Job title: Research Associate/ Assistant Director of Research
Term: Full Time
Deadline: Sunday 22nd October 2023
Location: Remote Working
Company: Giving Green
Salary: $50,000-$80,000 for RA and $90,000-$120,000 for AD

About Giving Green

Who is Giving Green? We research and publicize highly effective giving opportunities in climate—that is, organizations doing impactful work with a strong need for additional funding—to empower everyone to move money towards high-impact solutions. Launched just three years ago, Giving Green has moved millions of dollars and landed press mentions in Vox, the Atlantic, Time, and more. Our flagship “product” is our nonprofit recommendations, and we have also published work on corporate climate strategies and climate and ESG investing. We also work with businesses, foundations, and others to advise their climate giving under specific constraints, e.g. our guide for Australian donors who need to give to in-country charities.

Giving Green is fiscally sponsored by IDinsight, a global data analytics and advisory firm. Your experience day-to-day will be like that of working at a small startup, but you’ll have the infrastructure and support of a more established organization. 

Who are we looking for?

• Research Associate (RA): You will help the team identify effective climate impact strategies, and the organizations implementing them, by conducting literature reviews, digging through data, developing quantitative models, speaking with experts, and more.

• Associate Director (AD): You will manage all steps of our research process, including setting the research agenda, supervising the process, guiding team members, and approving final outputs. Depending on your expertise, you’ll also lead research in certain areas. The team will rely on your expertise and careful assessment to maintain rigorous and high-quality work standards.

Your responsibilities may include:

• Research:

  • Conduct literature reviews and expert interviews to identify effective interventions in climate policy and technology.

  • Conduct quantitative analyses of the impact of policies, technologies, and organizations on the climate.

  • Write detailed research reports as well as shortform content for a general audience.

  • Collaborate with other researchers through discussion and review.

• Management:

  • Lead (AD) or contribute to (RA) development of research agenda, priorities, frameworks, and metrics. Ensure our research is contributing to our ultimate goal of moving money to high-impact climate solutions.

  • (AD) Manage and mentor other researchers, who will be your direct reports.

• Outreach (<10%):

  • (AD) Build and maintain trusted relationships with communities in climate and philanthropy, including partners and clients.

  • Represent our research to journalists and the public.

  • Draft or review research-related communications (e.g. blog posts) to ensure our materials accurately reflect research findings.

If you are only interested in the RA role or only in the AD role, please note this in the application. Otherwise, applicants will be considered for both roles by default.

Desired qualifications (Note: We know that strong candidates may not check all boxes, but we are looking for strength in some areas and a willingness to grow in others.)

• General qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree; advanced degrees preferred but not required

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

  • Ability to develop your own work timelines and products; comfort taking initiative on a small team

  • Entrepreneurial spirit, passion for taking action on climate change, and strong values aligned with Giving Green’s values

• Climate experience, including but not limited to the following:

  • Climate philanthropy. You’ve been a program assistant or program officer in a climate or environmental area, thinking through the hard problems of how to assess impact and need for funding in an inherently uncertain space.

  • Climate policy. You’ve drafted and/or advocated for climate legislation, conducted the research behind new regulations, or otherwise gotten an inside view of the process.

  • Climate tech. You might have worked as a climate investor or worked for a climate tech firm. You’re up to date on cutting edge innovations and you understand the hard technical challenges of decarbonization.

  • Carbon credits. You might have conducted research on the offset market or helped a firm go carbon neutral.

• Experience with desk-based research, e.g.:

  • Writing formal reports for general and expert audiences, especially writing about technical or quantitative topics

  • Quantitative modeling, e.g. cost-effectiveness analyses

  • Impact evaluations / monitoring and evaluation work 

• (AD) Experience managing a research team, e.g.:

  • Managing junior researchers to produce written deliverables. Providing topical expertise and guidance on critical reasoning and transparency.

  • Setting a research agenda, with an eye on high-level strategy and how it contributes to overall org strategy. Adapting to changing demands on research capacity as needed, e.g. prioritizing and finding efficiencies to keep workloads balanced.

All else equal, candidates with experience in a range of climate impact strategies and a strong background in desk-based research will receive stronger consideration.

Nuts and bolts:

• We are a fully remote team. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the country in which they will be based.

• This is an exempt position.

• Compensation is competitive for the non-profit sector, and will be tailored to the location and experience of the applicant. As a benchmark, for a full-time (5-day week), US-based hire, we are targeting $50,000-$80,000 for RA and $90,000-$120,000 for AD. If you have a salary requirement, please indicate this in your application.

• We offer comprehensive benefits to full-time employees: comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work from home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

• Our team members can choose to work 3-, 4-, or 5-day work weeks, with salary and benefits adjusted accordingly. 

• The desired start date is Jan 08, 2024, with some flexibility.

• Applications received by Oct 22, 2023 will be prioritized.

We want to make a major difference in the movement to stop climate change, and you could play a crucial role in advancing our mission.

For more information or to apply for this role, please visit the Giving Green website. 

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