Job Title: Officer, Program Secretariat
Location: Remote - Worldwide (with significant overlap with US business hours)
Start Date: Immediately
Reports to: Senior Manager, Program Secretariat
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 over 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.
With the rapid growth in carbon markets driving a new wave of innovative new approaches, Verra is seeking an Officer to perform a variety of tasks focused on the operational excellence of the Program Management Department (PMD), supporting the processing of projects and stakeholder inquiries coming to Verra Program Secretariat for Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, the Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ framework (JNR), the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards and the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta).
A day with Verra’s collaborative Program Management Department might include…
- Maintain efficient, accurate, and streamlined internal review processes through internal project management tools, such as project tracker, CRM, and other optimized tools in the future.
- Execute relevant project review activities, focusing on operational excellence.
- Collaborate with the evolution of Verra programs (e.g., helping to develop updates to existing manuals) so they continue to be relevant and reflect the most updated rules and requirements.
- Collaborate with other Verra teams (i.e., Registry, Communications, and Market Development) to further streamline our internal process and project and data gaps.
Specific functions you will be responsible for leading...
- Revise and update the management procedures and criteria to reflect the current rules and requirements, supporting the maintenance of an FAQ page with questions regarding the VCS project development process.
- Daily Project Review Platform (Project Tracker, CRM, and other improved tools in the future) data management, including creating and updating project records, creating review records, standardizing project records, executing mass updates on data files, and coordinating continuous improvement of such platforms by mediating change requests with IT.
- Ensure the Program Management Department coordinates and updates all internal platforms used on time.
- Execute pipeline listings reviews, automatic issuance protocols, process exemptions, and other relevant stakeholder requests that are part of the Secretariat's scope.
- Assign incoming project requests to Verra Secretariat to relevant review teams.
- Support the market development team by providing the most updated data regarding the projects and involving the relevant program team members where required.
- Provide other administrative support to the Program Management Department, as needed.
You bring with you...
- At least 2 to 3 years of relevant professional, internship, or academic experience.
- A relevant university degree.
- Experience in using management system platforms is an added advantage.
- Experience in project review activities of other sustainability initiatives is an added advantage.
- Interest in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, Sustainable Development Goals, supply-chain sustainability initiatives, and an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities faced by practitioners of these sectors.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines.
- Comfortable in following procedures and proactive in identifying improvement opportunities.
- Culturally aware with the ability to collaborate with stakeholders and partners from different countries, cultures, and time zones.
- Initiative-taker with the 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 forefront of programs designed to drive finance towards high-impact activities that tackle some of the most pressing environmental issues of our day.
- Gaining exposure to challenges and opportunities faced by practitioners of activities aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving livelihoods.
- Finding effective ways to ensure the quality of projects and credits under Verra’s programs.
- Working with a dynamic, committed, and focused team of professionals.
You will know you are successful if...
- You are seen as a reliable and capable member of the team by your peers and manager.
- You build an appreciation and respect for the challenges and opportunities faced by users of Verra’s programs and ensure the quality of activities certified under Verra’s programs.
- Verra stakeholders consistently express positive feedback regarding their ability to collaborate to find workable solutions to their challenges.
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 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 in 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 $57,255 - $63,597 depending on experience.
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 the following:
- 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 eleven 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.