Senior Program Officer, Energy and Industry, VCS Program Management (Remote – LATAM and North America time zones)

Job Title:                 Senior Program Officer, Energy and Industry

Location:                 Remote – Worldwide

Start Date:              Immediately

Reports to:              Senior Manager, Energy and Industry

With the rapid growth in carbon markets driving a new wave of project development, Verra is seeking a Senior Program Officer to join the Program Management Department.

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 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 that account 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 Program Management Department might include…

• Conducting a review of a VCS project submitted for registration or verification approval.

• Contributing to a team meeting to provide a solution to a challenging project situation.

• Supporting the Legal, Policy and Markets Department and Auditing and Accreditation Department, by clarifying the program rules, reporting on validation/verification body (VVB) performance, and identifying VVB training needs.

• Conducting an observation audit with a validation/verification body, to witness their work at a project site and report back on their performance.

• Providing input to the Program Development and Innovation Department to improve the VCS Program rules, based on your experience of projects and application of the VCS rules.

Specific functions you will be responsible for leading...

• Reviewing and approving project documentation and working closely with project stakeholders to ensure the quality of projects requesting registration and VCU issuance with Verra programs.
• Collaborating internally to report on project quality and VVB performance.
• Serving as a subject expert within the Program Management Department on energy and industry projects.
• Training, supervising, and mentoring junior staff.
• Providing input on revisions to the VCS rules and procedures, to help maintain the robustness, workability, and impact of the VCS Program.
• Supporting the development and review of VCS methodologies.
• Participating in industry conferences and other events.

You bring with you...

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience, preferably working for a standards organization, NGO, government, project developer and/or validation/verification body.
• A relevant university degree. A master’s degree would be advantageous.
• Technical background and previous experience with energy and industrial GHG projects.
• Understanding of climate change mitigation strategies, Sustainable Development Goals, and/or climate/development finance, and an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities faced by practitioners of these arenas.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines.
• Culturally aware with the ability to work with stakeholders and partners from different countries and cultures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential and proficiency in other languages would be an advantage.

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.
• 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 the Verra programs.
• Working with a dynamic, committed, and focused team of professionals.

You will know you are successful, if...

• You are seen as a leader and a go-to resource by your peers, and as a reliable and capable member of the team by your manager.
• You build on your appreciation and respect for the challenges and opportunities faced by users of the Verra programs, and can effectively ensure the quality of activities certified under the Verra programs.
• Verra stakeholders consistently express positive feedback regarding your ability to collaborate to find workable solutions to challenges they face.

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 quality so that finance can flow at scale to projects and programs that advance climate action and sustainable development through high-quality standards and programs.
• That embodies the values Verra has established for itself, 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.

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:

• 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.