Appointment: Full-time; 40 hours per week
Location: Flexible, Remote (candidates based in US or Sub-Saharan Africa preferred)
Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience and the geographic location of the candidate. It will be adjusted based on locality and job market rate
About WDI: The William Davidson Institute (WDI) is a global non-profit affiliated with the University of Michigan dedicated to unlocking the power of business and markets to tackle critical global challenges and drive inclusive economic growth. Working as a knowledge builder, enterprise accelerator, and ecosystem catalyst, we mobilize entrepreneurs, investors, governments, and academia to drive pioneering solutions across sectors, with a special focus on health, climate-health, and energy & e-mobility.
We understand that the challenges we face—from just energy transitions to equitable health care access—are urgent and complex. We believe that thriving businesses in emerging markets can be at the forefront of fostering healthy and sustainable futures. We know that solving these challenges requires collaboration, innovation, and action at scale, which is why we develop strong partnerships with local leaders. We pride ourselves in being bold thinkers, reliable partners, insightful dot connectors, impact focused and driven by excellence in all we do.
About the Role: We are seeking a Program Manager, Energy, to support WDI’s Energy & Mobility sector. This role requires the application of substantive expertise in clean energy, innovation ecosystems, and climate finance to advance WDI’s Energy & Mobility programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We are looking for a builder-doer who can operate with a high degree of autonomy, bringing substantial knowledge of clean energy transitions and LMIC markets to drive program delivery, insight generation, partnership development, and business development across WDI’s portfolio with a primary focus in Sub-Saharan Africa, and secondary focus in Latin America and Asia. The position reports to the Senior Director of Energy & Mobility.
Key Responsibilities
Program Delivery & Management
- Ideate and design new initiatives and programs to support WDI’s Energy & Mobility portfolio, working closely with the Senior Director and broader WDI team to take these initiatives from inception to successful implementation
- Support program workstreams with a high degree of independence; manage deliverables, timelines, partner relationships, and work across multiple projects and geographic regions simultaneously, ensuring on-time and on-budget achievement of milestones
- Develop and cultivate new partner relationships for WDI across West and East Africa, and other regions as appropriate
- Support the design and launch of new WDI initiatives involving local ecosystem players, including program architecture, partner convening, and development of specific outputs
- Work cross-functionally with WDI’s teams including the Academy, Impact Investing and Impact Measurement and Management, and others on collaborative initiatives
Clean Energy Expertise & Strategic Positioning
- Bring substantive knowledge of clean energy technologies and business models in LMICs — including distributed renewables, off-grid solar, clean cooking, battery storage, mini-grids, e-mobility or adjacent areas — to help WDI define and deepen its niche in energy
- Track technology trends, policy developments, and market dynamics within and across target geographies; synthesize findings to identify new program opportunities, partnership entry points, and fundable ideas
- Provide subject matter expertise on energy transition pathways for LMICs, with fluency in the highest potential technologies and understanding of the enabling frameworks required for these innovations to scale
Knowledge Production & Thought Leadership
- Research, author, and co-author reports, financing diagnostics, policy briefs, case studies, articles and presentations that advance WDI’s reputation as a trusted voice at the intersection of clean energy, innovation, and climate tech financing in LMICs
- Represent WDI at conferences, events, and partner convenings working closely with high-level partner institutions and effectively engaging stakeholders across sectors
- Serve as an internal resource and repository of knowledge on clean energy and innovation ecosystem trends for the broader WDI team
Business Development & Funder Engagement:
- Proactively identify and qualify new funding opportunities aligned with WDI’s energy and mobility agenda, with particular attention to climate philanthropy, bilateral aid agencies, and DFI grant windows; leverage existing professional networks to open doors and grow WDI’s network
- Draft and contribute to concept notes, grant applications, and funder engagement materials; partner with WDI’s business development team throughout the opportunity pipeline
- Build and maintain relationships with potential and existing funders, partners, and clients operating in LMICs
Additional Duties
- Perform other duties as assigned
Qualifications & Experience
- Graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., sustainable development, sustainable energy, international development, environmental studies, public policy, finance, or business); five (5) to seven (7) years of professional experience, including meaningful work in at least two of the following areas: clean energy, climate tech, innovation ecosystem development, financing, economic development or similar
- Demonstrated in-country experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa, with existing professional networks in at least one of WDI’s focus regions
- Substantive knowledge of clean energy technologies, business models, and market dynamics in LMICs — distributed renewables, off-grid energy, clean cooking, storage, or related sectors
- Experience working with or supporting early-stage ventures, commercialization programs, or innovation ecosystems in clean energy or climate tech
- Experience conducting rigorous research and developing evidence-based outputs
- Proven track record of independently managing multi-stakeholder programs or initiatives across multiple geographies, from design through delivery
- Experience in business development and fundraising
- Superior English writing and verbal communication skills; ability to produce high-quality reports, briefs, and proposals with limited editorial oversight, and to represent WDI credibly in senior external settings
- Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; demonstrated ability to build trust and work effectively across institutional contexts; high integrity and work ethic
- Proactive, self-directed, and highly motivated; comfortable operating with autonomy and making independent judgment calls in a fast-paced, lean team environment
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite (especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Google Workspace, and remote collaboration tools
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally to the US and LMICs; possession of a valid passport or ability to obtain one
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with or inside an investment fund, development finance institution, impact fund, or climate-focused philanthropic foundation, or management consulting
- Existing funder networks in climate philanthropy, bilateral aid (e.g., FCDO, GIZ, AFD), or multilateral DFIs relevant to clean energy in LMICs
- Fluency in French or Spanish a plus
Benefits:
- Benefits for this position will be dependent on candidate location and subject to local labor laws and statutory requirements.
As you submit your CV, please ensure you attach a cover letter demonstrating how you meet the requirements outlined in the job description and why you are interested in the role.
