Senior Program Specialist - Agriculture Finance Research

Overview

Lead finance strategy and research for WRI India's Food, Land and Water program, focused on sustainable agriculture, food loss and waste reduction, and landscape restoration.

What you'll do

• Develop and advance the program's finance strategy for sustainable agriculture, food loss and waste reduction, and landscape restoration, including building relationships with banks, NBFCs, DFIs, MDBs, and other financial institutions.
• Develop financial models, financing frameworks, and clear reports or presentations that explain their approach, outcomes, and implications.
• Support partner organizations in designing finance strategies and building sustainable, scalable business models.
• Conduct research on financing trends and opportunities in sustainable agriculture, food loss and waste reduction, and landscape restoration.
• Produce reports, case studies, and policy briefs that highlight the importance of effective financing in addressing key food and land system challenges.
• Serve as the focal point for finance-related coordination across FLW teams, including facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration.
• Co-develop and support discussions on finance through roundtables, webinars, and other stakeholder convenings focused on food systems transformation.
• Develop and implement work plans and processes to support effective project delivery.
• Support internal capacity building through workshops, trainings, and knowledge-sharing activities on finance for sustainable agriculture, restoration, and food loss and waste reduction.
• Assist with donor reporting, partner communications, and fundraising support by preparing narrative reports and related materials.
• Contribute to external communications through blogs, newsletters, social media, and other outreach materials.

What you'll need

• Master's degree in business, finance, economics, commerce, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of relevant experience in strategic planning and project leadership within finance and the agriculture, food systems, or restoration sectors.
• Strong understanding of sustainable and green finance, climate finance, ESG, food loss and waste, restoration, sustainable agriculture, and related business models in the Indian context.
• Experience working with the private sector, particularly on corporate finance, investment, or climate finance initiatives.
• Proficiency in developing financial models for investment analysis and valuation.
• Knowledge of green and sustainable finance frameworks relevant to food systems, agriculture, and restoration.
• Experience conducting high-quality research and translating complex ideas into clear insights for different audiences.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary teams across themes such as food loss and waste, food supply chains, restoration, and sustainable agriculture.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to convert ideas into practical plans and actions.
• Proven project management skills, including familiarity with project management tools and methods.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse partners.
• Data-driven approach to decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of BRSR and ESG frameworks.
• Proficiency in an additional Indian language (such as Hindi).

Details

• Location: Delhi, India.
• Duration: 1 year term hire (extendable based on performance and project requirements).
• Start date: As soon as possible.
• Salary: INR 18,00,000 to INR 24,00,000, commensurate with experience and skills.
• Documents to attach: Cover letter and resume.