This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You will be based in our office in Washington DC. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position

About the Program:

The Executive Office consists of the President and CEO, five Managing Directors, the Chief of Institutional Alignment, and the General Counsel and their support teams. We ensure smooth running of the Institute, excellence in governance and decision making and effective interactions with all our stakeholders, internal and external, towards achieving WRI’s mission. The Office of the General Counsel, located in the Executive Office, is responsible for managing the Institute’s legal matters and advising on legal risks. In addition, the General Counsel provides legal and strategic advisory to WRI’s Management Team and Board of Directors

Job Highlight:

Reporting to General Counsel, you will support the administration and team coordination for the Office of the General Counsel. You will partner with the General Counsel on efficient calendar management and prioritization, travel coordination, legal document management and preparation, research and provision of senior administrative support. You have an administrative and legal background and enjoy working both independently and as part of a team. WRI’s Office of the General Counsel is a growing department and you will have the opportunity to take the initiative in implementing administrative improvements. You will integrate equity into your work.

What will you do:

Legal Administrative Management (70%):

• Manage the General Counsel’s calendar, scheduling appointments with internal colleagues and external partners in line with operational priorities
• Proactively ensure that the Office of the General Counsel team members are informed of and included in internal meetings and external meetings relevant to their respective roles
• Create agendas for internal and external meetings, capturing detailed meeting minutes, tracking and following up on action items
• Keep up with General Counsel’s work blocks and monitor important deadlines and due dates
• Create and manage a case management system, monitoring and disseminating departmental performance data to analyze engagement
• Prepare advanced PowerPoint presentations utilizing transitions, animations, charts, graphics and notes
• Support General Counsel in cadence and tracking recurring meetings and outcomes to ensure timely follow-up and execution
• Attend meetings alongside lawyers and paralegals to capture accurate notes
• Identify and implement administrative improvements including archiving key legal documents and records
• Monitor and manage legal department specific tasks such as department budget, invoice management, document translation, country registrations, and other work to support paralegals
• Prepare and monitor expense reports and timesheets to ensure timely submission and approval
• Update web and intranet sites and review for out-of-date information
• Keep the General Counsel abreast of WRI’s performance management process, benefit’s enrolment process, and other administrative processes for staff
• Support ongoing efforts to improve the Office of the General Counsel’s administrative systems and processes, including coordinating closely with fellow team members to help the office run smoothly, avoiding duplication of efforts
• Additional programmatic and administrative duties as needed including preparation of briefing materials, writing, proofreading and editing legal documents

Operational Support (20%):

• Work with the Executive Office Assistants to share best practices, support organizational habits and structures that lead to a thriving institute
• Assist paralegals in collecting materials for legal research, analysis and interpretation of information, problems and proposals to ensure objective and complete information is provided to the General Counsel for decision making
• Participate in administrative and operational communities of practices/institutional meetings to represent the Office of the General Counsel

Event Management (10%):

• Help arrange and participate in WRI all-staff events in partnership with the Executive Office
• Plan, prepare, and execute team-building events including offsite retreats, team lunches and celebrations
• Partner with paralegals and lawyers to support creation, execution and management of trainings led by the Office of the General Counsel.

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed bachelor’s degree. Relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted
• Experience: You have 5+ years of full-time professional experience in a related field including experience assisting one or more executives
• Demonstrated knowledge of legal terminology and procedures
• Demonstrated judgment and problem-solving skills
• Experience managing projects with competing deadlines and needs
• Experience working with internal and external stakeholders to manage expectations
• You are willing to attend meetings outside of regular, local business hours (with notice) to accommodate colleagues in other time zones
• Experience working with a geographically dispersed team
• Experience with project management skills using internal applications (such as Asana and Workday)
• Experience using MS Office (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and web-based communications (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom)
• Experience as a Legal Assistant or Administrative Assistant in a legal office is desirable
• Languages: You are proficient in verbal and written English. Additional language skills are desirable
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

Potential Salary:

$84,000 – $95,000 gross annually.

Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by 4 March 2025. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.

We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter in addition to your resume.

You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission drivenorganizationwith access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure
• Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Vision Coverage, retirement plan access and employer contribution.

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 environment 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 including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.