Manager - Hydrogen

Job Description:

Overview

RMI is seeking exceptional manager-level candidates to join its Hydrogen team. Our hydrogen work is focused on exploring China’s hydrogen potential in zero carbon transition and promoting policy and market to establish foundations for green hydrogen adoption and utilization, which could provide long term solutions for various sectors carbon neutrality. This work contains three primary work streams:

• Deeply dive into zero carbon transition roadmap of various transport modes, identify electrification, hydrogen fuel cell, ammonia, synfuel and other technology pathways current status, utilization scenarios, cost effectiveness and challenges, offer research insights and solution recommendations to national and local government and industry corporates based on deep understanding about the sector.
• Conduct policy and market research on current status and future development about hydrogen production, storage, transmission and utilization, and provide recommendations to key policy makers and stakeholders on business models and problem-solving perspectives based on China hydrogen current status and future trends.
• Summarize and categorize clean and low carbon technologies based on features, development status, utilization scenarios, maturity and carbon reduction potentials to conduct deep dive analysis on each type of technologies for providing corporates, governments and other key stakeholders with technologies promotion and investment solution suggestions.
• Strengthen the coordination with domestic and international organizations and corporates, cross share research insights and best practices, and establish RMI and China’s leadership and impacts in global hydrogen promotion.

RMI supports these efforts by:

• Conduct deep research on China transportation zero carbon transition technology pathways and green hydrogen promotion potentials and major scenarios based on current policy and market status;
• Provide analysis on forthcoming policies and their impacts, and providing recommendations as useful;
• Model out various technology pathways’ cost effectiveness on China transportation zero carbon transition and green hydrogen demand, supply and cost effectiveness in hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilization sectors;
• Collaborate closely with sector corporate stakeholders to offer transportation decarbonization, hydrogen promotion and clean and low carbon technologies utilization best practices and solutions;
• Streamline clean and low carbon technologies current status, major utilization scenarios and key promotion directions to build local capacity to design, operate, and supervise potential local pilots;
• Convene policymakers, corporations, and research experts to develop the future vision for China’s transportation decarbonization, hydrogen promotion and clean and low carbon technology;
• Connect Chinese leaders with international experts and helping contextualize other market experiences in China.

Key Responsibilities, Experience, and Qualifications

As a manager you will be primarily responsible for 1) leading the research on China transportation zero carbon transition, hydrogen and green hydrogen promotion and clean and low carbon technologies topics, and 2) taking a leading role in representing RMI’s entire transportation, hydrogen and clean and low carbon technologies work in high-level external interactions and coordinations with experts and stakeholders. Accordingly, you will work closely with the other team members in the global and other China team members to contribute to project management and technical content development across all workstreams.

Your  strong research, relationship management skills and executive presence will be valuable to represent and successfully deliver the work developed by the project team to effectively inform and influence national and local decisions. A strong working knowledge of transportation decarbonization, hydrogen and clean and low carbon technologies policy, market strategy and whole hydrogen industry chain concepts, rationale, and terminology is essential. Likewise, an ability to scope and execute high-quality research deliverables on-time and at budget is required. Professional project management experience is preferred but not required.

As a manager you will have the following key responsibilities:

• Lead the team to conduct in-depth research on China transportation zero carbon transition, green hydrogen development and clean and low carbon technology optimization solutions and best practices;
• Actively maintain relationships with key stakeholders and partners;
• Support the development of the China Transportation, Hydrogen and Clean and Low Carbon Technology team’s overall strategy and review and update program strategies with the senior leadership team on a regular basis;
• Integrate the advice and experience of international experts, adjusting recommended approaches to the Chinese context;
• Identify specific needs/gaps, and scope clear, achievable deliverables that will meet those needs;
• Develop and manage workplans and budgets, ensuring impactful, high-quality project delivery, including for consulting engagements with corporate and government partners
• Guide the development of insight briefs, research projects, white papers, government coauthored thought-papers, and presentation materials for various engagements;
• Manage a team of 3-4 staff, and coordinate with other managers across other China and global teams;
• Support business development, identifying new collaborations and projects, and presenting these ideas/engaging with funders as needed;
• Collaborate with members within the China program and RMI’s other teams on cross-sector collaboration opportunities

