Associate Director, Research & Government Relations - Philippines

Associate Director / Senior Vice President, Research & Government Relations

Indonesia or The Philippines (Jakarta preferred) · Full-Time · Hybrid

Reports To Senior Director, Research & Government Relations

Location Indonesia or The Philippines (Jakarta preferred; other major SEA hubs could be considered)

Team / BU Research & Government Relations

Direct Reports None initially; mandate to grow regional team over time

Works Closely With Investment, Sustainable Finance, and Program Delivery teams; global R&GR team

Employment Type Full-Time (Hybrid)

ABOUT IIX GLOBAL

IIX (Impact Investment Exchange) is a Singapore-headquartered pioneer in impact investing, connecting capital markets with sustainable development. For over a decade, IIX has been building the infrastructure for impact — structuring innovative financial instruments, running donor-funded development programs, and developing digital platforms that serve impact investors, enterprises, and communities across Asia and beyond.

Our work spans impact-linked securities, blended finance, gender-lens investing, and climate finance — always with the goal of mobilizing private capital for social and environmental good. We are a lean, mission-obsessed team. Everyone here wears multiple hats, moves fast, and cares deeply about the work. If that energizes you, you’ll thrive at IIX.

ROLE PURPOSE

As IIX accelerates its engagement across Southeast Asia and The Pacific — particularly on climate resilience, trade, and blue economy — this role exists to anchor IIX’s knowledge agenda and policy presence in the region. This role will be the founding senior team member for this function in the region , leading thematic research, facilitating knowledge-led business development, cultivating high-trust government and multilateral relationships, and serving as IIX’s expert voice across climate, energy transition, trade, and blue economy issues. Success means IIX is recognized as a credible research and policy voice in the region, with strong government relationships that deepens IIX’s investment and advisory work in the region.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Leadership

• Lead and produce high-quality research on climate resilience, just energy transition, trade policy, blue economy themes, and financial markets — with a particular focus on Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, the Pacific, and the broader ASEAN regional context.

• Develop policy briefs, white papers, and market intelligence that position IIX as a credible voice in sustainable development, and facilitate business development and client engagement.

• Identify and close knowledge gaps on emerging themes, including climate-linked financial instruments, disaster risk finance, maritime and coastal economies, and regional trade frameworks.

• Collaborate with the global R&GR team to integrate regional insights into IIX’s research agenda, positioning, and external publications.

Government & Policy Engagement

• Build and manage senior-level relationships with government ministries, regulatory agencies, and intergovernmental bodies across Southeast Asia and the Pacific .

• Represent IIX in policy dialogues, government consultations, and multilateral forums on climate finance, sustainable trade, and blue economy regulations.

• Identify and develop opportunities for IIX’s research, investment and advisory services to inform national and regional policy frameworks.

• Serve as a trusted liaison between IIX’s investment and program teams and government counterparts, enabling market expansion , new business generation, regulatory engagement, and policy-aligned program design.

Advisory Delivery

• Lead or co-lead advisory mandates for government and multilateral clients on topics including climate risk finance, trade-linked sustainability, coastal and marine economy development, and green investment policy.

• Design and facilitate high-level workshops, roundtables, and capacity-building programs for government stakeholders.

• Contribute to proposal development and scoping of new projects , including technical assistance programs, research projects, and policy engagement initiatives.

Investment Intelligence & Fund Support

• Produce country, sector, and regulatory research to support investment screening, pipeline development, and due diligence for IIX’s climate-focused blended finance work in the region .

• Provide thematic analysis on climate resilience, trade dynamics, and blue economy developments that inform IIX’s investment thesis and portfolio strategy across the region.

• Assess policy and regulatory risk for active and pipeline investments — including market entry feasibility, enabling environment analysis, and government relations risk — in close coordination with the investment team.

• Monitor policy and regulatory developments across the markets in the region and surface timely insights to investment and program teams.

Regional Presence & Collaboration

• Serve as IIX’s primary relationship holder and spokesperson for regional research and policy audiences.

• Coordinate with IIX’s investment, sustainable finance, and program teams to ensure research and government engagement are aligned with organizational priorities.

• Represent IIX at conferences, panels, and bilateral meetings across the region.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Experience & Skills

• 12-15 years of experience in research, policy advisory, or government relations, with significant exposure to climate, trade, or blue economy themes in a Southeast Asian and Pacific context.

• Background in Big 4 consulting, management consulting, or an equivalent advisory environment is highly valued — we are looking for structured analytical rigor, strong client management skills, and the ability to translate complex research into actionable recommendations.

• Demonstrated experience engaging with government ministries, regulatory bodies, or multilateral institutions (e.g., ASEAN Secretariat, ADB, World Bank, UNDP , and equivalent national agencies and ministries).

• Track record of producing high-quality business-driven research outputs — policy briefs, sector reports, technical assessments — that have informed government or institutional decision-making.

• Deep familiarity with 2-3 markets in the region (such as Indonesia, The Philippines) is essential; broader Southeast Asia and Pacific exposure is strongly preferred. Fluency in English required; Bahasa Indonesia and/or a relevant Southeast Asian language is an advantage.

• Subject matter expertise in one or more of: climate finance and resilience, trade policy and sustainability, blue economy (coastal/marine ecosystems, sustainable aquaculture, WASH infrastructure, fisheries), or disaster risk management.

• Familiarity with sustainable finance frameworks and impact measurement approaches in development and investment contexts is preferred.

The Person

• Exceptional communicator — able to write for both technical and non-technical audiences and to present with authority to senior government and institutional stakeholders.

• Analytically rigorous and strategically minded — comfortable working with ambiguity and translating data and research into clear, compelling narratives and business propositions.

• Entrepreneurial and adaptable — comfortable building a regional function with lean resources and a high degree of autonomy.

• Genuine conviction that capital and policy can change the world — not just as a professional aspiration, but as a personal belief.

THE PREM FRAMEWORK

Every IIX team member is a PREM professional. We look for these qualities in everyone we hire:

P -Passionate, Mission-driven & purpose-led

R - Resilient, Thrives under pressure & ambiguity

E - Equitable, Champions fairness & inclusion

M - Maverick, Bold, entrepreneurial thinker

WHY IIX

• Work at the intersection of finance and impact — your contribution directly enables IIX’s mission

• High-trust, lean team environment — minimal bureaucracy, maximum ownership

• Be the founding senior voice for SEA research and policy — a rare mandate to build something meaningful from the ground up

• Engage at the highest levels of government, multilateral institutions, and the impact investing ecosystem across Southeast Asia

• A culture that takes PREM values seriously — you will be seen, heard, and valued

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please send your CV and a brief cover note to the breezy link here with the subject line: AD/SVP, Research & Government Relations . In your cover note, tell us about a research or policy engagement challenge you led — what you did, how you approached it, and what impact it had.

IIX is an equal opportunity employer.