Senior Programme Manager – Carbon Finance

The RSPB sees working with natural capital markets as a key tool to support our mission to
solve the climate and nature crisis. We have an established and growing focus on using carbon
markets to help us, and our partners, deliver restoration and conservation at scale, both in
the UK and internationally.

To drive our carbon programmes forward, we are seeking to recruit an experienced individual who
can work right across the organisation and with partners. They will have a focus on UK carbon
markets but some support for our international work within the Global Conservation team might
be required. This is an exciting time for how we do our work and the new tools we can use to
make a difference for the environment, people and business. 

What’s the role about?

You will lead the delivery of the RSPB’s UK carbon programmes, reporting directly to the Head
of Conservation Investment and primarily focused on helping develop investable projects both on
and off the RSPB estate. 

The UK programme is made up of delivery plans for each of the four UK countries, and several
different funders, and therefore requires careful coordination. As part of this work, you will
have responsibility for maintaining an update consolidated pipeline of carbon projects from
across the UK while also holding the overview of programme risks. This pipeline of projects
will then feed into our Business Engagement team for sales and partnership opportunities. You
will also support the building of relationships and collaborations with other market players
such as investors and start-ups interested in carbon markets. 

You will be responsible for the management of the Conservation Investment financial budget
related to carbon, for project governance and coordination, and for the production of relevant
reports and other documentation. 

You will lead on updating and maintaining our policy on voluntary carbon markets working across
different policy teams and countries across the RSPB. You will represent the RSPB, providing
technical expertise and engage with codes and standards, through their evolution and alignment
with UK and global policy. A key aspect of this work will be supporting the development of high
integrity markets that build confidence and lead to delivery for climate and nature. In doing
this work you will also have oversight and management of our carbon projects on relevant
registries. 

The ideal candidate will have proven experience of working with environmental markets and
in-depth knowledge of carbon markets. You must be able to deal effectively with complex issues
and be a keen team player. Experience of project planning and management is essential, and you
should be able to work across multiple countries and teams. You will support our Business
Engagement team in developing our carbon sales and partnership strategy and ensuring we work to
current best practice and standards.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience: 

• Experience of working within the carbon and climate sectors
• Ability to develop policy and governance for a large multi-country organisation and achieve
  buy-in
• Excellent understanding of the UK voluntary carbon markets and associated standards
• Demonstrable ability to manage complex programmes and changes within them
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to find creative solutions
• Demonstrable leadership ability – able to drive programmes forward without direct line
  management authority
• Clear communication skills, to summarise progress and challenges and articulate solutions
  to the Head of Conservation Investment and internal Programme Board structures
• Ability to represent our work to external stakeholders, giving clear guidance on RSPB
  objectives
• Confidence to make decisions without needing to refer upwards, within agreed boundaries
• Competence with standard IT applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and
  SharePoint
• Knowledge and experience of financial management
• Strong written communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances
• Proven time management and organisational skills
• Diplomacy and negotiation skills

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Working within the conservation and environment sector
• APM or PMI registered
• International carbon markets with a focus on working with REDD+
• Use of brokers and private finance in conservation project/s

This is a Permanent, Full-Time role. We are looking to conduct interviews for this position
from week commencing 24th June 2024. For further information please contact
[email protected] 

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including
evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone
feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a
world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People
of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate,
sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled,
we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any
additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of
Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship – the successful applicant will need to have
a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes.