Senior Program Associate – Just Transition, Climate, Economics & Finance Program

The Senior Program Associate for the Climate, Economics & Finance Program at WRI India will engage with stakeholders in Maharashtra to support a just transition to low-carbon systems. Responsibilities include conducting research, facilitating on-ground activities, and providing recommendations to ensure equitable outcomes for vulnerable groups affected by climate change. The role requires collaboration with MSMEs, policymakers, and local partners to develop a Just EV transition pathway.
Senior Program Associate – Just Transition, Climate, Economics and Finance program

Who we are and what we do?

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’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. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 250 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

Program Overview for Climate, Economics & Finance:

At WRI India’s Climate, Economics & Finance Program we focus on cutting-edge, robust research and integrated solutions that can enable a low-carbon transition in India, while ensuring that the transition is equitable and just for its people and protects natural resources. Through applied research, the use of frameworks and tools, partnerships with key stakeholders and ground-level implementation, we seek to achieve impact at scale.

About your role:

India’s decarbonization targets aim to place the country on a low-carbon development path while balancing its climate ambitions with developmental goals to improve living standards. However, climate change is already affecting communities, and the transition to low-carbon systems in energy, industry, and transport, while beneficial overall, may disproportionately impact vulnerable groups like informal workers, small businesses, low-income households, and women.

To ensure a just and equitable transition, WRI India’s Climate, Economics & Finance Program focuses on strengthening capacities of small business owners, workers, and women across key transitioning sectors such as automotive, textiles, e-waste etc.

In this regard, the Climate, Economics & Finance Program at WRI India is seeking a dynamic candidate to join the team as a Senior Program Associate to contribute to the ongoing work with industry, MSME, and policymakers in Maharashtra to help support a “just” transition by identifying needs and piloting interventions along with drawing up a Just EV transition pathway for the state. The Senior Program Associate will play a critical role in:
• Successfully engaging with MSMEs, policymakers, local partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Conducting research and implementation of the project.
• Drawing key insights and providing recommendations to meet the objectives and deliver impact.
• Facilitating on-ground activities at the state or cluster level.

How your day will unfold:
• Engage with a wide range of stakeholders in Maharashtra, including automotive industry stakeholders, industry associations, skilling agencies, and local & state government representatives for our ongoing initiatives, collecting primary data, seeking collaborations, and undertaking joint initiatives aimed at creating a state-level EV transition pathway.
• Support the project team in conducting primary and secondary research on the ongoing transition from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) to EVs in the Indian automotive sector, especially in Maharashtra.
• Facilitate testing of interventions, skill training, and other on-ground activities at the cluster and state level.
• Present insights/findings on behalf of WRI India at relevant multi-stakeholder forums. Produce project-related presentations, reports, commentaries, blogs, op-eds, policy briefs, grant proposals, working papers, and articles to disseminate research and analysis, independently and in collaboration with team members.
• Conceptualize and conduct workshops and capacity-building activities required for the project, in collaboration with the team.
• Design and create innovative problem-solving approaches to effectively address key questions and challenges posed by our research goals and program objectives.
• Contribute and engage with WRI’s research community in India and globally.

Qualifications and experience we seek:
• A master's or higher degree in social sciences, public policy, climate policy, environmental studies, or related fields.
• At least 4 years of work experience in sustainable development research, with preferably some experience in liaising with MSMEs, government, or local communities.
• Strong communication skills and language proficiency (reading, writing, and speaking skills) in English. Proficiency in Marathi will be highly preferred.
• Good working knowledge of the sustainable mobility domain, electric vehicle segment, automotive sector, and energy transition.
• Experience in undertaking GHG measurement and management interventions or energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in MSMEs or planning and implementing skilling programs or capacity building for small businesses, women, or skilled/semi-skilled workers is highly desirable.
• Willingness to travel to MSME clusters for research and engagement is a must.
• Experience in working with and coordinating across multiple stakeholders is preferred.
• Ability to engage constructively and collaboratively with team members and a strong sense of respect for team members and stakeholders.
• Responsible, resourceful, self-motivated, and keen to learn.
• Prior experience in sustainable mobility and/or in the automotive sector is a bonus.

Salary and Benefits: 16,00,000 INR to 18,00,000 INR CTC Per annum. Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Duration: 1 year (extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Location: Pune, Mumbai, India

Start date: As soon as possible.

List of Documents to be attached:
• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purposes.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns, and information about diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment; it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.