Carbon Technical Manager

Carbon Technical Manager

Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all for over 30 years. Through science, policy, and partnerships, CI is helping build a healthier, more prosperous, and more productive planet.

POSITION SUMMARY

Conservation International is one of the global leaders in using nature-based solutions to combat climate change. There is significant growth in the demand for high-quality conservation projects that can access the voluntary and compliance carbon markets via REDD+, Restoration, and Blue Carbon mechanisms, in particular. Conservation International is expecting to rapidly expand its portfolio of REDD+, Restoration, and Blue Carbon initiatives, which go beyond protecting forests and biodiversity, by integrating sustainable production and focusing on improving human well-being.

CI's Conservation Finance Division is seeking two Carbon Technical Managers to assist in developing a pipeline of new investable avoided deforestation, and restoration, site- and jurisdictional-scale initiatives globally. The Manager will be responsible for conducting project feasibility assessments, conducting field visits, and moving priority opportunities to full-scale development including, responsibility for the Project Description Documents (PDD). In addition, the manager will manage and work across-CI divisions to assure technical accuracy and timely progress through the validation and verification processes for those projects being certified to voluntary market standards like the VCS and CCB, or compliance markets, such as Japan's Joint Crediting Mechanism.

The Manager will be working in close collaboration with the Senior Technical Director Projects at Head Office and the Regional Technical Director at African Field Division, as well as CI's country offices globally, various external stakeholders, partners and consultants, and CI's Conservation Finance Division and Natural Climate Solutions Center in Arlington, to ensure alignment between regional and global strategies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in the design of a process to develop carbon projects aiming to achieve voluntary market standard certification. Develop tools, frameworks, and templates to streamline the data gathering, analysis, and narrative of the elements of the Project Design Document (PDD) and Monitoring and Implementation Reports (MIR), including but not limited to biodiversity and community monitoring, stakeholder engagement, benefits sharing mechanism plans, emissions reduction or removal models and financial models. Building and maintain a network of specialists that contributes to specific aspects of the PDD and MIR.
• Conduct the full technical development of viable carbon finance projects in conjunction with relevant project staff. This includes but is not limited to developing carbon emissions baseline and project scenarios, developing appropriate MRV protocols, contributing to the identification and design of field implementation activities, contribute to writing project certification documents including PDDs and MIRs, designing and managing work plans and budgets for technical activities related to carbon project development, and leading projects through audit and validation/verification processes. Conduct site visits and carbon due diligence, as needed.
• Develop and maintain CI's relationships with partners to enhance collaboration and partnership initiatives, continually look for opportunities to strengthen capacity building and partnership effort.
• Work with CI field offices, Natural Climate Solutions Center, and Conservation Finance Division to ensure alignment of strategies and priorities. Provide periodic reports and assessments on progress against project development for an internal audience (e.g. update and maintain the project pipeline database, as well as other duties as assigned by supervisor.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• One of the positions will be based in Africa and the other one in Latin America.
• Frequent travel within the region will be required, often this will entail travel to remote locations with rustic conditions.
• A flexible work schedule is required in order to accommodate time differences between the Arlington, VA office and international field offices located in multiple time zones.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree or up to four years of college-level work in environmental science or management, climate science, or related fields.
• Four to six years of work experience with REDD+ and/or blue carbon project management, document development, and implementation.
• Four to six years of work experience with the application and use of land-use carbon accounting approaches and methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience with getting REDD+ and/or Blue Carbon projects through the full VCS and CCBS validation and verification process, including the development of Project Description Document (PDDs), Monitoring & Implementation Reports (MIRs), and Validation and Verification Body (VVB) audits.
• Demonstrated knowledge on forest and biodiversity conservation, carbon accounting, national and international REDD+ policy frameworks, including Forest Emissions Reference Level and livelihood development, approaches.
• Experience with training field teams on developing and implementing forest, carbon, and biodiversity monitoring plans.
• Excellent analytical skills with demonstratable experience of GIS, and Remote Sensing including land-use change modeling.
• Proven team player, able to work effectively across cultures and within and across organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Highly organized and strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to build on existing knowledge to develop new approaches.

Preferred

• Advanced degree or graduate studies preferred.
• Experience working across different countries.
• Experience in carbon accounting from soil organic carbon (e.g. peatland and rangeland).
• Experience communicating about REDD+ and other forest carbon finance mechanisms to technical and non-technical audiences.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International Values

We expect that all employees will embrace the values of our organization.

• Passion: Inspired by people and by nature, we are urgently compelled to drive change for a sustainable future.
• Integrity: We are honest, transparent and accountable for our actions.
• Teamwork: We work together as one CI,recognizing thatinclusion, collaboration andcooperation arefundamental to achieving ahealthy and prosperousworld for all.
• Respect: We respect each other and work to earn trust, valuing ourdiversity of cultures, talents, and experiences.
• Courage: We pursue our vision, taking bold action, persevering and overcoming challenges.
• Optimism: We are optimistic about the capacity of people to be caring, generous and brilliant, and believe that with partners, we can inspire humanity to create a better future.

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Vets/Disabled