Nature-based Solutions Carbon Technical Manager

C-Quest Capital LLC (CQC) is a social impact project developer whose purpose is to transform the lives of families in poor communities around the world. We do this by providing access to sustainable energy services and clean energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat global climate change, and improve the health of those in need. CQC was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Washington D.C., USA, with subsidiaries in India, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia and on-ground teams in a host of countries around the world.

CQC develops high impact carbon finance projects under four operational platforms: Cleaner Cooking, Efficient Lighting, Sustainable Energy and Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Currently we have active carbon project operations in over 15 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and South and Southeast Asia that have improved the lives of over 20 million people.

Background: CQC is rapidly expanding its portfolio of nature-based carbon removals projects across a range of countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Within the NbS portfolio, we have launched a series of pilots working closely with communities and smallholders on assisted natural regeneration, afforestation, agro-forestry and regenerative agriculture. To support the ongoing development and implementation of a number of NbS trials, pilots and programmes across sub-Saharan Africa, CQC is looking for an individual with deep research or carbon project experience to lead the technical assessment and on-going monitoring and reporting of agriculture and forest carbon projects across the region.

The Role: CQC is hiring a NbS Carbon Technical Manager to support the feasibility, evaluation, design, and monitoring of nature-based carbon offset projects across sub-Saharan Africa. The role will bring experience of the carbon project development process and advanced technical expertise to support the development of carbon and biodiversity assets. They will also help to build and grow CQC’s in-house capacity on the evaluation, planning and ongoing monitoring and assessment of its NbS portfolio. The successful candidate will work directly with the Head of Nature-based Solutions (based in Switzerland) and closely with CQC’s Chief Scientist (based in Malawi) and the Carbon & Sustainability Accounting Team (CSAT) on the planning and execution of land-use and GHG related assessments, monitoring, and audits at different project stages, types and locations across sub-Saharan Africa in compliance with guidelines from the leading GHG crediting programmes.

Core Tasks:

- Technical evaluation & supervision:

• Ensure the timely assessment of carbon removals and/or reduction potential of new NbS project opportunities, conduct project risks assessment and provide technical input into project development, verification/validation and implementation under the carbon and co-benefits standards (VCS, The Gold Standard, CCB, SD-VISta).
• Ensure projects are aligned with best practice methodologies to ensure that the carbon removals our reforestation partners create are science-based and aligned with industry standards.
• Ensure the highest quality of the full carbon project cycle activities, from ex-ante carbon assessments and estimations, to methodological application, project document development, and supporting auditing processes for project validation and verification for credit issuance.
• Planning and development of data collection tools to understand baseline scenarios and monitoring project activities in different countries; providing field research support to trials across the region (designing and collecting baselines, sampling, monitoring)
• Provide technical review to ensure that proposed NbS projects meet technical feasibility criteria to initiate the carbon and/or biodiversity project development and implementation cycles.
• Work closely with CSAT and Field Staff to ensure quality and reliability of data being collected, close coordination with CSAT to ensure smooth interactions with VVBs, and various project stakeholders on regular basis.

- Advancing CQC’s technical and scientific processes

• Contribute to enhancing the technical and scientific processes, tools, and analysis applied to CQC’s NbS portfolio development and implementation.
• Ensure that CQC’s NbS team is up to date on the latest technical and methodological developments across a range of AFOLU methodologies and project types.
• Support the identification and development of applying cutting edge science, technology and digital tools to measuring and monitoring changes in a range of carbon pools.

- Growth & capacity building

• Supporting the growth of the NbS technical team as the portfolio develops, identifying key resource and technical needs in line with growth of the business and market developments.
• Build internal expertise and capacity on a range of technical carbon skills, including of remote sensing, GIS, ecosystem modelling technologies, MRV and digital MRV.
• Coordination and training with CSAT, cookstove operations and field staff on data collection and assessment techniques to build capacity and extend NbS programme through existing cookstove project areas.

Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Advanced degree in the field of climate or ecosystem sciences, agriculture, forestry, environmental management, environmental engineering, natural resources conservation and management, climate, and carbon mitigation-related fields.
• Extensive experience in AFOLU projects for climate mitigation, natural resources conservation and management, forestry, sustainable agriculture or land management, conservation, or related fields.
• Hands-on experience in methodologies for carbon project development and certification in the AFOLU sector of the Voluntary Carbon Market, including familiarity with carbon standards like CDM, Verra, Gold Standard, CCB, in particular the development and validation of project design documents.
• Understanding and ability to design in-field feasibility assessments and manage carbon and ecological data sets.
• Experience in proximal sensing, remote sensing, GIS tools is advantageous.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills and the ability to clearly articulate when reporting data.

Location & Travel: Candidate will ideally be located in Lilongwe, Malawi, but we are open to applicants from other countries in Africa – particularly in countries where CQC has an established presence and office. The job will require travel to project sites in other countries for periods of time.

Compensation**:** Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Supervision: The position will report to the Head of Nature-based Solutions, and work closely with the CSAT team and CQC’s Chief Scientist.