Job Opening:

Carbon Projects Technical Lead
(Agricultural Economist)

About Nature for Justice

Nature For Justice (N4J) is a non-profit organization registered in the USA and operating globally to support socially just, ecologically, and economically sustainable climate transitions. A central pillar in our approach is to advocate for at-risk communities, especially indigenous peoples. A core part of our work is facilitating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) investments that operate at the nexus of inclusive socio-economic livelihood opportunities and development, ecological restoration and protection, and climate resilience.

We have established an Africa NbS Program, through which we are actively developing several high-quality community-based carbon projects. We have a range of investors with whom we are working in implementing this program. We identify local partners with project ideas aligning with our NbS approach and investor priorities. We then support these partners to develop their projects to the investment-ready stage through a process of co-creative design and structured feasibility testing. We also proactively facilitate NbS program development by identifying strategic opportunities for large-scale NbS initiatives and crowding-in political support, local partners, and investment.

N4J differentiates from other organizations operating in the carbon markets space in three ways:

  1. By co-creating projects with our local partners at the earliest incubation stage of a project;
  2. By ensuring project beneficiaries receive a fair share of the financial returns from carbon revenue generated by their projects; and
  3. By supporting our local partners (these may include businesses, non-profits, co-operatives, civil society, and community-based organizations) to strengthen their organizational capacity over time.

Our fair benefit-sharing approach principally seeks to de-risk project investments and secure meaningful benefits over the long term. It also ensures that carbon financing is used as a catalyst for creating meaningful, long-term social and ecological good, including through building enhanced resilience to climate change.

Description of the Role

Overview
The Carbon Projects Technical Lead will join our team of professionals working on NbS projects in Africa and globally. He/she will report to the Program Director: Africa Nature-based Solutions and work collaboratively with the global Nature for Justice teams as required. The Carbon Projects Technical Lead will play a leading role in the development of investable NbS projects. In this role, he/she will be responsible for conducting financial and economic analyses of potential carbon projects, developing enterprise models with associated costs and revenue, estimating the potential crop and carbon yields over time, evaluating financial and economic benefits to farmers/communities, designing and testing overall project feasibility, and providing recommendations for implementation. The Carbon Projects Technical Lead will be a qualified Agricultural Economist with experience in carbon projects assessment or development (preferably in Africa), including the application of various carbon standards and associated methodologies. He/she must be willing to travel internationally from time to time.
Key Responsibilities
  • Design and conduct economic and financial feasibility analyses on agroforestry, forestry, regenerative agriculture, rangelands management and other nature-based solutions project types that have carbon sequestration potential.
  • Develop models to estimate project implementation costs, carbon sequestration potential and project revenues.
  • Identify risks and constraints associated with project implementation and develop strategies to mitigate them.
  • Develop project design documents and investment pitches to support Nature For Justice’s work in securing investment for nature-based solutions projects.
  • Ensure that project designs are aligned with relevant carbon standards and methodologies and can be verified by third-party auditors.
  • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of carbon projects to ensure they are meeting expected outcomes and deliverables.
  • Work with the project teams to ensure that projects are implemented in compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
  • Develop partnerships with stakeholders in the agriculture and forestry sectors to support project implementation.
  • Manage feasibility and project design process budgets and timelines, ensuring that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
  • Collaborate with technical experts to ensure that project designs and carbon yields are scientifically sound and meet relevant carbon standards.
  • Direct and manage junior staff as required for the effective delivery of feasibility studies, project assessments and project design documents.
  • Stay up to date with emerging carbon standards and methodologies and their application to projects.
Qualifications and skills
  • Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics, Economics, or related field.
  • At least 5 years of experience working in the agriculture or forestry sectors, ideally in several countries / regions, with specific experience in designing and/or testing feasibility of carbon sequestration projects.
  • Experience with economic modeling and analysis, including cost-benefit analysis and financial feasibility analysis.
  • Strong working knowledge of carbon standards and methodologies and their application to projects.
  • Experience developing project design documents and investment pitches for carbon projects.
  • Experience working with carbon market mechanisms and certification schemes.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear and concise reports and proposals.
  • Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Fluency in English, with French / Portuguese as additional desirable language skills.
  • Willingness to travel to project sites as needed.

Performance Criteria

Performance will be evaluated against the following criteria:
  • Effectiveness in conducting economic analyses to assess the potential financial and associated technical viability of carbon projects.
  • Effectiveness in evaluating farmer/community benefit flows from carbon projects, as a means of informing fair benefit-sharing arrangements.
  • Quality of feasibility studies designed for potential carbon projects and successful implementation.
  • Accuracy and precision of carbon sequestration potential and project cost/revenue models developed.
  • Adherence to relevant carbon standards and methodologies and ability to ensure project designs meet them.
  • Success in identifying and mitigating risks and constraints associated with project implementation.
  • Quality and effectiveness of guidance and technical assistance provided to project partners, stakeholders, and team members.
  • Ability to meet project deliverables and timelines.
  • Ability to effectively communicate project progress and outcomes to stakeholders and team members.
We expect the successful candidate to demonstrate a strong commitment to achieving project outcomes and delivering high-quality work. Your ability to work collaboratively with team members and stakeholders, solve complex problems, and adapt to changing project needs will also be evaluated.
For more information about this job, or to submit your CV and cover letter, please send an email to carbon-projects-technical-lead@nature4justice.org.