Manager, REDD+ Government and Technical Coordination (Remote - Worldwide)

Job Title:                  Manager, REDD+ Government and Technical Coordination

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

Start Date:              Immediately

Reports To:             Senior Director, REDD+ Program Development and 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 and remove 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 programs, including the:

• Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)-- the world's leading carbon crediting program, with more than 2,000 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.

Verra is looking for a specialist, ideally based in Africa or Asia, to coordinate with governments, data service providers, technical experts, project proponents and other stakeholders on REDD+ jurisdictional activity data collection and allocation to REDD+ projects in our VCS Program. This person will engage with governments with the aim of improving coordination between the voluntary carbon market (in particular, on REDD+ activities) and national REDD+ plans, which should help to advance their country’s climate change mitigation targets and contribute to meeting their Sustainable Development Goals.

A day with Verra’s Program Development & Innovation Department (PDID) might include…

• Meeting with government officials and technical experts to explore government data as it relates to that required by the VCS for project development.
• Communicating with stakeholders about opportunities to contribute to the acquisition and production of REDD data and information.
• Collaborating with Verra’s REDD+ team to solve technical issues.

Specific functions you will be responsible for leading…

• Meeting with Government officials to explain the technical elements of Verra’s consolidated REDD methodology and exploring opportunities for collaboration (most communication will be virtual; however, this role requires ~15-20% travel).
• Managing data service provider (DSP) work – contributing to requests for proposals and DSP selection, facilitating government connections, ensuring stakeholder-submitted data are taken into account, and supporting DSPs in delivering suitable products in a timely manner.
• Recruiting and supervising expert assessors whose focus will be ensuring that data provided by governments and DSPs for the consolidated REDD methodology meets VCS requirements.
• Representing Verra at regional events.

You bring with you…

• Deep understanding of climate change mitigation, GHG accounting, forest reference level estimation, MRV design, forest carbon methodologies, standards, crediting programs, and REDD+ processes/initiatives (e.g., UNFCCC, FCPF).

• Experience working with government bodies.

• Working familiarity with geospatial technologies (e.g., remote sensing and GIS).

• Skill at prioritizing and working under tight deadlines, and ability to coordinate across teams.

• A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential; French or other languages would be an advantage.

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

• Helping to advance REDD+ in the voluntary carbon market.
• Gaining exposure to systems, projects, and partners that are leading the way in forest conservation driven by climate finance.
• Working with a dynamic and passionate team of professionals across different Verra teams with a variety of skills and expertise.
• Exposure to a range of professional development options within Verra.

You will join an inclusive team...

• Of leading experts in the natural climate solutions space.
• From diverse locations and backgrounds, including carbon market experts, forest carbon innovations and REDD+, climate negotiators, researchers, 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.

Compensation at Verra

Verra pays employees competitively in the market to help us attract and retain top talent. Pay is based on several factors, including market location, and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

For this position, the salary range is between $81,371 - $92,383 USD. The compensation band is based on a U.S. base salary range and shares the min and max base salary for the position. This position is eligible for remote work.

The final compensation offered will be contingent upon role, level and location. Our Talent team can share the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

We 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.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform crucial job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.