Policy Advisor

About Us

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with more than 30 years of experience working to solve today's greatest sustainable development challenges. We combine deep expertise across critical policy areas with a collaborative approach to research, advice, and hands-on support that delivers real-world results. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are a diverse team of over 300 experts working from offices in Canada and Switzerland as well as other locations around the world. 

About IISD's Energy Program

IISD’s Energy Program (https://www.iisd.org/impact-areas/climate) supports governments globally in accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, promoting social welfare, and sustainable economic development.

Our team of over 40 experts is spread across offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, as well as remote locations in India, Indonesia, South Africa, and beyond. Our work ranges from global policy research to hands-on national-level projects in countries including Indonesia, Canada, India, and South Africa.  In the Philippines, IISD has been actively supporting the energy transition, including work on carbon markets, carbon pricing, and transport electrification.

IISD is seeking a dynamic and skilled Policy Advisor to support its Energy Program in the Philippines, in particular, the Energy is the Key to a Climate Stable Future (EnerKey) Project. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to the Philippines’ clean energy transition by engaging in cutting-edge research and policy development, in collaboration with local and international experts. 

The EnerKey Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by IISD, aims to support transport electrification and power system readiness in the Philippines and Indonesia from 2025 to 2030. The project seeks to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the transport and power sectors by supporting the development of plans, policies, and programs that accelerate the adoption of electric mobility while ensuring power system readiness and the financial sustainability of utilities.

EnerKey’s approach combines

• outside-track public-facing work that provides a strong and independent evidence base on the plans, policies, and programs needed to achieve national, subnational, or industry targets, thereby informing broad policy discourse and public narratives;
• inside-track technical assistance that offers hands-on, tailored support to key national and subnational government agencies, energy enterprises, and other stakeholders. This includes assisting governments and key energy enterprises in crafting and advancing effective plans, policies, and programs to accelerate electric vehicle adoption while ensuring power system readiness.

The project also integrates gender equality and social inclusion and just transition principles across all activities to ensure that transport electrification plans, policies, and programs promote inclusive and equitable outcomes.

About the Role

The Policy Advisor will play a key role in advancing IISD’s mission in the Philippines by conducting research, reviewing government and industry plans, policies, and programs, managing project activities, and engaging with stakeholders on transport electrification and associated power sector readiness issues. The role will cover the following areas: 

• Research: Conduct cost-benefit and financial analyses, macroeconomic modelling, and power system readiness assessments of various transport electrification pathways.
• Policy review: Provide technical review of government and industry plans, policies, and programs related to transport electrification and the power sector.
• Communications: Prepare reports, policy briefs, and relevant communication materials.
• Stakeholder engagement: Coordinate with government and non-government stakeholders.
• Operations and project management: Manage and execute project activities.

You will collaborate with Filipino and international colleagues to deliver high-quality project outputs.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis and research on the Philippines’ transport electrification and energy sector plans, policies, and programs
• Prepare reports, briefs, publications, and communication materials to inform key government and non-government stakeholders and help shape public discourse.
• Engage and coordinate with government agencies, industry stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations to achieve project objectives
• Support project management, including planning, coordination, monitoring, and reporting of deliverables.
• Represent IISD at national and international events, as needed.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Qualifications

• Filipino nationality, residence, or valid work permit required. 
• Master’s degree in energy, engineering, transport, economics, environmental studies, public policy, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience may be considered. 

Experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience in energy or related fields, with exposure to the electric vehicle industry and the power sector preferred.
• Experience engaging with national government agencies, local government units, with experience working with power industry actors and transport stakeholders considered an advantage.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in quantitative research methods, including data gathering, processing, and analysis.
• Experience with qualitative research tools (e.g., structured interviews, focus group discussions, surveys). 
• Strong understanding of the Philippine energy and transport sector, including the structure and functions of government agencies, private sector actors, and key policy and regulatory frameworks.

Core Competencies

• Familiarity with current energy, transport, sustainable development, and climate change agenda and policy development.
• Strong communication and networking skills.
• Ability to produce “publication-ready” work with minimal oversight.
• Highly organized and capable of managing multiple activities under tight deadlines.
• An entrepreneurial approach to work, taking initiative within the team and ready to develop new skills, increase responsibility, and build experience in fundraising.
• Collaborative mindset with sensitivity to cultural diversity.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential. Fluency in Filipino is highly desirable.

Additional Skills 

• Experience working on energy, transport, and just transition projects.
• Experience working with energy or transport policy think tanks.
• Expertise in macroeconomic modelling, cost-benefit analysis, and policy review.
• Knowledge of data analysis tools like R, STATA, Power BI, or Python.
• Existing professional networks in the Philippine energy or transport sectors.

Location: Remote-based in the Philippines (preference for Metro Manila); occasional travel required.

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience. 

Employment type: 2-year contract, extendable based on funding

Job Type: Newly Created Role

Start Date: ASAP

Closing Date: July 10, 2026 4pm CST

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for location where they expect to be based without any sponsorship from IISD.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. 

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. 

• A CV (no longer than two pages) 
• A one-page letter of motivation 
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional) 

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.   

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from individuals from historically underrepresented and marginalized communities, including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, people of diverse racial and ethnic identities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and/or sex characteristics (SOGIESC).  

We are committed to equitable and inclusive recruitment practices and to reducing barriers to employment and advancement. Hiring decisions are based on qualifications, experience, competencies, and organizational needs, while recognizing the value that diverse perspectives and lived experiences bring to our work.  We offer reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process and welcome applicants’ input on how best to support their participation. Candidates are invited to voluntarily self-identify and complete our employment equity questionnaire through our applicant tracking system

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