Programme Lead - Carbon Projects

Climate17 is seeking a Programme Lead - Carbon Projects to manage carbon initiatives focused on clean water and cooking solutions in vulnerable communities, especially in Africa. The role involves overseeing carbon programme registration with Gold Standard and Verra, developing carbon strategies, ensuring compliance, and engaging stakeholders. Candidates should have at least 5 years of management experience in the carbon sector and a relevant degree. The position is based in London.
Climate17 is delighted to be partnering with an impact-driven carbon project developer, dedicated to improving access to clean water and clean cooking solutions in vulnerable communities, particularly in Africa. Their mission focuses on lifting people out of poverty, enhancing health, and protecting the environment.

About the Role

Our client is looking for a Programme Lead - Carbon Projects, to play a vital role in leading and managing the company's carbon-related initiatives and ensuring the successful registration of several carbon programmes with the Gold Standard for Global Goals and Verra. The impact of the work will be huge – the safe drinking water project is expected to benefit over 650,000 people and to save over 240,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year and the clean cooking projects will reach similar levels. This role offers the opportunity for a talented individual to join at a key stage of growth to realise the carbon programmes and help shape the future direction of the business.

Responsibilities
• Carbon Programme Registration & Certification: Oversee the successful registration, verification, and certification of multiple carbon programmes with Gold Standard for Global Goals or Verra, ensuring issuance of VERs within 12-18 months.
• Carbon Strategy & Compliance: Develop and implement carbon management strategies while ensuring compliance with sustainability standards, guidelines, methodologies, procedures, and protocols.
• Gender Responsive Certification: Ensure all carbon programmes are designed, monitored, and assessed to achieve Gender Responsive certification.
• Data Collection & Optimisation: Optimise baseline and standing data collection to maximise carbon credit generation while ensuring accurate, complete, and secure data management.
• Project Management: Direct national teams, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget and aligned with VCM trends.
• Monitoring & Reporting: Prepare accurate monitoring reports for Gold Standard /Verra, investors, and for internal optimization.
• Market & Performance Analysis: Track carbon market trends, pricing, emerging opportunities, and funding mechanisms to optimize project scalability.
• Carbon Integrity & Adaptation: Maintain high levels of carbon integrity while adapting to evolving VCM and Article 6 requirements, including ITMOs (Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes).
• Business Growth & Partnerships: Engage with relevant external stakeholders, develop new carbon initiatives and expand carbon services, creating financial models and developing business cases for carbon projects, ensuring their financial viability and attractiveness to investors.

Qualifications & experience required
• Bachelor’s degree in business management/ a related field/ equivalent level of experience. Master's degree is preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in management positions and at least 5 in the carbon sector.
• Proven experience in Carbon Development and experience of implementing Gold Standard/Verra methodologies, including working with VVBs.
• Strong understanding of carbon methodologies, standards (e.g., VCS, Gold Standard), ideally water and cooking projects.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, incl. project planning, budgeting, and execution.
• Competence in financial analysis, including financial modelling.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders and negotiate agreements. Fluency in French will be an advantage but is not essential.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities and able to focus on tasks, learn new skills and possess an eye for detail which will be important to assess the integrity, completeness and quality of data collected for carbon programmes.
• Solid leadership and representation abilities, a good networker. The role will require the individual to gain support and respect of the remote teams in Madagascar.
• As a growing organisation there will need to be a lot of ‘getting stuck in’ so a ‘can-do’ attitude is essential.

About Us

Climate17 is a purpose-led, international Renewable Energy & Sustainability recruitment firm. We provide specialist talent acquisition services to organisations seeking to reduce their environmental footprint, as well as those working towards the decarbonisation of the energy sector.

Inclusive Application Process

Climate17 is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We believe there is no solution to climate change without people. We aim to increase diversity across all areas and as such, we are committed to partnering with clients and candidates to create an inclusive and sustainable regenerative world. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, or whether or not they have a disability. If you require additional support, equipment or resources in order to participate in the job application or interview process, please let us know.

About the Company:
Climate17 / B Corp™