Policy Analyst, Tax and Extractives

About Us

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 270 people, plus over 150 associates and consultants, come from across the globe and from many disciplines. Our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

Scope

IISD’s program on Tax and Sovereign Debt seeks to build a fairer international financial architecture to leverage public funding for climate, biodiversity, and development goals through increased tax revenue, sustainable use of debt, and responsible financial management. Effective taxation of natural resources is an important pillar of IISD’s Tax and Sovereign Debt program. We deliver this work through the Global Mining Tax Initiative—a core offering of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), hosted by IISD.

The Global Mining Tax Initiative combines global guidance, technical assistance, and multistakeholder approaches to strengthen mining revenue collection. This work is in line with the Financial Benefits pillar of the Mining Policy Framework (MPF), the IGF’s flagship tool to enhance environmental, social, and economic governance in the mining sector. Several aspects of the Global Mining Tax Initiative are delivered jointly with international and regional partners, including the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), and the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT).

The IGF supports its more than 80 member countries in advancing their sustainable development goals through effective laws, policies, and regulations for the mining sector. We help governments take action to develop inclusive and gender-equitable practices, optimize financial benefits, support livelihoods, and safeguard the environment. Our work covers the full mining life cycle, from exploration to mine closure, and projects of all sizes, from artisanal mining to large-scale operations. Guided by our members’ needs, we provide in-country assessments, capacity building, technical training, publications, and events to advance best practices, peer learning, and engagement with industry and civil society.

IISD is looking for a Policy Analyst with a legal profile on Tax and Extractive Industries, fully proficient in both French and English, to join the Global Mining Tax Initiative. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a fast-growing, high-impact program. The successful candidate will develop practical guidance for governments on mining tax policy and administration, as well as contribute to technical assistance programs with governments in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia. They will work closely with the OECD, ATAF, CIAT, and the United Nations. Most importantly, the candidate will play a key role in helping developing countries secure a fair share of the fiscal benefits from their natural resources.

Key responsibilities include

• Contributing to evidence-based, policy-oriented research on mining taxation
• Contributing to the delivery of technical assistance on mining taxation
• Supporting fundraising efforts for the general needs of the program
• Supporting monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for all aspects of the program
• Supporting other activities of IGF’s programs where relevant.

Detailed Description of Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision

• Support IISD staff in implementing our strategy for the Global Mining Tax Initiative and the IGF more broadly.

Fundraising

• Support fundraising by contributing to proposals and other relevant materials.
• Identify fundraising opportunities based on existing work or new ideas.
• Contribute to reporting to donors.

Technical Assistance

• Support the delivery of capacity-building and technical assistance for governments on mining taxation, including analysis of laws, policies, concession agreements, and tax administration processes.
• Support bilateral and multilateral training events for governments, including the preparation of materials with a focus on mining taxation, with a focus on French-speaking countries.
• Make technical inputs to mining tax audits, in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme–OECD Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) program.
• Contribute to the implementation of the IGF MPF pillar on tax and financial benefits, including through country assessments.
• Contribute to monitoring the impact of technical assistance and training programs.

Research and Knowledge Products

• Contribute to the delivery of research and knowledge products.
• Support the development of practical tools to assist mining tax administration, including relevant datasets, financial models, and checklists.
• Contribute to the development of presentations to promote, communicate, and share ideas, policy recommendations, and research findings through a variety of mediums.

Influencing and Convening

• Support IISD staff in engaging and collaborating with a variety of actors and stakeholders to influence the design of mining tax and governance norms and standards, including interactions with international tax and investment regime reform processes.
• Contribute to organizing webinars, meetings, and public consultations where required.

Communications and Outreach

• Support IISD’s Communications team in promoting and disseminating our work.

• Present, discuss, and explain the IGF’s work in the area of mining taxation at meetings, seminars, and conferences.

• Contribute to annual reports and other corporate publications.

Operations and Project Management

• Evaluate and report on all mining taxation activities.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Knowledge and Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree in law or public or social policy.
• 2–3 years of experience working in mining law and policy, tax, and international tax.
• Demonstrated excellent writing and communication skills.
• Strong grasp of investment, tax, and mining law.
• Excellent English (written and spoken).
• Excellent French (written and spoken).
• Commitment to IISD’s vision for sustainable development.

Skills, Competencies, and Attributes

Essential

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with people.

• Strong analytical, research, and writing skills in English and French.

• Strong writing skills and oral communication skills in English and French.

• Strong presentation and networking skills.

• Strong IT skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Willingness and ability to travel internationally for work.

• Ability to work effectively in a remote, asynchronous team.

• Flexibility and adaptability to work effectively across different topics and themes at the same time and to pick up knowledge on new topics quickly.

• Ability to work on own initiative and under minimal supervision.

• Strong commitment to the ideals, values, and mission of IISD.

Ideal

• An advanced university degree or equivalent in law or public or social policy.

• Knowledge of mining laws and mining fiscal regimes in West Africa.

• Knowledge of tax laws in West Africa.

• Experience with quantitative data analysis.

• Portuguese and/or Spanish language skills are desirable.

For more details on what we are looking for in our candidates, please refer to the IISD competencies on our website.

Location: Hybrid or remote with international travel. This position is open to candidates resident in the following locations only: Canada, Belgium, Burkina Faso, France, Germany, Kenya, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience and location.

Employment type: Full-time position

Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: October 31, 2024, 4pm CST

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for locations 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.

Candidates must submit a cover note (one page maximum) outlining their interest in the role and why they are suitable. They may be required to provide references and a piece of written work on request. This written work should be on a topic relating to tax and extractive industries, e.g., a research report or policy brief.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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Keywords

Policy AnalystTaxExtractive IndustriesFrenchEnglishMining TaxationInternational TaxSustainable Development