Senior Fellow

Become part of Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), an international non-profit research institute tackling global environment and sustainable development challenges. SEI empowers partners through cutting-edge research, knowledge, tools and capacity building. You will join a world-leading organization with around 140 employees at its activity-based Headquarters (HQ) in Stockholm and 200 more across seven global centres. Together, we engage with policy, practice and development action for a sustainable, prosperous future for all.

The role

We are seeking a Senior Fellow in sustainable finance to strengthen our work on climate and development financing, particularly around climate investment for cities, investment research and analysis, and mapping financial mechanisms.

The role will contribute to the Viable Cities program in Sweden, supporting Swedish and European cities in mobilizing adequate and effective finance. It also includes strategic engagement in program development, mentoring junior staff and contributing to the overall direction of SEI’s international work in this field.

The Senior Fellow will work within the national Viable Cities program hosted by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and SEI’s Finance for Sustainable Development program.

Key responsibilities 

Stakeholder and network management

• Facilitate knowledge exchange between researchers, policymakers and financial institutions.
• Collaborate with municipalities and national agencies in Viable Cities to align and enhance public funding streams for cities’ climate transitions.

Advisory and capacity development

• Support capacity-building for cities, investors and public agencies to strengthen climate-investment financing.
• Help cities develop robust, actionable climate investment plans and financing options.
• Conduct in-depth mapping and engagement of investors for climate projects.
• Provide expert input on policy and regulatory frameworks.

Strategy and program development

• Work with the Program Lead and Head of Division to shape the strategy and direction of SEI’s Finance for Sustainable Development program.
• Identify and develop new partnerships and funding opportunities.
• Mentor and guide junior staff, offering expertise and professional networks.
• Represent SEI in national and international policy dialogues, conferences and expert panels on sustainable finance.

Who you are

The position will require active engagement with SEI’s broader research teams, partner organizations, and external stakeholders, including city governments, financial institutions, and policymakers. To succeed in this role you excel at building and maintaining partnerships across sectors and thrive in collaborative, cross-cultural settings. You are proactive, adaptable to changing contexts, and capable of managing complex stakeholder relations.

Required qualifications and experience

• Advanced degree in finance, economics, business administration, public policy or a related field.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in relevant areas.
• In-depth knowledge of European and Swedish financial instruments, funding mechanisms and private-sector investment trends.
• Proven experience engaging with investors and other climate finance actors.
• Expertise in financial strategies for sustainability.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with a record of influential publications.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Fluency in Swedish and English (written and spoken).

Our offer

At SEI HQ we offer a stimulating position in an international environment. You will be part of a leading, multinational, multidisciplinary, and multilingual team of experts in an organization where the well-being and development of our employees is of high priority. We value diversity and creativity at the core of what we do and we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Our ambition is to provide a safe, professional, and creative workspace for all.

Employment at SEI HQ includes:

• Collective Agreement including occupational pension and many other collectively agreed benefits.
• Annual healthcare contribution and additional benefits connected to promoting our employee’s wellbeing such as yearly health check-ups.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Flexible working hours, 37.5-hour workweek.
• 30 days annual vacation in the first year of employment, and 35 from the second year onwards.
• Being part of tackling environmental and development challenges developing solutions for a sustainable future for all.

Additional information

This is a full-time permanent position with placement at SEI HQ in Stockholm, Sweden.

We apply a standard six-month probation period. Start date is as soon as possible or by arrangement.

SEI has a hybrid work environment, which allows employees to share their time between the SEI office and working remotely from their homes in Stockholm. Please note that it is not possible to work from outside of Sweden.

Questions?

• For enquiries about the position, please contact Fiona Lambe, Development Policy and Finance Team Leader: [email protected].
• For enquiries about the recruitment process, please contact My Persson, Recruitment and Competence Specialist: [email protected].

About the programs and team

Viable Cities is Sweden’s largest innovation program for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Hosted by KTH, it brings together municipalities, agencies, businesses, academia and civil society to accelerate the transition.

Finance for Sustainable Development (FSD) at SEI analyses drivers and barriers to sustainable economic activity in low- and lower-middle-income countries. It focuses on the enablers and instruments that can help sustainable projects attract private finance. It also examines the catalytic role that development finance and interventions can play in achieving sustainable development aims.

The Development Policy and Finance Team at SEI HQ is an interdisciplinary group of researchers exploring the links between human development and the environment. We take a pragmatic, applied research approach to strengthen development and aid policies, programs and financial systems. A key focus is understanding why they often fall short, by examining the behaviours and incentives that shape decisions – from households and firms to donors and governments.

About SEI

Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles climate, environment and sustainable development challenges.

We empower partners to meet these challenges through cutting-edge research, knowledge, tools and capacity building. Scientific quality and integrity are foundations of our work. Partnership is at the heart of our approach, leading to change that lasts.

Our work connects science to policy and practice, aiming to drive tangible impacts. It spans climate change, natural resources, water, air, and health, and addresses questions of governance, innovation, finance, poverty, gender equality and social equity.

We are committed to transparency and full disclosure of our funding. The Government of Sweden is our largest funder, and we also receive funds from a range of public research funders, philanthropic foundations, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, governments, NGOs and other partners.

Through SEI’s HQ and seven centres around the world, we engage with policy, practice and development action for a sustainable, prosperous future for all.