Job Title: Director, REDD+ Program Development and Innovation
Location: Remote – Worldwide (with significant overlap with US business hours)
Reports To: Senior Director, Forest Carbon 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 seeks an experienced leader for our REDD+ technical innovation and engagement work.
A day with Verra’s Program Development & Innovation Department (PDID) might include…
- Meeting with consultants to understand the outcomes of research on concessions and harvest licenses granted and how those data can be used in developing new approaches to Avoiding Planned Deforestation.
- Discussing the development of a tropical peatlands methodology to ensure its compatibility with Verra’s consolidated REDD methodology.
- Signing off on the terms of reference for scientific and technical peer reviewers qualified to review the development of a module for Avoiding Unplanned Degradation as it develops and planning management of that group with your team.
Specific functions you will be responsible for leading…
- Implementing the new consolidated REDD methodology and its module for Avoiding Unplanned Deforestation through the collection of activity data (with jurisdictional engagement) along with risk mapping.
- Overseeing the development and implementation of modules for Avoiding Planned Deforestation, and Avoiding Unplanned Forest Degradation.
- Supporting a smooth transition of current projects to the consolidated REDD methodology.
- Guiding the evolution of the Jurisdictional and Nested REDD Framework.
- Collaborating with the VCS Program development, technology solutions, audit and accreditation, sustainable development, and project review teams to ensure alignment and incorporation of updates resulting from REDD+ innovation.
- Managing appropriate stakeholder engagement, communications, and training in all areas of REDD+ innovation.
- Managing 3 + team members across multiple time zones.
- Representing Verra at industry-related events as a thought leader, to include leading panel discussions and giving presentations.
You bring with you…
- years overall experience, with at least 8years experience focused on the REDD+ technical and policy space with a 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).
- Excellent team and project management skills; including outstanding organizational skills.
- Superior writing ability.
- Standards experience would be a plus.
- Ability to prioritize and work under tight deadlines.
- Demonstrated experience 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 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.
- Having 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. We recognize employees who go beyond expected performance with salary increases and/or promotions, but the bar for earning those rewards is high.
For this position, the salary range is between $107,899 – $155,621 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 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 + 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 accommodation.