Analytical Associate for Latin America

Associates at the Reserve are expected to contribute to administration and operation of Reserve’s carbon credit programs, as well as to policy work such as the development, maintenance, and refinement of offset protocols undertaken by the Analytical Team. The current Associate position will specifically support the Reserve’s work in Mexico and expansion throughout Latin America.

With respect to the Reserve’s programmatic functions, an Associate’s primary role is to provide technical and administrative guidance to account holders throughout the offset project reporting and verification process. This includes conducting reviews of offset project verification documentation under the Reserve’s voluntary offset program standards and the California Air Resources Board compliance offset program and collaborating across teams on policy matters. An Associate will also provide similar functions for projects in the Reserve’s Climate Forward program. The current Associate position will in particular support the implementation of Reserve’s offset protocols and methodologies in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.

With respect to the Reserve’s policy work, an Associate will be responsible for maintaining, and updating existing protocols, and assisting in the development of new offset protocols and Climate Forward methodologies, in particular for Latin America. The Associate will also contribute to broader GHG policy and technical work related to climate finance and a variety of other ad-hoc contractual work undertaken by the Reserve.

The Analytical Associate for Latin America will report directly to the Director of Latin American Operations. Primary responsibilities are outlined  below and should be viewed as a starting point; the position will evolve and grow according to the successful candidate’s interests and aptitude, and with the Reserve workflow.

PROGRAM SERVICES (40%)

•       Serve as a technical resource to project developers and verification bodies and provide guidance with respect to policy conformance, interpretation, and clarification issues related to the Reserve’s program and protocols, and California’s compliance offset program and protocols.

•       Serve as implementation lead for one or more protocols in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.

•       Review project submittal and verification documents to ensure compliance with the applicable protocols and program rules.

•       Draft clarifications to project developers and verification bodies on the findings of their project reviews.

•       Conduct conflict of interest reviews between project developers and verification bodies.

•       Along with Manager, Senior Manager and Program Director, develop written materials and resources to assist reporting, verification, auditing and project activities.

•       Respond to general inquiries about the Reserve’s reporting and verification program

•       Undertake and complete research assignments, as available. Develop training curricula and deliver project developer and verification trainings.

•       Review and make determinations on protocol variance requests.

POLICY SERVICES (40%)

•       Contribute to the management and ongoing refinement of existing Climate Action Reserve protocols under the direction of the Director of Latin American Operations, Policy Director, Senior Manager, and Manager as needed. The Associate will develop subject matter expertise on the content and implementation of specific Climate Action Reserve protocols and technical sectors.

•       Conduct research as necessary for the development of new protocols,  or for the update of existing protocols, or for the adaptation of existing protocols to new jurisdictions throughout Latin America. This will include activities like literature reviews, regulatory analysis, financial modeling, statistical analysis, and drafting and editing of protocol documents, as well as facilitating stakeholder workgroups.

•       Respond to inquiries about content and application of protocols.

•       Provide research and technical support for ad-hoc consulting and policy related projects as needed.

ADMINISTRATION (20%)

•       Serve as lead on a variety of program areas, such as verification trainings and Reserve communications.

•       Help manage resources including database of guidance provided to account holders, policy and protocol clarifications, and verifier/technical assistance provider program updates.

•       Along with Vice President of Programs and Director of Latin American Operations, develop and implement the Reserve’s Program Manual, Verification Program Manual, internal operating procedures, and User Guide.

•       Along with Vice President of Programs and Director of Latin American Operations, develop and maintain the programmatic portion of the Reserve’s websites.

•       Along with Vice President of Programs Director, Director of Latin American Operations, Senior

Program Manager, and Manager complete other administrative tasks as needed.

Desired Competencies

•       Takes personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieves results with little oversight.

•       Organized and able to balance multiple priorities at once. Discerns what is crucial from what is less urgent. Prioritizes tasks by importance and deadline and adjusts priorities as situations change.

•       Able to take prompt action to accomplish objectives. Meets and exceeds deadlines.

•       Remains aware and takes care of details that are easy to overlook or dismiss as insignificant.

•       Takes responsibility for errors or problems. Acknowledges and corrects mistakes.

•       Is committed to providing excellent service by showing an interest in and responding timely to our stakeholders’ needs. Can describe our stakeholders’ expectations.

•       Knows and supports teammates’ work and deliverables. Helps teammates who need or ask for support or assistance and acknowledges and celebrates the achievements of teammates.

•       Honesty and professionalism in all internal and external interactions.

•       Ability to understand, evaluate, and describe methods for quantifying GHG emissions or carbon sequestration in a range of human-designed and biological systems.

•       Ability to clearly and precisely communicate policy and technical concepts, both in writing and orally.

•       Ability to self-teach complicated technical subjects in a limited amount of time. Ability to build constructive internal and external working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, cooperation, and mutual respect.

Requirements

•       BA/BS degree in environmental science or management, public policy, or related degree, or two years of experience working with GHG accounting or carbon markets and performing emission calculations.

•       Any amount of educational experience or prior work experience in agriculture, engineering, ecology, biology, forestry, or a related field is desired, but not required.

•       Strong written and oral communication skills.

•       Ability to review and understand technical documents and present materials in an understandable fashion.

•       Strong experience with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.) and databases.

•       Fluency in English and Spanish.

•       U.S. citizenship or legal right to work in the U.S. is preferred, but all applicants located in North and South America are welcome to apply.

Salary and Benefits

The Climate Action Reserve offers competitive compensation including a rich and comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, a 403(b) retirement contribution, short- and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and generous paid time off including paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. The starting salary range for this position is $50-$70K, depending on experience. The Reserve also offers a reimbursements for home office expenses and flexible work options.

The Climate Action Reserve is an equal opportunity employer. The Reserve does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnic origin, or any other classification protected by law, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.

The Climate Action Reserve respects and celebrates all forms of diversity in its personnel, programs, and procedures. The Reserve believes it is critical to foster a welcoming and inclusive space for staff, to support diversity and equitable opportunities in the environmental field, and to operate programs that are culturally responsive and benefit all communities.