Department: Forest Restoration 
Reports to: Director, Reforest America Carbon Program      
FLSA Category: Exempt
Close Date: May 6, 2024

ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS:  
American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to large landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal, and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restore urban forests and forested landscapes.

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member. We hope you find your future with us.

PROJECT SUMMARY:  
America’s forests are a critical natural climate solution. Reforestation/afforestation offers the most immediate and ample carbon removal solution. There are many opportunities for this in the U.S., with as much as 148 million acres suitable for reforestation (ReforestationHub.org). Yet, deployment of quality reforestation at scale has been limited by high upfront costs that are out of sync with the timeline for carbon removal. 

American Forests’ Reforest America Carbon Program (RACP) is designed to address the financing challenges associated with reforestation/afforestation and advance the highest quality climate-adapted projects. Over the past year, American Forests has worked with landowners, forest carbon experts, carbon registries, and businesses to design RACP to help meet the country’s growing reforestation needs. 

We are currently developing a unique portfolio of climate-adapted reforestation projects with public land management agencies, Tribal Nations, and underserved private landowners who do not have access to the necessary funding to reforest severely burned lands in the western United States and other lands suitable for reforestation in other geographies throughout North America.

American Forests recently received a USFS grant to support the participation of federal recognized Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, in emerging markets for resilient reforestation, or reforestation that is resilient to future climate changes and disturbances as well as future market and economic conditions. We are working to deliver the following outcomes:  

• Provide federally recognized Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, with the technical and financial resources needed for implementing resilient reforestation projects. 
• Create new opportunities for Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, to access new income streams and deploy climate-informed reforestation practices well suited to emerging markets for climate mitigation and resilience. 
• Engage with and provide technical assistance to Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, about resilient reforestation and emerging markets for joint climate mitigation and adaptation. 
• Implement high-integrity resilient reforestation projects yielding biodiversity, water, climate, and cultural benefits. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Manager of Carbon Projects will oversee the origination, development, and implementation of carbon financed reforestation/afforestation projects that include traditional and new approaches. They will direct projects in partnership with corporate and other philanthropic funders and land managers including state and federal agencies, Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners; manage existing projects and partnerships and lead project execution; manage contractors and forestry consultants. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Carbon Project Development (85%)

• Conduct outreach and work with Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners to assess opportunities to develop nature-based carbon projects in specific geographies and landscapes in the western US (OR, WA, CA, MT, NM) and Hawaii
• Originate new projects with senior forestry staff by engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including Tribal Nations, underserved private landowners, consulting foresters, project developers, and NGOs, etc.
• Conduct initial project due diligence including site evaluations and project assessments
• Educate landowners on reforestation program requirements and carbon markets
• Work with American Forest staff to complete carbon project feasibility assessments modeling forest growth and suitability for carbon project methodologies or commodity-embedded carbon benefit sale
• Develop tree planting design, project budgeting, placing seedling orders, selecting and supervising contractors, overseeing planting, ongoing maintenance, and forest inventory
• Oversee execution of all stages of project development: Pre-feasibility studies, PDD, validation and verification, management and monitoring 
• Experience and familiarity with carbon certification schemes, specifically Verra’s new VM 0047 Methodology for Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR) Projects and Verra’s Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program  
• Other related work as needed

Program Administration (15%)
The Sr. Manager of Carbon Projects will be responsible for tracking and managing the development of a portfolio of carbon projects, develop and manage several projects simultaneously, develop associated work plans, track progress to program goals and manage time and resources appropriately.  Participate in American Forests and Resilient Forest program actions and meetings as appropriate.  Help develop and manage budgets in partnership with American Forests’ program and finance departments.

QUALIFICATIONS 
Successful candidates will have demonstrated experience in directing program development and implementation of nature-based carbon projects and while we do not expect any one candidate to possess all of these qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal skills and qualities:   

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Non-profit Management, Conservation, Indigenous studies, Natural Resource Economics or Management, Forestry or natural resource management, Environmental Science, or a related field desired; additional experience accepted in lieu of. 
• At least five (5) years of experience with nature-based solutions in the carbon market, with significant project/program management experience.
• Knowledge of, and/or experience working in carbon markets, carbon accounting standards and methodologies in a technical capacity, and experience in nature-based solutions projects are strongly desired.   
• Nature based carbon project-development experience including landowner outreach, initial feasibility assessment and due diligence, forest growth and carbon modelling, forest carbon inventory, financial modeling, in-depth knowledge of market protocols, contracting and managing forestry consultants, and working with carbon project developers and registries
• Experience leading partnerships with public agencies, Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, and/or non-profits, as well as experience working with corporations on climate and environmental programs
• A proven ability to get things done and a proven track record of excellence in project management and execution. 
• The ideal candidate will be a self-starting problem solver with a background in forest science and management, forest policy, and/or collaborative conservation. An ability to learn and adapt quickly is also important.
• Creative thinker and desire to achieve measurable, on-the-ground results, and ability to grasp and summarize complex concepts quickly 
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including in public speaking environments. 
• Ability to influence and engage a wide range of partners and build long-term relationships. Strong organizational skills. 
• Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside American Forests. 
• Results-orientation and passion for American Forests’ mission is essential.

LOCATION: 
This is a hybrid position that is primarily remote (70%) and requires frequent travel (up to 30% of time) within the western United States to engage in key stakeholder meetings, program events, and projects as funded. American Forests headquarters is in Washington, DC; occasional travel may be required to engage with colleagues.    

Subject to applicable laws, American Forests requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. We will consider requests for accommodation to this vaccination requirement during the recruiting process. Any requested accommodation(s) must be reviewed and approved (if applicable) in advance of your start date. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The individual must be comfortable with prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience. 

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS
This position does not have any supervisory requirements. 

BENEFITS 
American Forests offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental and vision; disability and life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with a 6% employer match; paid leave including 16 holidays, vacation, sick, parental leave, FMLA, bereavement and military leave; pet benefits and employee assistance programs.