Officer, Sustainable Finance and Innovation

ROLE PURPOSE

This is a full-time position responsible for supporting the development and piloting of new tools and methodological approaches (including remote sensing, proximal sensors, and models) for biodiversity, nature-based solutions, forestry, agri/aquaculture and blue solutions. Applications range from carbon credit projects to impact claims (i.e., investment funds, landscape approaches, and value-chain reporting projects).

The officer will report directly to the Senior Manager in the Sustainable Finance and Innovations team with responsibilities for the GS biodiversity strategy and LUF-related remote sensing and modelling approaches.  This role will provide the right candidate with opportunities to understand how to drive finance to achieve greater impacts on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on biodiversity and land use & forestry.

This is a remote position based in Germany,  UK or in- office at our Headquarters in Geneva,  Switzerland.

WHAT WE DO

Gold Standard is a standards body and thought leader that promotes the best that can be achieved in climate and development projects. It was established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs as a best practice standard to ensure projects that reduced carbon emissions under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) also delivered sustainable development benefits. Today, our standard, ‘Gold Standard for the Global Goals’, allows climate and development initiatives within carbon markets, corporate supply chains, and sustainable finance to manage, measure and maximise their impacts toward the Net Zero ambition of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Certification against the standard provides the confidence that these results are measured and verified, enabling credible impact reporting. ISEAL Code Compliant and backed by a broad NGO Supporter Network, Gold Standard has 2000+ projects underway in over 90 countries, creating billions of dollars of shared value from climate and development action worldwide.

YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

• Coordinating the work of external parties (i.e. consultants, working groups) in the process of developing, reviewing, and approving new LUF/biodiversity methodologies and tools
• Coordinating the review process of new methodologies/tools review and approval with internal and external stakeholders, prepare draft findings, including inputs from expert reviewers
• Coordinating the implementation of innovative biodiversity pilots and LUF (forestry, agriculture, and blue carbon) pilots
• Conducting background research and provide technical opinion on methodologies, remote sensing technologies/protocols, and models applied to measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of impacts (e.g. increases in carbon stocks, biodiversity impacts, water impacts, landscape-level impacts)
• Representing Gold Standard at key external events, including conferences and workshops from time to time as required
• Supporting other team members within the Sustainable Finance and Innovation Team providing technical inputs if approved by the SFI Senior Manager.

YOU WILL BRING TO THE ROLE:

Requirements:

• 2 to 4 years of experience post-graduation preferred but good candidates considered without. Bachelor’s or higher degree in environmental sciences, forestry engineering, environmental engineer, agricultural sciences. Candidates with different educational qualifications, even lower, may be taken into consideration against significant experience in the role.

• Understanding of climate-smart technologies and practices (e.g. cover cropping, reduced/zero-till, crop rotation) and land-use, forestry afforestation/reforestation (A/R), improved forest management (IFM)

• Understanding of biodiversity monitoring.

• Wide knowledge of climate change, environmental markets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Interest in remote sensing applied to LUF.

• Interest and literacy in sustainable development finance, carbon standards, sustainable development projects.

• Some knowledge and interest in descriptive statistics (application and interpretation).

• Strong curiosity and willingness to learn by doing

• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with strong attention to detail.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work with a range of team members based all around the world. Fluency in English is essential (written and verbal).

• Ability to legally work in region of residence.

What will make you stand out**:**

• Hands-on experience designing and/or conducting fieldwork (i.e. social assessments, data collection and assessment) in LUF climate change mitigation/adaptation, biodiversity conservation projects is a plus.

• Experience as a carbon project developer and/or auditor is an advantage.

• Experience conducting on-the-ground biodiversity monitoring.

• Hands-on experience conducting remote sensing analysis in LUF.

• Knowledge of inferential statistics an advantage (application and interpretation).

• Interest in and some knowledge of blue carbon technologies and practices.

YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW BY:

• Having the opportunity to develop and innovate on new tools and methodological approaches (including remote sensing, proximal sensors, and models) for forestry, agriculture, and biodiversity

• Developing an understanding how to drive finance to achieve greater biodiversity impact and support new approaches for support sustainable land use and forestry

• Working within an internationally leading environmental standard at the cutting edge of climate and sustainable development action.

• Building a broad partner network across government, international organizations, businesses and other stakeholder groups.

WHAT WE OFFER:

The salary range for this role will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Other benefits to working at Gold Standard include:

• A mission-driven organisation working at the leading edge of climate and sustainability

• Rewarding work in a dynamic non-profit environment

• A collaborative workplace within a multicultural team

• An ambitious, agile and flexible environment

CLOSING DATE

Applications for this role will close on Sunday, 23rd April 2023. Successful candidates will be contacted for an interview.

APPLICATIONS

Please submit a 1-page cover letter explaining why you want to work for the Gold Standard and a CV through our recruitment portal.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Gold Standard provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. We are dedicated to an inclusive culture, and we strive to create a workplace where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together.

We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.