Senior Policy Advisor, Oil & Gas Phaseouts at The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD

About the Position

The Senior Policy Advisor, Oil and Gas Phaseouts, will work as part of IISD’s pillar on Phasing Out Fossil Fuels, which delivers research, policy proposals, and strategic advice to support a Paris-aligned, managed phaseout of oil and gas production and the end of public finance to fossil fuels. The team collaborates with a large range of stakeholders, including civil society organizations and networks, international organizations, governments, and media. This position is based within the IISD Energy Program. The candidate will work with a diverse and dynamic team of around 50 experts based in IISD offices, as well as remotely in India, Indonesia, South Africa, and other countries.

The Senior Policy Advisor will play a key role in the team and in the Energy Program by designing and implementing effective advocacy strategies. In particular, they will help ensure that 1) the ideas of “no new oil and gas” and “oil and gas phaseouts” are normalized in policy and investor discourse via our work on unpacking energy scenarios, and 2) commitments to end international public finance for all fossil fuels over time are adopted by an increasingly larger number of countries and institutions and implemented with integrity. They will collaborate with civil society in the Global North and South to strengthen ongoing campaigns and engage bilaterally with governments, national oil companies, public finance institutions, and investor coalitions to influence their strategic decisions. Their key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to:

• Developing and implementing a strategy, including monitoring progress and delivering on external change objectives.
• Setting up and running projects from beginning to end in a range of countries and internationally, taking responsibility for delivering outputs, achieving objectives, staffing, reporting, and working with financial project managers.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with contacts in civil society networks, governments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and media.
• As the team grows, recruiting and managing new staff members.
• Maintaining relationships with existing funders and seeking new ones.
• Working with IISD Communications to promote the results of the work.

About the Successful Applicant

• The successful applicant will be a recognized leader in enhancing international climate ambition. They will have excellent strategic awareness and an entrepreneurial attitude to policy change. They will be natural influencers with powerful communication skills and the ability to readily form trusted relationships with government officials and civil society partners. They will have an excellent understanding of how the climate community operates and, ideally, knowledge of oil and gas supply, including the social and political challenges of energy transitions in complex contexts. They will also be confident supporting a growing team through a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and shared learning.

The successful applicant will also have (essential):

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., natural resource management, economics, public finance, international and development studies, political science, engineering, sociology, or interdisciplinary studies).
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in policy-making or influencing.
• Excellent strategic thinking with a demonstrated track record of establishing successful projects and delivering outcomes.
• An understanding of climate change and its broad implications for energy systems.
• A demonstrated understanding of the policy-making and environment interface in several developed, developing, or emerging economies.
• Confident and engaging communication skills.
• A “can-do” work attitude and ability to work both independently and in different team roles, managing the workload and producing deliverables on time and within budget.
• A proven record of project and staff management, ideally involving international collaborations and emerging or developing country partners, and strong demonstrated organizational and planning s
• A strong network of relationships with civil society organizations, policy-makers, institutions, and other relevant actors in the climate and energy communities.
• A strong ability to work comfortably across different cultures and be inclusive and positive with different colleagues.
• Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications and experience in handling web-based communications and management systems.
• Excellent oral and written English.
• Availability to travel internationally.

The successful applicant could also have (desirable):

• Previous experience working on phasing out finance for fossil fuels and phasing out oil and gas production.
• Experience working in or with emerging and developing countries.
• Proficiency (reading, writing, speaking) in other languages, especially Spanish, French, or Arabic.
• Experience in fundraising.
• Experience in managing staff.