Job Title: Senior Program Officer, Natural Climate Solutions
Location: Remote - Worldwide (with significant overlap of US business hours)
Reports to: Manager, Natural Climate Solutions
About Verra
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:
- Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)-- the world’s leading carbon crediting program, with more than 2000 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, supports 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 project development, Verra is seeking a Senior Program Officer to grow our Program Management Team.
A day with Verra’s Program Management Team might include…
- Reviewing a project submitted to Verra through the VCS project cycle.
- Working as a team to understand challenging project situations, integrity thresholds and longevity of projects.
- Supporting the Legal, Policy, and Markets Team and Auditing and Accreditation Team by clarifying the program rules, reporting on validation/verification body (VVB) performance and identifying VVB training needs.
- Providing guidance to fellow staff members in complex reviews.
Specific functions you will be responsible for leading...
- Reviewing project documents to ensure quality of VVB performance and integrity of projects requesting registration and verified carbon unit (VCU) issuance with Verra programs.
- Collaborating internally with the Auditing and Accreditation Team on project quality, VVB performance and liaising externally with VVBs. This role may also entail onsite audits of VVB site visits.
- Serving as a subject expert within the Program Management Team on nature-based solutions.
- Training, supervising, and mentoring early career staff and external contractors.
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.
- Technical background and previous experience in reviewing or developing nature-based projects specifically REDD+, WRC, IFM, ARR and/or ALM.
- Interest in maintaining high quality projects and auditors through careful review of project requests and documentation.
- A relevant university degree; advanced degree would be advantageous.
- Understanding of climate change mitigation strategies, climate/development finance, and an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities faced by practitioners of these arenas.
- Strong attention to detail.
- 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.
- Self-starter with the ability to excel in a professional, team-oriented environment and work independently.
- 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 address 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.
- Participating in industry conferences and other events and taking advantage of Verra’s generous professional development benefits and program training.
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 experience professional and efficient reviews and interactions with you leading to continued satisfaction with Verra.
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 includeTeamwork, 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 between $61,827 -$75,529 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.
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
- Funds to support professional development
How to Apply
To apply, please send us the following:
- Cover letter (not to exceed one page) highlighting your experience in one or more NCS areas such as REDD+, WRC, IFM, ARR and/or ALM
- Resume/CV (not to exceed two pages)
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We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.