As a Senior Specialist in Biodiversity in Latin America, you will develop, coordinate, and support novel actions and strategies for biodiversity conservation, coupled with climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and sustainability solutions.

Reporting directly to the Regional Senior Manager of Biodiversity LatAm, you will attend to different requirements from Biodiversity Standards, Programs, and Markets under compliance and voluntary schemes, hand in hand with Carbon Standards, and following environmental safeguards and co-benefits.

You will be part of the Biodiversity LatAm Technical team, responsible for designing and developing high-quality products (e.g., Project Design Documents, Monitoring Reports, and Monitoring Plans) to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. You will also implement the monitoring scheme and evaluate outputs and outcomes to promote sustainable use, conservation, and forest management for High Conservation Values.

Likewise, you will support fostering strong relationships with proponents, clients, and team members. Additionally, you will ensure compliance with budgets and schedules, identify optimization processes, and closely monitor projects to ensure smooth operation.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

As a Senior Biodiversity Specialist in Latin America, you’ll lead the development and execution of conservation strategies, focusing on biodiversity, climate change, and sustainability, specifically leading biodiversity monitoring aligned with different standards and methodologies under mandatory and voluntary biodiversity markets. You’ll handle compliance with biodiversity and carbon standards while fostering strong relationships with stakeholders and ensuring project efficiency. Your role involves crafting high-quality products for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, alongside monitoring project progress for optimal outcomes. Besides this, this role is responsible for supporting the assessment of the potential and biodiversity impacts as co-benefits in all carbon cycle project stages, looking for the certification for the projects.

Project Management and Quality Assurance (45%)

• Ensure the highest quality throughout the biodiversity project cycle, including assessment of project outcomes, application of methodologies, quality checks for deliverables, project validation, and verification for asset issuance, all completed within specified timeframes and budgets.
• Manage and engage with clients, Project Partners (PPs), Registry Entities, and Auditors (third-party independent certifiers), providing relationship support and engagement throughout project cycle stages in close coordination with commercial and other relevant teams.
• Support all financial planning and budget management activities of the NBS technical team, including annual budget preparation, individual project-level budget control, and utilization of tools and guidance provided by South Pole to ensure projects remain within budget.
• Implement best practices among NBS technical teams in all administrative tasks, including budgeting, expenditure approvals, invoices, payments, and accounting follow-ups related to the portfolio of biodiversity projects within the region.
• Develop the annual operative plans and budget for biodiversity projects, monitor and analyze budget variations, and propose adjustments when necessary.
• Prepare periodic financial reports for managing biodiversity projects, analyze and present reports on the portfolio’s financial performance, and ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial information according to internal policies, processes, and tools.
• Monitor and control operational costs according to annual operative plans and regional budgets, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce expenses related to biodiversity budgets.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage risks associated with biodiversity projects and operations and establish procedures to mitigate risks and ensure quality and safety.
• Design and develop high-quality products (e.g., Project Design Documents, Monitoring Reports, Monitoring Plans, and proposals), implement the monitoring scheme, and evaluate outputs and outcomes.
• Ensure the highest quality of project products (such as project documents and monitoring reports) in English. This responsibility includes auditing processes to validate and verify biodiversity projects.
• Support the development of detailed technical plans for achieving positive biodiversity impacts in NBS projects and support defining the methods and processes to be followed during certification.
• Attend and follow project requirements for the compliance of environmental safeguards and co-benefits under AFOLU’s Nature Climate Solutions (REDD+, ARR, IFM, ALM, WRC) for Biodiversity and Carbon Standards (e.g., VERRA, Gold Standard, Plan Vivo, Social Carbon, BioCarbon), Programs (e.g., VCS, CCB, JNR REDD+ framework, LandScale, SD Vista), and Biodiversity Markets (compliance and voluntary), among others.
• Support the identification and selection of appropriate technologies and methodologies for biodiversity co-benefits certification and the assessment of their implementation.
• Establish monitoring systems to assess project impacts and ensure the proper interpretation and analysis of monitoring data to make necessary adjustments.
• Support developing and disseminating educational and training materials to enhance the regional team’s proficiency and effectiveness in applying the new Technical Review processes.
• Ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of project-related consultancy mandates.
• When required, support knowledge sharing, provide technical expertise, and facilitate capacity building on biodiversity in other regions.
• Promote the research, development, and adoption of new environmental consulting technologies, methods, and practices focusing on biodiversity.
• Plan and develop actions and strategies for Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and Sustainability Solutions that are aligned with the company’s global goals and objectives.
• Implement quality management and continuous improvement systems in the department’s processes and projects.
• Stay informed about industry trends, regulatory changes, and market opportunities to proactively adapt the regional strategy for NBS project implementation.

