Vice President of Policy

The Climate Action Reserve is an environmental nonprofit organization that promotes and fosters the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through credible market-based policies and solutions. A pioneer in carbon accounting, the Reserve serves as an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the State of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program and plays an integral role in supporting the issuance and administration of compliance offsets.

The Reserve also establishes high quality standards for offset projects in the North American voluntary carbon market and operates a transparent, publicly accessible registry for carbon credits generated under its standards. The Climate Action Reserve is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with virtual offices around the U.S. For more information, please visit our website.

Position Overview

The Vice President for Policy is a key executive management position at the Climate Action Reserve and is responsible for overseeing the development of new greenhouse gas offset protocols and Climate Forward methodologies, maintaining existing protocols and methodologies to meet changing market conditions, managing the Reserve’s consulting and advisory services program, and providing strategic advice and guidance to support the Reserve’s existing and new initiatives. The position reports directly to the President, manages a staff of professional employees, and regularly presents to the Reserve’s Board of Directors. The Vice President’s main areas of responsibility include the following tasks below. These should be seen as a starting point and may evolve over time.

Location: Remote or Hybrid. The Reserve is based in Los Angeles, California.

Primary Responsibilities

Analytical Team Management

The Vice President of Policy oversees the Reserve’s Analytical Team along with the Vice President of Programs (who is responsible for oversight of the Reserve’s carbon credit registries). Key responsibilities for the Vice President of Policy include developing, maintaining, and updating carbon offset protocols and Climate Forward methodologies; assisting the Analytical Team with offset protocol and Climate Forward methodology implementation and application; and formulating and refining Reserve program rules and policies. The Vice President for Policy is responsible for managing several Analytical Team staff.

Promoting Market-Oriented Climate Policy Development

Together with the President and other members of the senior management team, the Vice President for Policy will help lead the Reserve’s efforts to engage with policymakers and other external stakeholders to further the Reserve’s mission of promoting greenhouse gas emission reductions through credible market-based policies and solutions.

Strategic Initiatives

With the President and senior management team, the Vice President for Policy actively contributes to the development and implementation of the Reserve’s mission, goals, and strategic planning efforts. As part of this effort, the Vice President for Policy helps to identify and evaluate opportunities, set priorities and engages in outreach opportunities to promote the Reserve’s strategic growth into new program areas and international markets.

Qualifications

Desired Competencies

• Thinks strategically about the Reserve’s goals, promotes them internally and externally, and coordinates ideas and resources to achieve them.
• Uses good judgment and makes sound decisions. Provides honest, ethical, and positive leadership in the promotion of the Reserve’s mission and goals.
• Focuses on results and desired outcomes and how best to achieve them. Manages time, staff, and resources to effectively achieve organizational goals.
• Promotes cooperation and commitment within a team to achieve goals and deliverables.
• Manages staff in ways that maximize their effectiveness and promote professional development.
• Communicates clearly and effectively. Builds and sustains trusting internal and external relationships to ensure the Reserve’s mission and goals are achieved. Diplomatically and tactfully handles challenging or tense situations. Positively and effectively represents the Reserve in both formal and informal settings.
• Takes personal responsibility for quality and timeliness of work and achieves results with little oversight. Performs tasks with care and checks work for completeness and accuracy.
• Remains aware and takes care of details that are easy to overlook or dismiss as insignificant.
• Creatively and actively participates in efforts to develop, evaluate, and implement strategic options for the future of the Reserve. Is open to new ideas and perspectives, actively works to identify new opportunities, and provides solutions that help the organization understand and manage risks.

Candidates for this position must meet the following requirements

• A graduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as environmental science, economics, business, public policy, law, or related field;
• A minimum of 10 years of full-time work experience in greenhouse gas measurement and verification, energy and environmental consulting, environmental policy, environmental or energy finance, or a related field;
• A minimum of 5 years as a supervisor managing and overseeing the work of professional staff;
• Experience and knowledge of climate change policy and program development, especially with regard to market-based regulations, demonstrated experience in offset protocol development and working with government agencies, expert stakeholder groups, and others, and experience with and understanding of financial markets;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with teams of individuals and colleagues;
• Excellent project management and contractor oversight skills;
• Demonstrated experience and skills as a public speaker;
• Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities;
• Strong quantitative, analytical research skills;
• Excellent writing and computer skills;
• Flexibility and willingness to travel as needed; and
• A U.S. citizen or legal resident with the right to work in the U.S.

Compensation

• Competitive salary, commensurate with experience and skills.
• The Climate Action Reserve offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

To Apply

Interested candidates should click "Apply" below to email a Cover letter and CV/ Resume with the header “VP Policy."

• The position is opened until filled.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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 Reserve is committed to an inclusive work environment that embraces and appreciates diversity. It supports fair treatment and equal opportunity for all Reserve staff, and respects and values the talents and contributions of all individuals