Center for Climate-Aligned Finance. At RMI, we know we’re stronger together when we embrace different perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and identities. We encourage diverse candidates to apply.
We will carefully review each application to determine the appropriate starting position level (Associate or Senior Associate), and this will be communicated during the interview process.
Program Overview
Expectations about the role of private financial institutions in shaping a sustainable planet have evolved rapidly and have now converged on the notion of climate alignment. Climate alignment is the process of bringing the global economy’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with 1.5°C temperature targets. This means addressing emissions from the production and purchase of goods and services—what is often called the “real economy.” For private financial institutions, climate alignment means actively using levers of influence with the intent of helping move the real economy toward net-zero emissions.
While climate alignment is a powerful theory that could provide a definitive approach for the financial sector to drive long-term decarbonization, implementation poses daunting challenges. RMI’s Center for Climate-Aligned Finance was established as an “engine room” to help private financial institutions partner with their clients, industry leaders, and key buyers to develop practical and scalable solutions to the barriers to climate alignment. The Center’s work is fast paced but is balanced by a supportive and friendly team culture.
Position Overview
RMI is seeking several qualified candidates to join its growing team as an Associate or Senior Associate. In this role, you will support our work developing insights and solutions to drive greater climate alignment in the financial sector. Depending on professional experience and interest, you may provide support on a range of topics, such as:
- Enable financial institutions to make climate-alignment commitments, work to clarify what these commitments mean for different types of firms, such as banks, asset owners, asset managers, etc., and how to apply best practices to accelerate implementation.
- Work with financial institutions and their corporate clients to support decarbonization of hard to abate sectors by building solutions to common barriers: pathways, data, methodologies, and competition.
- Develop insights, recommendations, and programs to build voluntary, statutory, and regulatory frameworks for decarbonization.
- Provide clarity to policy makers on where public risk sharing and concessional finance is needed to mobilize private finance for rapid scale-up of low and zero-carbon technologies.
Associates and Senior Associates support a wide range of activities, including developing insight briefs and presentations, stakeholder engagement and management, strategy development, planning and facilitation of workshops and events, and research. Core responsibilities vary depending on work assignment but generally entail:
- Developing research and thought leadership products, including discussion papers, concept notes, reports, blogs, and presentations
- Leading and/or supporting stakeholder outreach and engagement at a range of institutions (including private financial institutions, companies, and non-governmental organizations), including conducting interviews, managing partnerships, and supporting recruitment and participation of external stakeholders in the Center’s workstreams
- Planning, designing, and facilitating workshops
- Representing RMI and the Center for Climate-Aligned Finance at conferences and events
- Preparing proposals, pitch decks, grant reports and other donor-facing materials
- Developing and managing work plans
Minimum Qualifications
- bachelors degree plus 2 years experience in a relevant field such as finance, clean energy, environmental justice, economics, business, risk management, or business consulting is required.
- Ability to leverage existing knowledge of financial institutions, capital markets, and/or financial regulation and willingness to expand into new subject matter
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through
- Ability to work in a fast-paced work environment
- Ability to work both independently and as a highly collaborative team player
- Proactive problem solver who is willing to develop and share ideas internally and externally, and is comfortable with open-ended projects
Additional Minimum Qualifications for Senior Associate Candidates
- 4 years of work experience in a related field or graduate degree plus 2 years of experience is required
- Previous experience in private finance (financial institution, service provider, business consultancy, international development finance institution, financial regulation, etc.) and/or professional knowledge of industrial decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors (including aviation, aluminum, concrete and cement, and heavy duty trucking)
- Functional knowledge of the structure of different financial institutions (asset managers, commercial banks, investment banks)
- Experience planning and/or facilitating events and workshops, and strong external engagement skills
- Experience with research, analysis, and development of thought-leadership products (experience with sustainable finance topics would be ideal but is not a requirement)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working in asset management, private equity, pension funds, credit rating agencies, or insurance
- Understanding of sectoral decarbonization for hard-to-abate sectors
- Understanding of portfolio climate alignment methodologies
- Understanding of science-based target setting tools and methodologies
- Expertise in carbon accounting across asset classes, carbon accounting methodologies, such as PCAF
- Knowledge/expertise in sustainability reporting and disclosure frameworks (SASB, IFRS, GRI, etc.)
- Knowledge of opportunities for public/private programs to share risk and provide concessional finance to scale low and zero-carbon technologies, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program, Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
Location
These positions will remain remote through the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the COVID-19 situation improves, it is expected that these roles be located at one of our offices in New York City, Washington D.C., or Boulder. Additional locations may be considered on an exceptional basis at the sole discretion of RMI. This will be discussed further throughout the interview process.
Compensation
The starting Associate level salary range is $68,000-$75,000 with a 5% bonus target. This is based on experience that will be vetted through the interview process.
The starting Senior Associate level salary is $76,500-$85,000 with a 5% bonus target. This is based on experience that will be vetted through the interview process.
Benefits
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Medical, dental, vision insurance
- 403b retirement options (5% match immediately)
- Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability
- Professional and personal development (including LinkedIn Learning access)
- Generous paid time off
- Parental leave
- Commuter and wellness benefits
- Casual work environment
Diversity
Increasing the diversity of thought, perspectives, ideas, and opinions within RMI is a critical change element supporting our long-term sustainability and mission to build a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future.
We strive for a level of diversity that reflects the communities we serve. Achieving this—regardless of ability, race, ethnicity, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, socioeconomic class, educational institution or other social identities—is critical to the success of each RMIer and collectively as an organization. This ensures that we:
- Have the different array of thinking that comes from diverse backgrounds and cultures, enabling us to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges.
- Strive for a culture of inclusion and belonging by treating others with dignity, respect and appreciation enabling them to feel welcomed, supported and valued.
- Effectively connect, communicate and build long-lasting relationships with decision makers, stakeholders and constituents within diverse communities.
RMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
About RMI
RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.