Carbon Specialist – Kenya

The Organisation

Global Evergreening Alliance (GEA) is a membership-based organisation that develops long-term solutions to restore degraded lands and improve livelihoods on a globally significant scale. We bring together some of the world’s most capable development and environmental NGOs, research, and scientific organisations to support and facilitate massive-scale environmental restoration and sustainable agriculture projects. Together we build on our shared vision of resilient landscapes and agricultural systems, a safe climate and better livelihoods for rural communities. We are currently implementing Africa’s largest ever community-led land restoration project: Restore Africa.

The Position

The primary objectives of this position are to support implementing partners in carbon program integration into the landscape restoration and livelihood interventions and act as primary liaison point betweek the in-country implementing partners, internal technical stakeholders and external carbon consultants on carbon project mechanisms and processes. 

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Liaising with implementing partners to source information needed to support the carbon consultants to develop Project Descriptions on time while ensuring their work is integrated with livelihood programming processes with the least disruptions.  This will include collating PD-related data from literature and project assessment exercises.
• Supporting implementing partners with carbon-related activities, including capacity needs assessments and development.
• Documenting lessons learned on integrating carbon components in holistic livelihood interventions and relaying the same to the Alliance’s teams for improved project development processes.
• Resolving issues related to carbon activities at the regional and country-level promptly.
• Researching the most appropriate carbon development methodology in specific contexts in liaison with the internal Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (RMEL) team and carbon consultants.
• Developing specific training manuals to ensure program-level understanding of the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) methodologies and adapting them for context in liaison with the agroforestry specialist and carbon consultants.
• Ensuring the integration of carbon MRV data in the program (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) plans and associated assessments in close collaboration with the MEL and Knowledge Management Officer.
• Ensuring a repository for MRV-specific data is in place and kept updated in collaboration with the MEL and Knowledge Management Officer.
• Coordinating carbon-specific activities by external players, such as community engagements to ensure Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) for carbon contract signing as well as validations and verification missions by external auditors 
• Studying, proposing and documenting options for establishing a mechanism for carbon permanence support beyond livelihood activities and agreeing with implementing partners in the context.

Key Selection

• Master’s Degree in environmental sciences, ecology, biology, remote sensing, biogeochemistry, or related social sciences.
• A minimum of seven years of relevant work experience.
• Knowledge of standards, especially the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standards.
• Understanding of methodologies for quantifying the GHG emission reductions, especially those associated with Agriculture Forest and Other Land Uses (AFOLU)
• Experience in field data collection (e.g. biomass and soil carbon, carbon flux); bonus for experience collecting biodiversity or other biological/biophysical data.
• Experience in using and processing field data to estimate rates of carbon emissions and sequestration, including allometric models and inventory techniques
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing monitoring plans for carbon projects
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Demonstrated experience in the areas of project planning, stakeholder analysis and engagement 
• Strong Organisational skills iwth the ability to work on several projects simultaneously

How to Apply

Please provide your resume and a cover letter clearly addressing the Key Selection Criteria in your application. Only candidates who address the selection criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

Applications will be reviewed as they come in, please submit your application as soon as possible. 

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] . Kindly note that applications sent through email will not be reviewed. 

The Global EverGreening Alliance has zero tolerance for child abuse, discrimination, harassment, and workplace bullying. All staff, including volunteers, are required to sign an acknowledgement and adhere strictly to the organisation’s child protection, safeguarding and other policies. In addition, the successful applicant will need to provide a recent Police Record Check