World Resources Institute President

The mission of the World Resources Institute (WRI) 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. WRI is a leading independent, nonpartisan global organization that provides objective information and practical proposals for policy and institutional change that will foster environmentally sound, socially equitable development.

WRI has a staff of more than 250 international experts and support staff headquartered in the United States and deployed around the world, with a fiscal year 2011 budget of $40 million.

WRI focuses its work around five key goals: Climate and Energy; Institutions and Governance; Markets and Enterprise; People and Ecosystems; and EMBARQ/Transport.

For additional information on WRI, please access http://www.wri.org/..

The President will provide the leadership, strategic direction and vision for WRI and its programs, analysis and engagement efforts throughout the world. The President will ensure that WRI continues to play a leadership role as an environmental think and "do” tank, while maintaining a commitment to the organization’s core values and the quality and integrity of its programs.

The President will be expected to serve as an external presence and spokesperson – strengthening current funding, developing new and more diverse sources of revenue, representing WRI’s mission and purpose, and raising the visibility of WRI through partnerships and collaborations with existing programs and by creating opportunities for new partnerships and initiatives.

Reporting to and working closely with the Board, the President will ensure that WRI remains clear and ambitious about its strategic intent, as reflected in its current five-year strategic plan. The President, while respecting WRI’s internal culture, will ensure that WRI is fiscally sound and that clearly defined metrics continue to support the organization’s goals and objectives. The President will provide ongoing leadership and direction around institutional growth and brand identity, articulating a strategy for taking WRI to next level. Additionally, this person will ensure that communications and relationships among WRI offices and institutions – particularly in China, India and Brazil – are well coordinated, while cultural differences are respected.

The President should have global reach and perspective, with the ability to drive effective ideas to a close, as well as the following experience and qualifications:

· Leadership, vision and strategic capability to run a consensus-oriented institution focused on external results and enabled by analytic excellence and effective partnerships; ability to form solid relationships with Board and staff; working knowledge of current environmental and international development issues of importance; comfort overseeing multiple engagement strategies in a highly collaborative environment; ability to foster big ideas; respectful of the Institution’s unique grounding in evidence-based, practical strategies, tools and policy proposals; committed to change on the ground;

· Proven experience as a dynamic fundraiser with the ability to frame the vision and concepts to secure financial support from diverse sources, including the ability to access government funding from bilateral donors such as USAID and European development assistance ministries, multilateral institutions, and other international donors;

· Experience with environment issues, development issues and at the intersection of the two, with a track record of quality and work around environmental policy issues, or other credibility in the sector;

· The skills, experience and cultural awareness to bring significant global weight to the position and effectively move WRI forward; able to operate in a global context;

· Respect within the corporate community to be able to engage with business leaders as WRI partners in a way that retains WRI’s independence and integrity;

· Ability to communicate passionately, clearly and concisely, both in writing and verbally; comfortable with both formal and extemporaneous presentations;

· Willingness and ability to travel extensively; good exposure to foreign countries and diverse cultures (language fluency would be desirable).

Nominations and applications may be submitted to Mark J. Tarnacki at WRI@PhillipsOppenheim.com.