Program Officer, Agricultural Land Management

About Verra.

At Verra, we've created a culture of flexibility + autonomy. You'll be able to work with remote teams from diverse countries and industries. Wherever possible, we aim to find mutually agreeable solutions for international hiring.

Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world’s most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven non-profit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods and protect natural resources across the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards, tools and programs that credibly, transparently and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits. We work in any arena where we see a need for clear standards, a role for market-based mechanisms, and an opportunity to generate significant environmental and social value.

Verra manages a portfolio of standards, including the: 

• Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) -- the world’s leading carbon crediting program, with more than 2000 registered projects in 80 countries, and accounting for two-thirds of all voluntary carbon market transaction volume.
• Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) -- a flexible framework for assessing and reporting on the sustainable development benefits of project-based activities.
• Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards -- to identify projects that simultaneously address climate change, support local communities and smallholders, and conserve biodiversity.
• Plastic Waste Reduction Program -- to enable robust impact assessment of new or scaled-up waste recovery and recycling projects around the globe.

Title:   Program Officer,  Agricultural Land Management (ALM) 

Location: Remote 

Reports to: Manager, Agriculture Innovation  

The Opportunity.

Verra seeks a Program Officer to actively engage stakeholders in adopting and using our Agricultural Land Management (ALM) and livestock methodologies under the VCS Program. This role focuses on developing and supporting project proponents’ practical application of improved ALM activities, supporting development of new and revisions of existing ALM methodologies, and creating alignment with other VCS methodologies (e.g., VM0047, VMD0053, VMD0054, VT0008, VT0014) and Verra programs, such as the Scope 3 Standard Program, SD VISta and its Nature Framework. 

The Role.

The successful applicant will be responsible for work that includes: 

• Responding to stakeholder questions about VCS ALM methodologies including supporting the Market & Client Relations team  

• Supporting development of informational resources, such as FAQs and instructional webinars, to explain how to use the ALM methodologies and related modules and tools  

• Guiding the ALM methodology revision process by working with a range of stakeholders 

• Presenting on webinars and to stakeholder groups to provide technical guidance on methodology use and otherwise represent Verra 

• Supporting Verra’s Regional Engagement team to provide country/region-specific training and support 

• Managing agricultural land management-related updates to the VCS Standard and other program documents 

Our Team.

You will join a team that works closely and collaboratively to solve problems, iterate, and implement improvements to agricultural methodologies to support the scaling up of improved ALM projects in the VCS Program. 

• Verrans come from diverse locations and backgrounds; our staff includes former carbon market experts, project developers, consultants, climate negotiators, researchers, auditors, and more. 

• We are committed to driving finance at scale to projects and programs that advance climate action and sustainable development through high-quality standards and programs.  

What We’re Looking For.

• At least three years of experience in GHG accounting in agriculture and livestock production systems 

• A B.S. level degree in agronomy, environmental sciences, or similar, with a preference for M.S. 

• Basic understanding of carbon and GHG measurement, monitoring and modeling, remote sensing, and geostatistics in the context of agricultural and livestock production systems 

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to simplify complex concepts 

• Project management and organizational skills, including prioritizing and working efficiently and effectively under deadlines 

• Ability to engage with diverse international stakeholders and partners, demonstrating cultural sensitivity and awareness in a global context 

• Ability to work collaboratively with a problem-solving mindset 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential 

Working at Verra. 

Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world’s most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven non-profit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources across the private and public sectors. 

We’ve created a culture of flexibility and autonomy. You’ll be able to work with remote teams from diverse countries and industries. Wherever possible, we aim to find mutually agreeable solutions for international hiring. 

The final compensation will be contingent upon role, level, and location. Our Talent team can share the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. 

Salary is one component of Verra’s total compensation package which also includes: 

• Health, vision and dental care, and life insurance 

• Verra contributions to each employee’s retirement plan 

• Verra contributions as required by national labor laws in countries where staff are located 

• Paid Time Off (PTO), comprising 22-30 days vacation, 7 days of annual sick leave, holidays, sabbatical after five years of service, and other leave allowances 

• Funds to support professional development 

Verra is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all our work. Achieving this is crucial for embodying our established values: Teamwork, Results, Integrity, Balance, and Exploration. We actively celebrate belonging among our team members’ different abilities, sexual orientations, ethnicity, faith, and gender.  

Physical Demands. 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.    

Work Environment. 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period.  

• Access to reliable Wi-fi with a distraction-free workspace. 

How to Apply. 

Please send us a cover letter (not to exceed one page) and your resume or CV (not to exceed two pages).  

Verra provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. As such, we conduct our recruitment and hiring without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.