Director, Market Strategy

Job Title: Director of Market Strategy

Location: Flexible: Washington, DC or remote (working with significant overlap with US business hours)

Start Date: Immediately

Reports to: Chief Policy and Markets Officer

Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world's most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven non-profit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods and protect natural resources across the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards, tools and programs that credibly, transparently and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits. We work in any arena where we see a need for clear standards, a role for market-based mechanisms, and an opportunity to generate significant environmental and social value.

Verra manages a portfolio of standards, including the:

• Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) -- the world's leading carbon crediting program, with more than 1600 registered projects in 80 countries, and accounting for two-thirds of all voluntary carbon market transaction volume.
• Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) -- a flexible framework for assessing and reporting on the sustainable development benefits of project-based activities.
• Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards -- to identify projects that simultaneously address climate change, support local communities and smallholders, and conserve biodiversity.
• Plastic Waste Reduction Program -- to enable robust impact assessment of new or scaled-up waste recovery and recycling projects around the globe.

Given significant developments in the global climate policy context, governments and private-sector entities are increasingly engaging in a variety of environmental and financial policies and activities that provide opportunities for the voluntary carbon market and Verra's standards in facilitating the achievement of climate and development goals. Verra is looking for a Director of Market Strategy to ensure the growth and maturation of environmental and social markets, with a particular focus on carbon markets, in a manner that fosters trust and confidence.

A day with Verra's collaborative Policy and Markets team might include…

• Engaging with entities active in voluntary carbon markets to assess how VCS carbon crediting could be scaled up to maximize its climate and development impacts.
• Speaking with policymakers and regulators to assess the potential for Verra standards to strengthen government emission reduction and removal policies and objectives.
• Serving on technical advisory boards on behalf of Verra.
• Working with colleagues in communications, regional outreach and market relations to ensure the accuracy and delivery of key messages related to Verra's offerings.

Specific functions you will be responsible for leading...

• Developing organizational strategies to participate effectively in, and influence the direction of, governmental, intergovernmental, and sectoral policy dialogues to promote Verra's standards.
• Designing and implementing engagement approaches with priority national and subnational governments and intergovernmental organizations (e.g., UNFCCC, ICAO).
• Leading the organization's servicing of major initiatives aimed at scaling up global carbon markets.
• Analyzing market opportunities and risks associated with Verra's standards.
• Tracking, monitoring, and acting upon global policy and market developments.
• Providing high-quality substantive inputs to ensure Verra's direction.
• Managing staff and contractors.

You bring with you...

• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in supporting the development of high-integrity carbon markets.
• Technical knowledge of, and experience working with, carbon crediting mechanisms and major carbon project types, including the VCS, and their operationalization in the context of evolving regulatory frameworks and voluntary targets.
• Track record of successfully formulating and executing complex strategies. An ability to think creatively and in a solution-oriented manner is essential.
• An existing network of key organizations and individuals working in carbon markets.
• Experience supporting strategic partnerships and demonstrating success in coordinating collaborative teams to produce significant outcomes.
• Strong organizational skills and discipline to be able to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines with limited supervision.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills; capable of maintaining a professional approach and demeanor in high-pressure situations and providing support and guidance to other Verra team members.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in other languages would be an advantage.

In this role, you will grow and expand your expertise by...

• Developing and implementing strategies that establish a solid role for Verra's independent standards in both voluntary and compliance settings addressing climate change and sustainable development.
• Working at the cutting edge of programs designed to drive finance towards high-impact activities that tackle the most pressing environmental and social issues of our day.
• Expanding your network of professionals working on climate and sustainable development, including government officials, private-sector actors, NGOs, and others.
• Learning from a diverse group of climate and sustainable development thought leaders and other talented professionals at Verra.
• Leading people, projects, and processes.

You will know you are successful, if...

• Verra is able to effectively develop and strengthen the role of carbon markets in facilitating the adoption of more ambitious mitigation contributions and enabling the accurate quantification of climate and development contributions.
• Verra's programs are recognized in key markets around the world and considered to be of the highest level of rigor, integrity and workability.
• Verra stakeholders consistently express positive feedback in respect of Verra's management of its programs.

You will join a team...

• From diverse locations and backgrounds, including carbon market experts, project developers, consultants, climate negotiators, researchers, auditors, and more.
• Committed to driving finance at scale to projects and programs that advance climate action and sustainable development through high-quality standards and programs.
• That embodies the values Verra has established for itself, and which include Teamwork, Results, Integrity, Balance, and Exploration.

Compensation at Verra

To help us attract and retain top talent, Verra pays employees competitively to the market. In return, we expect each employee to, at a minimum:

• Meet expectations in terms of work effort and performance.
• Take the initiative to build the skills and knowledge needed to do their job effectively; and
• Embody Verra's values.

We will recognize employees who go beyond expected performance with salary increases and/or promotions, but the bar for earning those rewards is high.

Salary is one component of Verra's total compensation package which also includes:

• Health, vision and dental care, and life insurance.
• Verra contributions to each employee's retirement plan.
• Verra contributions as required by national labor laws in countries where staff are located.
• Paid Time Off (PTO), comprising 22-30 days plus ten floating holidays, sabbatical after five years of service, and other leave allowances; and
• Funds to support professional development.

How to Apply

To apply, please send us the following:

• Cover letter (not to exceed one page)
• Resume/CV (not to exceed two pages)

*Please add app.bamboohr.com to your contact list to ensure you receive emails from us*

Verra provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. We conduct our recruitment and hiring without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.