Lead - Research, Data and Impact

Data Analysis & Technical Research New Delhi, India Mumbai, India, India Bengaluru, India, India


Lead - Research, Data and Impact
 
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 the 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 300 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. 
About the Program: 
 
The Research, Data and Impact (RDI) team in WRI India is dedicated to creating a results-based learning culture and ensuring research excellence and the protection of human subjects across programs and international offices. The team oversees a rigorous quality assurance process for all knowledge products bearing the WRI logo. WRI measures the success of its publications in terms of the quality of the research and in its ability to drive change in the world in ways that support the transformation of three human systems (Food-land-water; Energy; Cities) and relevant enabling systems (Climate, Finance, Economics, and Governance).
About your role:  
 
You will help foster a culture of excellence to ensure high quality research across WRI India that contributes to WRI’s mission and goals. You will oversee the review process for products assigned to you and will be willing to stand up for quality under pressure. You will derive satisfaction from helping others succeed. You will also maintain an active interest in research. 
You will mentor research staff, develop and provide research training and ensure ethical research and data practices. You will work closely with the WRI India programs to help close the loop between problem definition, research design, evidence building and country and program strategies. You will be supported by the rest of the Research, Data and Impact team in India and by colleagues based in all WRI’s offices. You will report to the Director of Research, Data and Impact, at WRI India.
How your day will unfold: 
 
Ensure that all WRI India-branded knowledge products meet WRI’s quality standards and are designed to deliver actionable results (50% of time)
  • Work with Global and India RDI teams to oversee the peer review process for WRI India knowledge and data products
  • Use expert judgement to ensure that all WRI India-branded knowledge products meet WRI quality standards for research integrity
  • Guide research design (problem definition, questions, methodology), methods, data analysis and interpretation. Offer inputs for effective writing to ensure that the publication is fit for the intended audience and is coherent with other WRI knowledge products
  • Assist research staff in identifying external experts who can provide objective, relevant and critical reviews of drafts
  • Help implement WRI’s Human Subject Protection protocols and a framework for responsible data use.
Strengthen a culture of excellence in policy research (20% of time)
  • Foster a strong culture of excellence in policy research across the organization, working closely with the WRI India programs and the Global RDI team
  • Foster and facilitate research collaborations and partnerships with academia, peer research organizations and external experts to introduce diverse perspectives and new/ cutting-edge knowledge on WRI issues and strengthen WRI research outputs
  • Nurture a learning culture where constructive criticism and candor are valued, and staff feel empowered to ask questions and discuss failures 
  • Work with programs to systematically close the loop between problem identification, policy-relevant research, learning and evidence-building and program planning and implementation.
Provide mentoring and support to strengthen WRI India’s capacity to conduct high-quality actionable research (30% of time)
  • Identify skills gaps and contribute to the development of RDI research training modules to address those gaps 
  • Participate in hiring of research-related staff
  • Review large grants and contribute to research components of fundraising proposals
  • Engage in joint or independent research and writing.
Qualifications and Requirements we seek:
Education: Ph.D. in a social or natural sciences discipline relevant to environment and development or in fields such as environmental planning, public policy, or management. Graduate training in both natural and social sciences is a plus. 
Experience: 10-12 years of post-undergraduate experience (this includes time spent in pursuing your Ph.D.) in conducting policy-relevant research related to environment and development and at least 5+ years overseeing junior researchers.
  • Strong analytical skills, inter-disciplinary training, preferably at the graduate level, and a commitment to policy-relevant research.
  • Demonstrated interest in sustainable and equitable development, with experience in any one or more of the three human systems (viz., Food-land-water; Energy; Cities) and three enabling systems (Finance, Economics, and Governance) across which WRI’s work is organized.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and interest in research methodology, experience in a range of research methods, (quantitative or qualitative), and experience with multi-disciplinary policy relevant research
  • Experience publishing in high-quality international journals or other peer-reviewed venues and reviewing for international journals or other outlets.
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor, guide and support research teams with different levels of research experience, give constructive feedback and clearly explain the reasoning behind decisions 
  • A strong understanding of critical environmental and development challenges in India, a natural curiosity and interest in keeping current with the latest research, data and evidence and policies relevant to WRI India’s mission and work.
  • Excellent oral and written English skills.
Location: Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, India 

Salary and Benefits: INR 21,00,000 to INR 25,00,000 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) 
To Apply: 
Only Qualified applicants should apply online at https://jobs.jobvite.com/wri/jobs. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. 
List of Documents to be attached: 
Submission of a cover letter, a CV/resume and a writing sample is required.  Final candidates will be invited to provide a review of a sample draft.
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.  
Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here  
People-centric to the core:
We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.  
Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:

Health benefits: 
We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs  
Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member  
Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance  
Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle  
Flexible work schedule:  Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job  
Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities  
Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.  
Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.  
Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)  
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.