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduate degree or higher, or undergraduate degree and 2-4 years of additional relevant experience
• 5+ years professional experience in a related field
• Private sector or consulting experience preferred but not required.
• Direct experience developing and managing highly skilled teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent spoken and written English and Mandarin;
• Skills and desire to change decision-makers’ minds on complex, politically-nuanced issues;
• Excellent writing skills, visual presentation capability, and verbal communication skills;
• Experience working with policymakers, particularly at the local level, with a proven ability to communicate new concepts and manage those relations;
• A solid understanding of China transportation sector, hydrogen industry and clean and low carbon technology fundamentals, future development trends and roles in China 2060 carbon neutrality;
• Ability to drive from ideas to implementation, identifying appropriate projects and engagements that can affect concrete, measurable change on broad topics;
• Strong and demonstrated quantitative comfort, representing complex concepts and modeling results in clear terms to policymakers and industry leaders;
• Intense curiosity and creativity, and a willingness to take risks by testing new ideas;
• Entrepreneurial self-starter, with a willingness to plunge into unfamiliar problems;
• Comfort with altering a course of work mid-stream and working with ambiguity;
• Proven cross-cultural sensitivity, with overseas education or work experience preferred;
• High emotional intelligence and desire to work collaboratively;
• A passion for making the world better

Location

Beijing, China

Compensation    

RMI compensates based on the level and requirements of the role. Salary within our ranges may also be determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as required by the role, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits     

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:     

• Medical, dental, vision insurance    
• 403b retirement options (up to 5% match immediately)    
• Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability    
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• Parental leave    
• Flexible working hours
• Commuter and work from home stipends

Diversity

Increasing the diversity of thought, perspectives, ideas and opinions within RMI is a critical change element supporting our long-term sustainability and mission to build a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future.

As such, it is one of our core values, and we strive for a level of diversity within our organization that reflects the communities we serve. Achieving this—regardless of ability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or other social identities—is critical to the long-term success of each RMIer and collectively as an organization, ensuring that we:

• Have the different array of thinking that comes from diverse backgrounds and cultures, enabling us to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges.
• Strive for a culture of inclusion and belonging by treating others with dignity, respect and appreciation enabling them to feel welcomed, supported and valued;
• Effectively connect, communicate and build long-lasting relationships with decision makers, stakeholders and constituents within diverse communities.

About RMI

RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.

In 2013, RMI began working in China as a part of a joint research project including the Energy Research Institute of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs’ China Energy Group, and Energy Foundation China. The group designed a road map, called Reinventing Fire: China, to promote renewables and reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the Chinese economy without compromising economic growth. This roadmap has become the basis for ongoing programmatic activity.

RMI continues to expand its Chinese presence, with our Beijing office serving as the hub for our nation-wide engagements. In 2017, RMI was awarded an overseas NGO certificate in China, and the National Energy Administration is our supervising government agency in China. The Beijing office works on multiple parts of China’s energy transformation including heavy industry decarbonization, power sector reform, low-carbon mobility and freight solutions, low-carbon cities, transforming the building stock, advancing clean production of hydrogen, and establishing the foundation for a circular economy. For more information, please visit www.rmi.org.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter addressing your interest in working for RMI and your resume to

chinaHR@rmi.org. Please submit materials bilingually or in English by April 30th, 2023.

Be prepared to submit a resume and a cover letter, both documents are required. Candidates who do not provide a compelling answer to the question "Why do you want to work at Rocky Mountain Institute" in their cover letter may not be considered.  Additionally, incomplete application materials (for example, a missing cover letter) may not be considered.  Due to the large number of applications received, RMI is not able to respond to every applicant. We will be in contact with applicants moving to the interview stage. 

RMI is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.