Policy Associate, Access Strategies
Organisation: The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI)
Website: www.vcmintegrity.org
Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience, plus benefits (generous annual leave allowance, private healthcare, employer pension contribution, annual wellbeing allowance)
Location: Global, remote-first (applications from candidates based in South Asia, Africa, or Latin America preferred)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Fixed term to December 2026, with possibility of extension
Working Pattern: Flexible; work across time zones expected due to global operations
About VCMI
The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that supports high-integrity carbon markets as a tool to accelerate global climate action. VCMI works with governments, businesses, and civil society to ensure carbon markets contribute effectively to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
VCMI’s Access Strategies Program supports governments in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) to engage effectively in high-integrity carbon markets. EMDEs are often most vulnerable to climate impacts and require significant climate finance to fund priorities such as climate-resilient infrastructure and low-carbon development.
High-integrity carbon markets can help channel private finance into these regions, supporting nature protection, green jobs, and emissions reduction/removal efforts.
A key part of the program involves supporting CVF‑V20 member countries to leverage high-integrity carbon markets to finance their Climate Prosperity Plans—national strategies designed to transform climate risks into bankable opportunities. Carbon markets are among several mechanisms identified to unlock an additional US$20 billion in annual financing for V20 countries.
Learn more about VCMI’s work and culture:
https://vcmintegrity.org/working-at-vcmi/
The Role
VCMI is seeking a professional with a background in climate finance, carbon markets, and government policy to join the Carbon Market Access Strategies team. The Policy Associate will lead on delivering critical workstreams within VCMI’s Access Strategies Program.
Key Responsibilities
- Support VCMI’s policy analysis and government engagement for the Access Strategies Program, including work with CVF‑V20 member countries.
- Gather inputs from external bodies to contribute to VCMI’s knowledge dissemination and capacity building across the carbon market ecosystem.
- Support development and delivery of technical assistance projects, training sessions, and workshops aimed at building enabling conditions for EMDEs to benefit from carbon finance flows.
- Convey VCMI guidance effectively to policymakers and other key stakeholders.
- Support Access Strategies team work such as fundraising and grant management.
- Conduct policy analysis of carbon market trends, updates, and evolving policies relevant to VCMI’s mission and workstreams.
- Support communication of knowledge products related to high-integrity carbon markets and Access Strategies outputs.
- Represent VCMI externally, help organize convenings of international stakeholders, interact with public/private sector actors, and participate in conferences.
Who We Are Looking For
Essential Criteria
- Knowledge and experience in carbon markets and carbon finance, including UNFCCC mechanisms and high‑integrity voluntary carbon markets.
- Understanding of government policy processes, with experience working in or closely with government officials on climate-related topics.
- Expertise and motivation to advance carbon finance as a tool for mobilizing climate and development finance.
- Understanding of the carbon finance technical assistance ecosystem (MDBs, regional alliances, donors).
- Excellent oral, written, communication and presentation skills, including PowerPoint proficiency; fluency in English.
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to explain complex topics clearly.
- A team player with proven ability to work across disciplines and cultures and manage multiple priorities under time pressure.
Preferred Criteria
- Experience working on international climate or development programs in EMDEs.
- International engagement and convening experience on technical policy issues.
- Direct experience working with or within government on carbon markets.
- Knowledge of government regulations relating to carbon market participation, best practices for engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and benefit sharing.
- Experience in climate finance, grant-making, contract management, monitoring and evaluation.
- Experience working across different geographies and cultures.
- Additional language skills.
How to Apply
Send the following to [email protected]:
- A copy of your CV
- A short cover letter demonstrating how you meet the selection criteria
Deadline: 5pm, Friday 13 February
Email Subject Line: Access Strategies Associate – FULL NAME
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; early submission is encouraged.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to:
- First-round interview
- Second-round interview focused on cultural alignment
Additional stages may be added depending on application volume.