Advisor, Carbon Fund

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Conservation International’s (CI) Carbon Fund Fund was established to help catalyze the nascent forest carbon market by playing a key role as an early-stage investor/developer of best-in-class projects and associated financing mechanisms. As part of our expansion phase, CI is looking to build on our current leadership in the forest carbon space and seeks to scale up our work in order to maximize benefits for conservation and community livelihoods.

The Advisor will provide carbon finance technical expertise to help oversee the Fund’s current portfolio and mature the pipeline of forest carbon projects. This new position will help identify opportunities to engage the Carbon Fund in forest carbon projects, primarily (although not limited to) the emerging REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) asset class and therefore will play a key role in helping the Fund expand its existing portfolio. As part of the this role, the Advisor will manage the development of feasibility assessments, support project design and execution, and provide technical support to the Fund’s existing and growing portfolio. Finally, the Advisor will provide support to the Senior Director and Manager as needed, and may collaborate with other CI and EFD units to ensure organization of activities for a common goal.

This position reports to the Senior Director, Carbon Finance, in the Ecosystem Finance Division, but will work closely with the other Manager position to achieve the Fund’s goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify opportunities for carbon investment based on a variety of conservation priorities, carbon estimates, methodology application, and with consideration to carbon standards requirements (Voluntary Carbon Standard - VCS, Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance- CCBA, Clean Development Mechanisms - CDM, etc)
• REDD+ projects. Work with CI’s Regional Programs, partner organizations, and external contractors to ensure timely execution of work and identify new opportunities
• Provide expert advice on technical carbon issues to guide Fund project selection, design and management over the carbon development cycle
• Support the development of carbon-specific decision support tools internal to CI
• Support the elaboration of Project Design Documents of forest carbon projects and through the carbon lifecycle including validation, registration, and verification
• Coordinate with the CI Climate Team to ensure that project activities effectively link to broader national REDD policy / accounting.

WORKING CONDITIONS: This position will require a significant amount, up to 50%, of international travel time

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 3 to 5 years experience in carbon markets, conservation finance, or related field
• Strong working knowledge and application of leading REDD and AR methodologies and carbon standards
• Strong carbon project management experience, with experience getting projects through validation/registration in either voluntary or compliance markets
• Experience with feasibility studies and investment
• Fluency in at least one of the following: Spanish, French, Portuguese, Bahasa (Indonesia)
• Experience working in and sourcing projects from developing countries
• Ability to work independently after being given the strategic direction and key deliverables is important
• Ability to work collaboratively within a dynamic, multi-cultural, and interdivisional team comprised of a variety of professionals from different disciplines.
• Ability to multi-task, learn new material, and manage time effectively in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Preferred:

• Masters degree in forestry, agronomy, economics or related field
• Experience working to create and assess carbon opportunities in developing countries
• Experience working with/for forest carbon project developers
• Private sector and deal origination background preferred but not required