Forest Sustainability & Certification Manager

The Forest Sustainability & Certification Manager at Crains Cleveland will lead AFM's Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council certification programs, ensuring compliance with sustainability standards. Responsibilities include managing documentation, audits, and environmental reporting, as well as liaising with clients and developing training programs. The role requires knowledge of forest sustainability practices and policies. The position is based in McLean, VA, indicating it is not a remote job.
Join the vibrant team at American Forest Management, Inc. (AFM) The Sustainability and Certification Manager is responsible for leading the forestry sustainability programs and services position will lead and manage AFM’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI®) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) group certification programs. This role ensures the company and its clients maintain full compliance with all applicable sustainability standards and protocols, leads client environmental reporting services, strengthens responsible forest management practices, and supports continual improvement across the organization. The Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for certification bodies, clients, and internal teams regarding certification requirements, audits, training, program performance, and environmental reporting.About American Forest Management, Inc. (AFM)Founded in 1966, American Forest Management, Inc. is a nationally recognized land and natural resource consulting firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. AFM provides sustainable land management, consulting, and real estate services for a diverse range of land assets - including timberland, farmland, and other privately held lands - serving landowners throughout the United States, Panama, and Costa Rica.AFM’s team of experienced professionals works closely with clients to understand and achieve their objectives through a comprehensive suite of land management and advisory services. With 50 regionally based offices managing almost 6 million acres, AFM offers strong local expertise, while its national platform supports collaboration among multidisciplinary teams of foresters and technical specialists to manage large and complex land projects. AFM’s services include land and wildlife management; land sales and acquisitions; forest inventory, planning, and design; growth and yield modeling; cash-flow projections; environmental and farmland services; appraisal; forest resource data management; and harvest scheduling.Principal Duties and Responsibilities:Manage all aspects of the SFI® and FSC® group certification programs, including documentation, reporting, internal audits, external audits and renewalsSupport AFM internal teams and clients with management of client SFI certification programsMaintain knowledge and understanding of forest sustainability practices, environmental reporting protocols, and public policy development that impact and affect AFM clientsMaintain and updates AFM’s sustainability and ESG policies and proceduresLiaise with AFM clients on matters related to forest certification, ESG, environmental reporting, and responsible investing and lead efforts for AFM to develop and provide services meeting these requirements and needsDevelop and deliver training programs for staff, contractors, and group members on certification standards, sustainable forestry practices, audit preparedness, and environmental reporting.Represent AFM on industry trade associations related to forest sustainability and certification as requestedSupport the development of natural capital projects and opportunities for AFM clientsLead on developing and preparing annual AFM Sustainability and Stewardship ReportQualificationsThorough knowledge of forest certification programs and protocolsAbility to research, network, and gather information to stay current on new developments in the forestry sustainability, certification, environmental reporting, and natural capital spaces.Ability to develop strong team relationships with managers, co-workers, clients, vendors, and customers.Excellent customer service skills.Excellent organizational skills and attention to detailExcellent verbal and written communication skills.Ability to prioritize workload.Education/ Experience:Undergraduate degree in Forestry or some other Natural Resources discipline requiredAdvanced degree in related fields desirable but not requiredMinimum of 5 years experience in the forestry or natural resources sector with a significant portion of that experience in the forest sustainability and certification areaExperience working with SFI and/or FSC certification programsLocation…