NBS Technical Manager

Location: Preference for United Kingdom (London/Oxford) on a hybrid basis or Europe, US East Coast (remote working) or Nairobi on a hybrid basis. Other locations can be considered for the right candidates. 

ROLE

Climate Impact Partners, a leading provider of high-quality carbon credit programmes, is looking for a Nature Based Solutions Technical Manager to join our Project Development team. The role is focused on carbon project development of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) projects internationally under recognised voluntary carbon standards and US-based voluntary carbon standards.NBS is an increasingly important part of our business and we are expanding our technical project development capability as client demand for NBS projects grows.

You will be part of a high calibre, international NBS technical team and will work closely with experienced NBS Commercial Managers and Portfolio Delivery colleagues, supporting the origination,screening and delivery of project development opportunities. You will lead the technical and operational due diligence of projects (from early development through to post-issuance stages) and, for some projects, lead on Carbon Asset Development from undertaking feasibility studies, to overseeing the validation, verification and ultimately, the issuance of high integrity carbon credits from international projects with credible partners.

Reporting into the Head of the NBS Technical Team, you will be at the centre of accelerating the growth of Climate Impact Partners’ NBS project development portfolio, building on our award-winning reputation as a voluntary carbon project developer.Climate Impact Partners offers an environment in which to succeed in delivering impact through development of new projects, with a fully integrated strategy spanning supply and demand, long-term industry relationships and influence and a strong international policy and regulatory team.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support origination and screening of global project development opportunities; help set the criteria for what ‘good’ looks like and support the implementation of rigorous and consistent processes
• Lead the due diligence of both NBS long-term project development opportunities and operating projects from which Climate Impact Partners is sourcing VCUs in the near-term, including site visits where necessary.
• Working closely with experienced Commercial Managers support negotiations with project implementation partners, in particular contributing to understanding and mitigation of project risk and ensuring that best practice monitoring solutions are in place.
• Lead carbon asset development for projects, working closely with local partners, on feasibility studies and completing or overseeing the preparation of Project Design Documentation through validation to verification and issuance.
• Working the Portfolio Delivery team, provide ongoing oversight of the technical carbon and monitoring aspects of operational projects to ensure performance, delivery and reporting.
• Keep abreast of best practice in digital and remote monitoring approaches, sharing learning with the team and contributing to our strategy in this field; for the right candidate there is the opportunity to take a leadership role in this programme.
• Keep up to date with changes in voluntary carbon standards (including emerging jurisdictional standards, changes in voluntary carbon rules) and inform Climate Impact Partners’ approach to managing risk and securing optionality as standards and international policies (e.g. the implementation of the Paris agreement) continue to evolve.

CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

• Extensive experience in NBS project development or related roles.
• A degree or comparative experience in a relevant field such as forestry, ecology, biological conservation or environmental management is preferable but not essential.
• Proven experience in preparing and/or reviewing Project Design Documents and monitoring reports for VCS/CCB, Gold Standard, Climate Action Reserve, American Carbon Registry, and potentially other recognised standards, through to validation, monitoring and verification.
• Knowledgeable about key elements of the carbon development process such as baselining, field data collection and analysis, GIS, calculation of carbon benefits, forest and biomass inventories, biodiversity mapping and community engagement.
• The ideal candidate will have experience in multiple NBS pathways and protocols (e.g. avoidance and removals) and an understanding of performance and delivery risks.
• Experience working with local partners, with an understanding of the on-the-ground challenges and realities of project and carbon delivery.
• A strong network in carbon project development is desirable; able to engage other technical specialists and manage specialist input as needed.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO

• Is prepared to challenge project partners constructively to ensure that project design assumptions are credible and robust.
• Has a strong attention to detail and able to identify what is most important to address; has a proven understanding of project risks and how these impact commercial discussions.
• Has a strong collaborative attitude combined with a willingness to work with a high degree of autonomy.
• Can manage competing priorities.
• Sets high standards for ethical behaviour.
• Is comfortable with making pragmatic recommendations with the best available – and often imperfect information, working collaboratively to form views.
• Language skills would be an asset.
• Willing to travel internationally to project sites.

PERKS

• In-house Carbon Academy training programme
• Bonus scheme, subject to company and individual performance
• Enhanced parental leave
• Join a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp™, awarded in recognition of our exceptional positive impact on its customers
• Join a profit-for-purpose business that delivers results and impact
• Further benefits packages are available to US, UK and Kenya-based employees and vary according to location.

Climate Impact Partners is an equal opportunities employer. Our goal is to be a diverse and inclusive workforce, that embraces our differences, and so all aspects of employment including the decision to hire and promote, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business need. We do not discriminate on the basis of characteristics protected under federal, state, or local law. To support this, all applications are anonymised until the interview stage which means that regardless of who has applied, your characteristics are totally anonymous.