Research Fellow – Climate Finance Policy and Law

Based in Bangkok, SEI Asia has a diverse team of multinational experts who integrate scientific research with participatory approaches to co-develop and share knowledge, build partnerships, and influence policy for resilient development. SEI Asia’s work focuses on gender and social equity, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water insecurity and integrated water resources management, transitional agriculture, renewable energy and urbanization.

SEI Asia is an affiliate of Chulalongkorn University (CU), Thailand. SEI and CU have an agreement to foster innovative scientific research combined with effective policy engagement on development and environmental challenges in Asia. The key areas of collaboration are intellectual engagement for joint research applications and fund mobilization, lectures and seminars for CU students, post-graduate supervision and examination, and CU–SEI employee links.

Under the Asia office of the Stockholm Environment Institute in Bangkok, the Centre for Finance for Sustainability Bangkok (CFSB) works with the private sector and financial hubs in the Asia Pacific region. Its purpose is to enable the financial sector in the region to align more closely with the global goals of the Paris Agreement, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

Following its launch in 2022, the CFSB hosts a set of projects on climate adaptation finance as well as the platform on finance for development and official development assistance called Aid Atlas. CFSB is now launching a large-scale project called Inclusive Climate Finance for Communities in the Asia Pacific (ICCAP). The main stakeholders of the ICCAP project are private sector financial service providers (FSPs) and public sector actors who will work in partnership to build viable, responsive and equitable financial instruments, models and systems to finance adaptation solutions for climate vulnerable communities in countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Furthermore, CSFB also works closely with SEI Finance for Sustainable Development Program to conducts research and activities to generate insights on the drivers and barriers to sustainable economic activities in low- and lower-middle-income countries at the global level.

The role

The Research Fellow will support the delivery of CFSB projects, primarily focusing on the ICCAP and CLIMATEFIT projects. This role involves designing and delivering policy and legal recommendations to implement enablers, i.e. innovative national and local scale policies and laws, and to help reduce barriers to finance for sustainability, development and climate finance flows, ensuring they reach “those who need it the most, when they need it the most” in the Asia Pacific region, particularly the vulnerable communities.

You will work closely with stakeholders, policymakers and community through stakeholder-centred approaches, as well as with local government units (LGUs) in both Europe and the Asia Pacific.

The Research Fellow will contribute to the CFSB’s support for other interdisciplinary teams within SEI and its partner organizations. They will also represent SEI in external events and engagements and contribute to the institute’s financial sustainability by ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality outputs within assigned budgets. The Research Fellow will report directly to the CFSB Director.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Conduct rigorous research on the legal aspects of policies related to inclusive finance, resilience, and sustainability at local, national, and international level.
• Support and coordinate the design and delivery of policy recommendations to national policymakers and decision makers.
• Engage with stakeholders, in particular policymakers, decision-makers and communities.
• Support the development and coordinate multi-stakeholder action labs and provide guidance on legal structures for facilities and living labs.
• Support the coordination of rigorous heterogenous data collection strategies.
• Support the implementation of the SEI strategy through intellectual contributions and the consistent delivery of projects and programs related to policy and law in economics and finance, sustainable resilient development and the green transition.
• Develop and conduct systematic reviews of legislation, policies and policy documents and contribute to the creation of databases documenting cases of success and failure to support CFSB’s work across multiple projects.
• Contribute to publications or project reports, participate in peer reviews, and assist with the development of proposals.
• Produce high-quality outputs, including reports and knowledge products.
• Build professional relationships and networks both within and beyond CFSB and SEI, engaging with current and potential partners and stakeholders.
• Initiate, contribute to, and support fundraising activities for a range of funders, including private entities, foundations, public funding across regions (e.g. IKI programme, UKPACT), international agencies (e.g. FAO, UNOPS, UNEP, UNDP), regional commissions and macro-regional bodies (e.g. EU Horizon)
• Contribute to communicating CFSB’s and SEI’s work to partners and stakeholders.

Areas of accountability:

• Support the development of thematic areas relevant to your expertise within the institute.
• Identify opportunities to connect your work with other initiatives across SEI, both in Asia and globally.
• Ensure tasks are completed on time and within budget.
• Supervise interns, as needed.
• Maintain professional behaviour and foster respectful engagement with colleagues inside and outside SEI.

Who you are

We are looking for a practitioner or researcher with a strong interest and proven track record in policymaking and legislation, particularly in formulating policy and legal framework recommendations. The ideal candidate will have expertise in developing inclusive, available, affordable and accessible finance solutions for climate, sustainability, resilience, circular economy action and implementation, and/or green transition and sustainable development.

Essential qualifications and knowledge:

• A doctorate (PhD) in a relevant sector with at least three years of professional experience, or a master’s degree with at least six years of professional experience.
• Experience providing policy and legal advice to policymakers and decision-makers on enablers for climate finance, sustainability, resilience, circular economy action and implementation, and/or green transition and sustainable development.
• Experienced conducting strategic research to support evidence-based policymaking and developing legal framework that influence financial markets, particularly for climate, sustainability, resilience, circular economy action and/or green transition and sustainable development.
• Proven expertise in participatory and collaborative processes, including engaging and working with stakeholders on policy development and recommendations.
• Experience working in inter-disciplinary projects.
• A track record of successful fundraising from a variety of bodies, such as private companies, foundations, public funding programs (e.g. IKI, UKPACT, NORAD, SIDA), international agencies (e.g. FAO, UNOPS, UNEP, UNDP), regional commissions, and macro-regional bodies (e.g. EU Horizon).
• A proven publication record in policy and/or law for finance, climate, sustainability, resilience, circular economy action, and/or green transition and sustainable development.
• Strong commitment to SEI’s values.

Desirable qualifications:

• In-depth understanding of barriers to and enablers of private finance flows for sustainable and resilient development, as well as climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Regional experience in Asia and the Pacific, particularly Southeast and/or South Asia.
• Proficiency in English; knowledge of an Asian language is an asset.

Personal skills required

• Strong commitments to the ethos and the values of the SEI and CFSB.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent in teamwork and collaboration.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills .
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and critical thinking skills .
• Having a positive influence on attitudes of individuals and teams.
• Conveying the core values of SEI in their everyday work, including the importance of high calibre work, as well as respect and trust.
• Capable of providing and receiving feedback in a constructive and respectful manner.

Additional information

With a team comprising over 17 nationalities, SEI welcomes global applicants for all posts, and provides an internationally competitive level NGO salary and benefits package, with all employee contracts under Thai labour laws. For this post we expect mid-level candidate to apply.

SEI is an equal opportunity employer and we consider all applicants on the basis of qualifications and competencies regardless but not limited to race, national origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability and marital status. We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organization and applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.