Position:                                 Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Advisor

Reports to:                             Country Program Director, WCS Cambodia Program

Location:                                Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Country Program/Sector:     Global Conservation, Cambodia Country Program

Position Type:                        Full-Time

Capacity:                                Country

Coordinates with:                  WCS Nature-Based Solutions Team; WCS country teams; Other REDD+ technical staff

Travel:                                    Approximately 20%. As required within country and to donor/technical meetings, in region, as needed.

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities.

Program Overview

In many of the 70 landscapes in which WCS works there are significant opportunities for utilizing carbon finance as an effective approach to achieve long term sustainable financing for conservation. WCS has been actively involved in the development of REDD+ and climate finance programs for over 20 years which has resulted in the verification of over 20 million tonnes of emissions reductions through improved forest protection and avoided deforestation. WCS is an implementing partner in both the Keo Seima REDD+ project – one of the longest standing REDD+ projects in the voluntary carbon markets – and the in-development Northern Plains REDD+ project.  

Job Purpose:

The Nature-based Solutions (NBS) Advisor will lead the development, implementation, and oversight of WCS’s NBS program in Cambodia. The Advisor will work closely with WCS country teams and the Global NBS team to:

• Advance WCS’s portfolio of voluntary carbon projects and integration into jurisdictional programs.
• Provide technical leadership on project design, implementation, validation, and verification.
• Support WCS country program in integrating carbon finance into national conservation strategies.
• Engage with investors and partners to secure long-term financing and build enabling conditions for carbon market participation.
• Provide host-country government with policy and regulatory advice to establish high-quality carbon markets.
• Serve as a regional-level advisor, providing strategic input to global NBS efforts and guiding regional implementation to align with broader WCS NBS goals.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Project Development and Implementation (approx. 70%)

Lead the full project cycle for voluntary carbon projects, from feasibility through to credit issuance, in coordination with WCS country program teams. The principal focus is on Cambodia’s existing and in-development REDD+ projects.

• Technical and Strategic Guidance
• Advise WCS Cambodia on integrating carbon finance into landscape-level conservation strategies.
• Support the development of landscape theories of change and strategies consistent with requirements of international carbon standards. .

• Feasibility and Design
• Conduct and lead feasibility assessments for new project opportunities, including GHG mitigation potential, governance and operational models, project budgets and financing needs.
• Establish a fact base that will facilitate an investor decision on the potential for cost effective credit generation over the long term.

• Project Development
• Build and manage existing in-country NBS technical teams and coordinate with external consultants.
• Oversee all technical components of new and existing VCM project development, ensuring alignment with relevant standards and methodologies, including the transition to VM0048.
• Collaborate with country teams to design and structure identified projects grounded in a clear theory of change, including the development of intervention strategies and approaches for community and government engagement.
• Advise country teams on monitoring systems, community engagement, and jurisdictional alignment.
• Support the development of benefit-sharing mechanisms.
• Ensure the proper integration and application of safeguards.
• Identify financial requirements and develop short-, medium-, and long-term investment plans.
• Monitor implementation of project activities and ensure compliance with validated designs through support to landscape managers.

• Validation and Verification
• Lead all validation and verification processes for active carbon projects.
• Prepare and finalize Project Descriptions and Monitoring Reports.
• Coordinate directly with third-party VVBs and manage audit processes.
• Lead technical components of audit site visits and oversee any required updates to project documents based on VVB findings.
• Act as direct point of contact with carbon standards and registries.

• Investor Engagement
• Liaise with investors, credit buyers, and marketing partners.
• Develop and present investment proposals and support deal structuring.

• Monitoring, Reporting, and Financial Oversight
• Guide the development of monitoring and knowledge management systems for compliance with standard requirements.
• Explore opportunities to transition existing monitoring systems to fully integrated Digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (DMRV) system.
• Oversee internal project budgets and financial tracking with WCS finance teams.
• Provide timely reporting to donors, investors, and WCS leadership.
• Support country program and finance teams to track carbon credit sales and revenue flows, including through benefit-sharing mechanisms.
• Oversee project reporting into emerging national reporting systems, including the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) and Safeguards Information System (SIS).

• Communications and Marketing
• Support the WCS Communications team in the elaboration of a strategic communication strategy on carbon markets engagement at both the project and program level.
• Ensure alignment of outbound project marketing materials with project design documents and internal strategic communication priorities.
• Directly contribute to engagement with media requests related to NBS implementation in the region.

2. Jurisdictional Program Development (approx. 20%)

Support relevant government ministries and partners to further the design and adoption of jurisdictional and nested REDD+ approaches to carbon finance.

• Program Development
• Support alignment of national policies, strategies and regulations with voluntary and compliance carbon markets including the Paris Agreement.
• Develop approaches to nesting, benefit sharing, and monitoring and reporting that integrate with national frameworks.
• Provide strategic advice to key ministries on enabling conditions, safeguards, and long-term sustainability.
• Assist Ministry of Environment in developing jurisdictional and nested REDD+ proposals.
• Advise country teams on the role of jurisdictional programs within landscape strategies.

• Funding and Coordination
• Assist in securing development funding for jurisdictional program design and implementation.
• Serve as a coordination point between WCS country teams, technical consultants, and government stakeholders.

3. General (approx. 10%)

Strengthen partnerships and secure resources to expand the WCS NBS portfolio across the region:

• Internal coordination
• Serve as an expert advisor to the global WCS NBS team on regional trends, events, and barriers affecting the carbon finance portfolio.
• Collaborate with WCS’s technical and finance teams to align fundraising with strategic priorities.

• Fundraising, donor & partner engagement, and reporting
• Identify funding opportunities aligned with national carbon and NBS strategies.
• Lead or support the development of high-quality grant and investor proposals for project and program funding.
• Contribute to the cultivation and maintenance of strong relationships with bilateral, multilateral, philanthropic, and private sector partners.
• Contribute to regular engagement with donors to communicate progress, sharing of lessons learned, and discussion of funding priorities.
• Engage in regional fora on the development and growth of enabling conditions for high-quality NBS across the region.

Minimum Requirements and Job Skills:

• Advanced degree in Environmental Science, Forestry, Climate Policy, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in climate finance or NBS, including at least 2 years managing budgets and programs.
• Proven expertise in voluntary carbon markets, project development, and/or jurisdictional REDD+ programs.
• Strong understanding of VCM methodologies, standards, and project cycles.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder processes and work in cross-cultural settings.
• Experience with direct government engagement on policy and regulatory discourses.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong analytical and writing skills; extreme attention to detail.
• Willingness to travel regularly to field sites and partner meetings.
• Experience working on field-based implementation of landscape-level conservation, avoided deforestation, reforestation, woodlots, or natural regeneration projects.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively to country programs and field sites.

Preferred requirements:

• Experience working in South-East Asia, particularly in conservation landscapes.
• Experience in fundraising and investor engagement in the climate finance sector.
• Experience with the elaboration and implementation of strategic communication strategies.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and engaging a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on gender, race/ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, caste, genetic information or any other covered status or characteristic protected by laws and regulations/and similar categories.

It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon a person’s membership in one of these protected categories in areas such as recruitment, selection, job assignment, supervision, training, promotions, job grading, transfers, termination, compensation, benefits, educational opportunities, WCS sponsored recreational activities and facilities.

The organization complies with the spirit and intent of relevant local laws and WCS’s employment policies.