Green Infrastructure Project Finance Specialist

Program Overview

Legally established in early 2014, WRI Indonesia builds on WRI’s global 20-year history in the country and the official establishment of the WRI Indonesia office has strengthened our impacts on the ground in recent years. Our works are divided into terrestrial (forest, food, and land use) and non-terrestrial (climate, energy, cities, and the ocean) portfolios.

One of the initiatives under the nexus of energy and e-mobility (cities) is called: Bali Climate and Green Development program. The program is intended to foster the leadership of the local government and broader segments of society to ensure that the climate neutrality agenda remains strong and becomes a way of life and pathway for development, regardless of national and local political transitions. It will require concerted efforts amongst various actors to create breakthroughs with long-lasting climate, social, and economic impacts.

One of our main targets in this project is to assist local government, clean energy business owners, coastal communities, and sustainable tourism communities in developing new green business ideas, and potential for-profit collaboration and to translate and catalyze those ideas into tangible projects on the ground. We will connect potential projects with the right investors and funders and ensure that those projects obtain the necessary funding support.

World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia has co-designed a multi-year program for Bali Climate and Green Development Initiative with our partners in Bali, to demonstrate how a rapid, province-scale effort with a focus on energy decarbonization and climate solutions can benefit local people, the economy, and the environment, while at the same time providing a strong foundation for the province’s climate neutrality by 2045 and contributing to national climate targets. This project’s theory of change is adapted from the program to ensure synergy and collaboration between partners to achieve our overarching goal.

Job Highlights

The Green Infrastructure Project Finance Specialist will lead and facilitate the origination, development, due diligence, approval, and implementation of infrastructure financing of public and private sector projects. Infrastructure can include highly developmental and commercially sustainable projects in sectors such as energy (solar, wind, hydro, waste-to-energy, and off-grid systems) and e-mobility (four/two-wheelers, bus rapid transit, charging infrastructures, sea transportation, and other transport services). The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record in these areas including in developing markets, typically as a project finance specialist, banker, or project developer, and ideally with both debt and equity assistance activities to ensure strong ownership and increased capacity in delivering the program initiative.

This post will report directly to the Senior Lead of, the E-Mobility Programme and be well coordinated with The Senior Lead of the Bali Programme Management Office. The post holder will be based in Bali with high travel frequencies around Bali. The Green Infrastructure Project Finance Specialist is required to complete his/her Covid-19 booster vaccination.

What You Will Do

• Assist in the origination of initiatives’ pipeline of private and public sector infrastructure finance projects and screen investment opportunities in Bali through stakeholder outreach, marketing, and deal screening.
• Undertake and manage the necessary due diligence, financial modeling, risk analysis, and mitigation in the structuring of loans, equity investments, guarantees, B-loans, or other forms of development funding assistance and other private funding mechanisms
• Support or lead the internal approvals process with the local stakeholders including interface with credit, safeguards, integrity, legal and other teams as well as the WRI management team and the board of the Programme Management Office (PMO)
• With the support of internal and external legal counsel, ensure for all business deals that appropriate legal documentation is successfully concluded in line with approvals and that financial close (i.e., first disbursement) is achieved in a timely fashion
• Undertake the implementation and the handover of administration of private and public sector infrastructure programs and projects, ensuring compliance with required guidelines, policies, and procedures as well as agreed covenants and reporting requirements up to financing effectiveness.
• Facilitate or lead active relationships with commercial lenders and other financial partners in the region and beyond as well as with developers, investors, and governments.
• Assess and structure transactions to maximize the potential for commercial co-financing and catalyzing additional sources of capital
• Provide input and comments on projects, reports, policies, and other papers related to project financing operations and development across various key themes and sectors.
• Maintain and share knowledge on lessons learned from project finance and emerging best practices in areas of expertise.
• Participate in and contribute to activities for advocacy, dissemination, and knowledge building
• Participate in country teams for planning and programming purposes
• Work with Research and Development (R&D) team and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) team to integrate GESI elements within the pipeline of initiatives

What You Will Need

Education:

Master's degree, or equivalent, in Business Administration, Finance, or related fields; or University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, or related fields combined with a specialized experience in similar organization/s, may be considered in lieu of a master’s degree.

Experiences:

• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in the financing of private sector infrastructure (particularly project financing or PPPs but including corporate financing), including hands-on experience in originating loans, guarantees and/or equity transactions, managing due diligence, financial modeling, mitigating credit and other risks, negotiating term sheets and finance documentation and related project (and corporate) finance activities.
• Specific and relevant experience in emerging market financing and investments, preferably in Asia and the Pacific
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and the ability to communicate effectively to management.
• International experience working in several developing countries, preferably in Asia and the Pacific (not mandatory)

Skills and abilities:

• Regularly shares knowledge on new international best practice trends in comparator situations.
• Proactively applies relevant international best practices to own work.
• Convinces others to adopt the international best practices by explaining the situational relevance and benefit
• Helps colleagues work effectively with clients in different contexts and from diverse cultures such as in Bali.
• Adapts own approach and style when interacting with stakeholders, as opposed to requiring them to adapt
• Draws upon international best practices in exploring solutions with stakeholders
• Confirms the stakeholders’ understanding and agreement before progressing (especially the local government)
• Draws on own and others’ experience to identify viable courses of action when conducting analyses
• Helps stakeholders achieve quality results beyond just presenting problems and precedents
• Highlights possible solutions for project issues based on relevant multi-country and/or multi-stakeholders experience
• Overcomes unexpected difficulties and challenges to produce desired outcomes
• Ability to travel when needed.

Performance Standard

• Lead and facilitate project infrastructure finance development and implementation during the duration of the project with all stakeholders involved
• Facilitate and catalyze business ideation among stakeholders
• Apply creativity and innovation as appropriate and integrates input from other sources to find a solution.
• Support problem identification in projects and can recommend solutions.

Contract Arrangement

Full-time with fixed-term employment agreement for 1 (one) year period with 3 (three) months of consultancy contract apply before the fixed-term employment agreement started.

What we offer

• A salary that is commensurate with experience and skills
• Competitive and comprehensive benefit package
• Access to the WRI global network
• Opportunity to join and/or get involved in different working groups
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• A chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission-driven organization

Must have the authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.

Final candidates might be required to take a writing test and to produce two writing samples when needed.

How to apply: In order to be formally considered, please submit an updated resume and cover letter through the WRI career portal.

Application close: 1700 (DKI Jakarta local time), 18 December 2022. We will close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified at earlier dates.

This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.

About Us

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environmental and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, and Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

WRI Indonesia is a national entity (Yayasan) associated with the World Resources Institute (WRI). This global environmental research organization turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. WRI works with various stakeholders in the natural resources sector to support policy and management that are both profitable and sustainable. WRI work with leaders in more than 50 countries for more than 30 years, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.

Launched in early 2014, WRI Indonesia builds on WRI’s 10-year history in the country and strengthens our impact on the ground. In the short-to-medium term, WRI Indonesia aims to expand its presence and portfolio to include projects in the climate, energy, as well as city and transportation programs.