Senior Manager, Grid Decarbonization and Markets

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You will be based in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the Program:

The WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition has ambition to accelerate the energy transition by driving innovation, spurring economic growth, and making sustainable energy reliable, accessible, and inclusive for all. Its approach focuses on pragmatic strategies that turn bold ideas into real-world results by addressing policy, economic, and technical barriers across diverse contexts.

WRI helps speed the transition to a clean and inclusive energy future through objective and well-supported thought leadership and uplifting stakeholders interested in the same. To decarbonize the power, industry and transportation sectors, WRI's Polsky Energy Center engages with policymakers, regulators, utilities, large energy buyers, and key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels. WRI undertakes research to support action on topics related to overcoming barriers to clean energy development, including cost-effective grid expansion, evolving power markets to enable the clean energy transition, leveraging demand-side flexibility, and scaling new technology adoption to accelerate progress towards 100% clean energy.

WRI's work on grids and markets has included engagement with state and local stakeholders to advance solutions to enabling grid and market reforms to enable deployment of clean energy and facilitate grid decarbonization. WRI has also worked with large energy buyers to identify how they can advance grid and market solutions to meet their clean energy goals.

WRI's work on grids also includes research examining siting practices, benefits to communities, and exploring whether there are win-win solutions to engagement and provision of benefits to enable more rapid deployment of needed infrastructure.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to Director of US Energy, you will integrate equity into your work. You will play a leading role in advancing WRI's US work to advance grid and power market solutions to enable decarbonization. As a senior expert, you will take a leading role in managing our grid related work and our engagement with key stakeholders including state and local actors. You will manage WRI's growing body of strategic research on grid and transmission issues while supporting engagement and knowledge products on power grids and markets.

You manage a portfolio of projects related to grids, transmission, and power markets, working with key experts across the team also leading related work. You will facilitate expansion and upgrades to grids and advance needed reforms by providing training, technical assistance, and support for states and local governments, policymakers, and other entities enable a clean energy transition. You will help us form additional partnerships, engage with utilities, regulators, and market operators, and align our work with other NGOs and actors.

You will write issue briefs, contribute to blogs and WRI knowledge products, author external articles, and engage with states and local agencies, large energy users, policymakers, utilities, and other stakeholders to address barriers. You will also help support local government coalitions or collaborations to advance market reforms and provide data for transmission planning. You will help fundraise for new projects, ensure high quality delivery of products for current projects, working with the team. In a management role, you will also support the growth of junior research staff.

Work with management on strategy and project development, you will be in a position to evolve this portfolio of work overtime, as new opportunities arise. You will also leverage partnerships and expertise across WRI's programs, centers, and international offices, while cultivating partnerships with community organizations, external experts, and government officials.

You should be innovative and entrepreneurial thinkers with an ability to identify and pursue new opportunities. You should also be able to effectively communicate insights from technical research to non-technical audiences both verbally and in writing.

What will you do:

Program Management and Strategy (35%):

• Develop strategies for advancing solutions to expand and decarbonize grids to enable an affordable, reliable and clean energy future
• Manage projects to enable groups of stakeholders to accelerate solutions to expanding grids and evolving markets to enable grid decarbonization
• Engage WRI research staff to ensure that shared insights are incorporated into ongoing workstreams to maximize alignment
• Supervise the work of junior researchers and interns
• Coordinate across WRI programs and issue areas to leverage institutional expertise and build internal support for the team's work
• Oversee project teams to ensure delivery of high-quality work products in a timely manner

Stakeholder Engagement (35%):

• Lead stakeholder convenings and events to identify preferred processes and pathways to removing deployment barriers
• Represent WRI in major stakeholder dialogues around transitioning power markets, and convene WRI dialogues where appropriate
• Build partnerships and engage with key stakeholders and partners to align work and collaborate on efforts as need to drive collective impact
• Speak at public events and with the media

Research and Analysis (30%):

• Develop educational resources and thought leadership resources to advance solutions that facilitate grid expansion, methods of meeting electricity needs, and the evolution of power markets to enable clean energy deployment
• Develop high-quality, high-impact reports, issue briefs, case studies, and blogs
• Help incorporate insights into WRI's broader portfolio of work on the power sector by participating in internal and external peer review processes for publications and papers
• Leverage insights from ongoing engagement to build and execute a high-impact strategy for WRI, including identifying opportunities for collaboration with NGOs and stakeholders to address grid-related challenges that can impact decarbonization

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed a bachelor's degree (master's or PhD preferred) in a relevant field. Relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted
• Experience: You have a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional work experience
• Experience with and understanding of transmission regulation and policy, and wholesale power market operations
• Candidate must be self-motivated and entrepreneurial thinker with an ability to identify new opportunities while juggling multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines
• Project management experience
• Strong research, writing and oral presentation skills are essential
• Experience engaging and educating stakeholders, such as states, utilities, and power market operators is preferred
• You will require some domestic travel
• Languages: Proficiency in verbal and written English
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: US salary range is between 116,000 and 139,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of 30 April 2025. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.

We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter in addition to your resume.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure
• Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Vision Coverage, retirement plan access and employer contribution

About Us:

World Resources Institute works to improve people's lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Our mission and values:

WRI's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.