Back Lead, Behavior Insights for Climate Action

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month 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, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the Program:

The world needs to cut its emissions in half by 2030, reach net-zero by mid-century and adapt to prevent the worst effects of climate change. This will require a transformation in the economic, financial and governance systems at global and country levels, to simultaneously achieve the world’s people, nature and climate goals. To address this important challenge, WRI’s Global Climate, Economics and Finance (CEF) Program undertakes research and analysis; develops tools and standards; communicates and engages; and builds coalition and capacity to accelerate climate ambition, country transitions and the required shifts in economic and financial systems and incentives. We work with national governments, policymakers, businesses, civil society, local governments, and other non-state actors as they pursue their own emissions-reduction and adaptation goals. We work at the global level and in partnership with WRI’s twelve focus countries and regions and WRI’s ‘human system transition’ teams (focused on energy, cities and food/land/water) to deliver this transformation. Within the CEF Program, the Action Pillar leads WRI's work on adaptation and enabling the systems needed for countries to transition. This includes building capacity within governments and institutions to prioritize climate resilience investments and supporting locally led adaptation at scale. The Action Pillar also helps countries identify climate-resilient, low-emission development pathways, designing equitable policies and securing financing to achieve these transitions.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Global Economics Director, you will champion efforts to embed cutting-edge behavioural science across the CEF Program and WRI's wider work. This will be done in part through The Living Lab for Equitable Climate Action (TLL) initiative. Situated within CEF’s Action Pillar and working across the Institute, TLL leverages behavioural science to drive sustainable and equitable climate solutions by: 1) partnering with stakeholders to identify policies that can shift the most impactful climate-related behaviours; 2) co-designing field experiments to test impactful solutions to behavioural challenges 3) leveraging partnerships to catalyse our research and accelerate adoption of policies at subnational, national and international levels; and 4) exploring both climate and the socio-economic/wellbeing benefits of proposed behavioural policy changes. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in behavioural science, its applications to sustainability and climate action, and a proven track record leading complex multi-stakeholder initiatives. Strong leadership, collaborative skills, and a commitment to equitable climate solutions are essential.

What will you do:

Program Management (30%):

• Lead CEF´s work on behaviour science applications for climate action, providing strategic vision and operational oversight for TLL and related work, ensuring the initiative achieves its ambitious goals and is coordinated with WRI and CEF strategies
• Supervise consultants and external partners, and manage research staff to the needs of the workstream
• Cultivate and steward high-level partnerships with businesses, governments, NGOs, and other key stakeholders to drive collaborative action in behaviour change
• Represent WRI and CEF externally, speaking at conferences, engaging the media, and building the initiative’s profile in alignment with CEF goals and WRI mission
• Serve as a thought leader within CEF and for WRI on the behavioural angle of climate action and just transitions, integrating equity throughout

  Strategy (20%):

  • Work with the Climate Action Pillar Sr. Director and the Global Economics Director to set and track strategy, identify opportunities for impact, and leverage behavior science and knowledge to enhance project design and effectiveness across Action Pillar, CEF, and WRI work
  • Advise CEF and WRI's leadership on the role of behavioral science in advancing equitable climate action
  • Integrate behavioural insights into CEF and WRI efforts to support human system transition teams (focused on energy, cities, and food/land/water), ensuring that work is aligned to country strategies and WRI’s overall 5-year strategy
  • Foster a culture of innovation, learning, and continuous improvement by creating learning opportunities for WRI staff to apply insights from behavioral sciences to their work
  • Identify opportunities to scale successful interventions and influence policy changes that enable widespread behaviour shifts

    Research & Communications (20%):

    • Collaborate with WRI's subject matter experts to integrate behavioral insights into their research and relevant programmatic work
    • Serve as author or co-author on major research publications, communications materials, policy briefs, and other knowledge products for internal, expert, and public audiences
    • Cultivate internal and external partnerships to identify research gaps and opportunities, design effective behavioral solutions and drive collaborative action
    • Conduct and oversee impactful research- both desk research and field studies.
    • Amplify the reach of behavioral science through communications and policy engagement
    • Provide expert review and sign off on publications relevant to behavior change and climate action

      Fundraising (30%):

      • Serve as primary fundraising lead for behaviour insights strategy and relevant projects, and share intelligence to ensure critical work is adequately resourced and fundraising efforts are coordinated and cross-cutting where possible
      • Cultivate opportunities to fundraise for work packages that drive Behaviour Initiative strategy and goals, inclusive of in-country and cross-program inputs and teams
      • Lead proposals to funding organizations in the 6- and 7-figure range; working closely with fundraising teams to engage donors, write compelling grants, and secure funding for collaborative projects

        What will you need:

        • Education: You have completed a Master's degree or PhD in behavioural science, psychology, public policy, or a related field, or sufficient additional experience to demonstrate advanced expertise
        • Experience: You have a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder, multi-country behaviour change research with a track record of achieving measurable impact. Should include at least 3 years’ experience in team or program management
        • Experience launching and growing a new initiative, including establishing operational processes, building a team, securing funding, and creating and fostering internal and external partnerships
        • Proven ability to secure funding from diverse sources, including foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and strategic alliances
        • An established network and experience building partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and industry leaders
        • Strong people mentoring, program management and leadership skills
        • Demonstrated commitment to centering equity, inclusion, and diverse perspectives in research and program design
        • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of publishing articles, blogs, and books
        • Experience managing annual budgets of more than $500,000, ensuring timely delivery of projects, maintaining strong relationships with funders, and ensuring excellent financial oversight and reporting
        • Demonstrated ability to translate complex research into accessible narratives for diverse audiences
        • Languages: Professional fluency in English required; other languages a plus
        • 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.