Green Finance Advocate

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

NRDC is seeking a Green Finance Advocate to work with the Green Finance Center team, in any of NRDC’s  office locations, with a preference for Washington, DC.

Position Summary

NRDC’s Green Finance Center (GFC) is seeking a Green Finance Advocate to provide support for the GFC’s work focusing on the critical role public and private capital play in delivering a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient economy. The Green Finance Advocate will initially work with team members on the equitable implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GHGRF) and to help carry out the annual work plan of the Green Bank Network (GBN), of which NRDC serves as Secretariat. The role will support the GFC team with i) research, as well as data and spatial analysis; ii) drafting of advocacy materials, briefs, and other documents to inform stakeholders and partners; iii) convening partners across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors; iv) helping to lead broader communication and advocacy efforts; and v) event organization.

Included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, EPA’s GHGRF is a $27 billion green financing program devoted to delivering a more equitable clean energy transition. This entirely new program devotes the majority of funds to low-income and marginalized communities, and NRDC is focused on program design and implementation that ensures the GHGRF delivers tangible quality of life improvements to these communities while developing a green finance ecosystem that fills gaps and builds markets. The Green Finance Advocate will work closely with the GFC team members, as well as a cross-departmental group of NRDCers to inform GHGRF design and implementation across a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, the Green Finance Advocate will help to coordinate the work of the GBN, a member-driven international network of green banks and financing institutions.

For this position, a deep interest in green finance and a demonstrated commitment to working toward more equitable racial and economic outcomes, are essential. Previous experience in policy/program analysis and implementation, project finance, or economics is preferable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with GFC and NRDC teammates, as well as external allies and partners to support projects, research, and activities that advance the equitable design and implementation of green financing programs and initiatives, especially the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
• Conduct strategic research and technical analysis (data analysis; spatial analysis; etc.) to inform NRDC’s positions on green financing programs and initiatives
• Engage with community partners, allied organizations, and coalitions
• Draft and prepare written materials (blogs, reports, fact sheets, newsletters, website), PowerPoints, and other materials to clearly convey NRDC’s priorities
• Assist in the response to requests for public comment and other agency engagement
• Collaborate with leading entities at the intersection of climate investment and equity (CDFIs, established green banks, or other organizations) for knowledge sharing and advancement of an equitable green financing model
• Create shared learning opportunities and ecosystem development to identify the best practices and learnings from different areas of expertise
• Lead the design and delivery of meetings between stakeholders to share and build best practices, including with the Green Bank Network
• Support design and organization of annual public events

Qualifications

Required

• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values.
• At minimum, 2 years of relevant professional experience. Masters degree or equivalent work experience in public policy, economics, or finance is a plus.
• Exceptional writing and research skills with an ability to synthesize and clearly translate complex policy and financial topics to broader audiences.
• Proven analytical and quantitative skills including compiling and analyzing publicly available data.
• Strong relationship management skills, including stakeholder outreach and engagement
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with attention to detail.
• A demonstrated commitment to public service, equity, or social justice work. 
• Deep understanding and demonstrated commitment to and competency in racial equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice principles, including contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment and experience with advancing DEIJ.
• Demonstrated expertise in PowerPoint and Excel.
• Creativity, resourcefulness, flexibility, and humility.
• Proven ability to be a self-starter, an eager, inquisitive, and reflective colleague, and a team player.
• Ability to travel when necessary. 

Preferred

• Experience working in community development finance and/or green finance preferred.
• Project finance and/or economics background preferred but not required.
• Strong, demonstrated oral advocacy skills preferred. 
• Experience working on sustainability, climate, and energy issues in the government, corporate, investor, or nonprofit sectors preferred but not required.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary is $87,000 to $93,000. Internal equity considerations will be reviewed before making a final offer.

Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence.

As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.