Project Performance Optimization and Accountability (35%)

• Strive for maximum efficiency in biodiversity project implementation, assessed through two indicators: profitability and adherence to project time and budgets.
• Develop, advocate, and employ the company’s approach to project budgeting to ensure biodiversity projects are monitored and controlled within budgetary limits, and report on this when necessary.
• Efficiently manage biodiversity project parameters and commercial data on internal platforms and tools, aligning with internal portfolio management processes.
• Ensure that updates and reports on biodiversity project progress, financial status, and risk management are accurate, timely, and informative.
• Contribute to regional process optimization by evaluating and continuously improving financial and administrative processes and implementing efficient systems to increase productivity.
• When required, give support to coordinate the biodiversity project’s internal administrative and financial audits to ensure compliance and process integrity, and recommendations are implemented to improve internal controls.
• Assisting the NBS Project Managers in enhancing project performance, quality assurance, and accountability, ensuring that the biodiversity impacts team of experts delivers projects efficiently concerning cost performance and schedule performance.
• Develop and maintain strong, trusting relationships with project partners (PPs) to ensure zero attrition due to controllable factors such as dissatisfaction or late payments.

Business Development and Operational Integration (15%)

• Support biodiversity projects treasury management, overseeing project liquidity, and managing cash flows.
• Coordinate with the financial team on recovery plans, accounts payable, and receivable for biodiversity projects.
• Provide biodiversity technical support during Due Diligence processes to triage project initiatives.
• Ensure the individual’s project screening and Due Diligence activities align with the organization’s standards and strategic objectives.
• Execute the adaptation of management strategies to maintain project viability in response to changing business lines and priorities.
• Support risk identification and management within the Due Diligence stage, proactively addressing all potential issues.
• Support the Key Account Management (KAM) and Portfolio Management teams in tender and proposal preparation and traceability of project milestones related to registration, issuance, and sales. Support the Marketing team with project information requests and collaborate with the Climate Solutions team as needed.
• Collaborate with other technical, sourcing, KAM, and project management team members for LatAm and worldwide with technical sessions, site visits, and community-based conservation approaches.
• Under the company’s global and regional goals and objectives, support the Biodiversity LatAm Technical team’s collaboration with Operations and other business lines and departments such as Climate Solutions, Climate Strategies, CPFCM, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Project Design, Management, and Evaluation.

Strategic Networking and Engagement (5%)

• When required, cultivate a network of projects, external partners, clients, companies, standards, methodology developers, investors, businesses, and communities engaged in the field of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), adhering to both compliance and voluntary schemes in the region.
• When required, engage in business rounds, technical sessions, site visits, and other pertinent events to actively participate and stay informed.

Requirements

Essential skills and experience:

• University degree in biology, ecology, forestry, natural resource management, sustainability, or climate change mitigation-related fields. A Master’s degree would be an advantage.
• Relevant experience in Biodiversity, Tropical Ecology, Forestry, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, or related fields.
• Relevant experience in planning, developing, or executing Environmental Impact Assessments, Biodiversity Monitoring Plans, Biotic Indicators, and/or different assessment tools for Biodiversity Measures.
• Minimum 3 years of work experience in NBS projects for climate mitigation, natural resources conservation and management, forestry, sustainable agriculture or land management, conservation finance, or related fields.
• Understanding of carbon finance essentials and carbon project development and certification, including familiarity with carbon standards like CDM, VERRA, GS4GG, CCBS, and the CAR, among others.
• Proven experience in leading numerous multi-disciplinary teams, and providing process-oriented and technical input to guide the work of others, providing expert-level guidance in the field of ALM, REDD+, ACoGS, ARR, and other NBS-related fields of work to ensure carbon and biodiversity assets are developed and implemented.
• Proven experience of AFOLU’s Nature Climate Solutions (REDD+, ARR, IFM, ALM, WRC), Biodiversity and Carbon Standards (e.g., VERRA, Gold Standard, Plan Vivo, Social Carbon, BioCarbon), Programs (e.g., VCS, CCB, JNR REDD+ framework, LandScale, SD Vista), or Biodiversity Markets (compliance and voluntary), among others.
• Knowledge about using the theory of change or adaptive management for projects