Conservation International is one of the global leaders in using nature-based solutions to combat climate change. There is significant growth in the demand for high-quality conservation projects that can access the voluntary and compliance carbon markets via REDD+, Restoration, and Blue Carbon mechanisms, in particular. Conservation International rapidly expanding its portfolio of carbon initiatives, which go beyond protecting forests and biodiversity, by integrating sustainable production and focusing on improving human well-being.

CI’s Conservation Finance Division is seeking a Forest Carbon Technical Specialist to assist in developing a pipeline of new investable avoided deforestation, and restoration, site- and jurisdictional-scale initiatives globally. The Specialist will be responsible for conducting project feasibility assessments, conducting field visits, and moving priority opportunities to full-scale development including, responsibility for the Project Description Documents (PDD). In addition, the specialist will manage and work across-CI divisions to assure technical accuracy and timely progress through the validation and verification processes for those projects being certified to voluntary market standards like the VCS and CCB, or compliance markets, such as Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism.

The Manager will be working in close collaboration with the Senior Technical Director Projects at Head Office and the Regional Technical Director at African Field Division, as well as CI’s country offices globally, various external stakeholders, partners and consultants, and CI’s Conservation Finance Division and Natural Climate Solutions Center in Arlington, to ensure alignment between regional and global strategies. This position will be based in-country where CI maintains operations, preferably in Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Madagascar, or Liberia) or Europe (Belgium).

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in the design of a process to develop carbon projects aiming to achieve voluntary market standard certification. Develop tools, frameworks, and templates to streamline the data gathering, analysis, and narrative of the elements of the Project Design Document (PDD) and Monitoring and Implementation Reports (MIR), including but not limited to biodiversity and community monitoring, stakeholder engagement, benefits sharing mechanism plans, emissions reduction or removal models and financial models. Building and maintaining a network of specialists that contributes to specific aspects of the PDD and MIR.
• Conduct the full technical development of viable carbon finance projects in conjunction with relevant project staff. This includes but is not limited to developing carbon emissions baseline and project scenarios, developing appropriate MRV protocols, contributing to the identification and design of field implementation activities, contributing to writing project certification documents including PDDs and MIRs, designing and managing work plans and budgets for technical activities related to carbon project development, and leading projects through audit and validation/verification processes. Conduct site visits and carbon due diligence, as needed.
• Develop and maintain CI’s relationships with partners to enhance collaboration and partnership initiatives, continually look for opportunities to strengthen capacity building and partnership effort.
• Work with CI field offices, Natural Climate Solutions Center, and Conservation Finance Division to ensure alignment of strategies and priorities. Provide periodic reports and assessments on progress against project development for an internal audience (e.g. update and maintain the project pipeline database, as well as other duties as assigned by supervisor.