Senior Policy Advisor

About Us

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with more than 30 years of experience working to solve today's greatest sustainable development challenges. We combine deep expertise across critical policy areas with a collaborative approach to research, advice, and hands-on support that delivers real-world results. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are a diverse team of over 300 experts working from offices in Canada and Switzerland as well as other locations around the world

Overview

The Senior Policy Advisor contributes to the development, implementation, management, and reporting of research and outputs related to the Energy Program . The Senior Policy Advisor is expected to

(a) Develop thematic expertise relating to an aspect of the program and secure and manage projects relating to this thematic expertise; and/or

(b) Develop general expertise across the program and manage a range of projects across the pillar simultaneously.

This position is expected to focus in large part on the Energy Program’s pillar of work on Public Financial Flows. The Senior Policy Advisor will in particular play an active role in delivering major policy research and engagement projects as part of IISD’s work program in Indonesia, including two major projects — the Emissions Ambition for Sustainable Economies in Southeast Asia (EASE-SEA) initiative and Energy is the Key to a Climate Stable Future (EnerKey) — focused on carbon pricing and transport electrification, respectively. Both projects will involve activities that go beyond only Indonesia, applying also to the Philippines and Viet Nam. The Senior Policy Advisor will work with international colleagues to support international initiatives and may support IISD activities in other countries or internationally, as required, as IISD’s project portfolio evolves over time.

Detailed Description of Responsibilities

Reporting to the Lead, Indonesia Energy Transition and Electric Mobility, the Senior Policy Advisor has the following responsibilities:

Policy Research

Lead the delivery of primary and secondary research in assigned thematic areas, such as the existing carbon pricing policy context or the policy support required to achieve national ambitions on transport electrification, working with a good deal of independence to ensure the successful completion of projects and working with contractors, as required.

Deliver research and other project outputs to the required standard , including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports, asking for guidance and advice as required to ensure the successful delivery of quality outputs.

Undertake research and/or design and manage research conducted by more junior colleagues, consultants, and institutional partners , focusing on technical rather than financial deliverables, such as identifying and estimating the financial value of taxes and support policies related to energy; estimating the relative cost of different energy technologies through Excel-based models; estimating the micro- and macroeconomic impacts of changes in taxes and support policies related to energy, including impacts disaggregated by gender and other identities and impacts on household incomes; running consultations with policy and industry stakeholders; and designing schemes to pilot and evaluate the potential for specific policy solutions.

Draft and take lead editorial responsibility for major English-language research reports and other project outputs to a publication-ready standard , including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports.

Develop and conduct capacity building for governments and regional and national parliamentary bodies on law and policy.

Review existing laws and policies or draft relevant model laws/contracts.

Contribute to tracking and influencing normative processes for relevant institutions and prepare commentaries, reports, and paper contributions for different processes.

Outreach and Communications

Represent IISD projects and programs to clients and stakeholders, including at forums, conferences, and public events.

Establish and maintain contacts with domestic and international project partners, including stakeholders in the government, academia, non-governmental and international organizations, civil society, private sectors, and media, with appropriate support from senior colleagues.

Maintain and identify new contacts with domestic and international project partners.

Develop, maintain, and deliver original content relating to law and policy developments, including team briefings, op-eds, quarterly newsletters, webinars, and blogs.

Keep up to date regarding emerging issues related to the project and the broader Energy and ELP Programs.

Work with the IISD Communications team and colleagues to ensure the development of communications materials that are relevant to national policy discourse for maximum policy or implementation impact.

Strategy, Vision, and Team Leadership (within the specific projects/areas of thematic expertise to which they are assigned)

Contribute to identifying challenges, emerging issues, and solutions.

Contribute to the development and growth of new projects.

Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.

Manage own time and inputs on projects to deliver research outputs on time and to budget.

Supervise and guide assigned team members.

Fundraising

Identify fundraising opportunities based on existing work or new ideas and support fundraising efforts by establishing and strengthening relationships with existing and potential donors.

Initiate and contribute to drafting proposals for specific funding opportunities.

Operations

Design and implement projects that support current program initiatives in collaboration with IISD staff, affiliates, partners, and consultants.

Set up and manage parts of projects as required, ensuring that delivery risks are highlighted and escalated as appropriate.

Participate in project missions , arranging elements of the mission as appropriate.

Manage the organization and documentation of webinars, meetings, and public consultations , as required.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Qualifications

A minimum of a master’s degree in energy, social science, politics, environment, and climate change or a relevant interdisciplinary program or equivalent.

Experience

At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in energy and climate policy at a national or international level, with a focus on energy and climate policy research and modelling.

Demonstrated experience in building new institutional relationships and partnerships through entrepreneurial outreach and networking.

Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality briefing materials in support of policy research teams or meetings with policy-makers, ideally in the context of energy and climate policy.

Technical Skills

An understanding of policy research processes and methods. The successful candidate will have experience working with researchers to develop messages and ideas for communication with policy-makers and civil society audiences.

Experience in quantitative and qualitative research tools, such as structured interviews, political economy, or focus group research.

Data savvy, with demonstrated analytical skills and the ability to think critically and learn fast. Strong attention to detail, including the ability to conduct quality control checks of one’s own work.

An understanding of relevant ministries and departments related to energy, tax, trade, infrastructure development, and climate change, like power, petroleum, coal, electricity, renewable energy, electric mobility and transport, fiscal measures, and international trade, at both the national and subnational levels.

Core Competencies

Familiarity with sus