Manager, Agriculture Innovation

Job Title:               Manager**, Agriculture Innovation**

Location:               Remote - Worldwide (with significant overlap with Europe and US business hours)

Start Date:            Immediately

End Date:              December 2023 (with potential for extension)

Reports to:            Senior Manager, Agriculture Innovation

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.

A day with Verra’s Agriculture Innovation Team might include...

• Participating in team meetings to identify new opportunities to scale sustainable agriculture practices

• Drafting rules and requirements to address barriers within existing Verra standards and methodologies.

• Conducting research into and writing guidance for new and emerging approaches and technologies for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of soil organic carbon stocks and agricultural GHG emissions.

• Contributing to and managing interactions with external experts (e.g., coordinating working groups) and agricultural stakeholders, including project and methodology developers, validation/verification bodies, credit buyers and others.

• Leading interactions with external stakeholders and consultants to analyze and adapt scientific best practices related to monitoring and quantification of agricultural GHG in VCS methodologies (e.g., earth observation, emerging sensors and technology, soil sampling and analysis);

• Developing

• Working with colleagues to draft revisions to VCS Program rules and procedures relevant to the agriculture and livestock sectors to help maintain the robustness, workability, and impact of the program;

• Supporting interactions with external stakeholders via email and in meetings to respond to questions about VCS rules, methodologies and project development related to agricultural land management (ALM) or livestock management activities

• Supporting the review of externally submitted concept notes, methodology revisions and new methodologies;

• Managing junior staff, as needed; and

• Supporting the Program Development and Innovation team on other emerging opportunities related to the agriculture sector.

You bring with you...

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience, preferably in GHG accounting, methodologies, standards, carbon crediting programs and/or agricultural MRV.
• A relevant university degree (e.g., agricultural or soil sciences, environmental sciences, biology). A PhD degree would be advantageous.
• Experience using process-based biogeochemical models and/or conducting soil sampling to estimate SOC stocks and agricultural GHG fluxes is a plus.
• Enthusiasm for reviewing scientific literature and interacting with scientists to solve challenging questions related to MRV of activities that reduce agricultural GHG emissions.
• Demonstrated skill using Microsoft Office/Microsoft Teams/SharePoint/OneDrive and Google Workspace.
• Strong attention to detail and project management and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines.
• Culturally aware with ability to work with stakeholders and partners from different countries and cultures.
• Self-starter with ability to excel in a professional environment with limited supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential.

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

• Working at the cutting edge of programs designed to drive finance towards high-impact activities that tackle some of the most pressing environmental issues of our day.
• Working on challenges and opportunities faced by practitioners of activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve livelihoods.
• Finding effective ways to ensure the quality of projects and credits under Verra programs.
• Working with a dynamic, committed, and focused team of professionals.

You will join a team:

• Of leading experts in the carbon space.
• From diverse locations and backgrounds, including carbon market experts, project developers, consultants, policymakers, 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 Verra’s values, 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.

For this position, the salary range is USD $77,793 - $88,321, depending on experienceSalary 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)
• At least two references

*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.