Job Description

We\xe2\x80\x99re seeking a Senior Project Design Lead to help us create extraordinary impact around the world to improve lives and reverse climate change.Taking Root\'s purpose is to accelerate the restoration of the world\xe2\x80\x99s forests. We enable smallholder farmers to grow trees and earn money from the carbon they remove from the atmosphere. Recognized for its best practices by the UN, EU and World Economic Forum, Taking Root is connecting thousands of farmers to the carbon market, improving their livelihoods by restoring forests around the world.About the roleThe Senior Project Design Lead creates new project designs in support of Taking Root\xe2\x80\x99s expansion to new projects or into new regions or new communities of farmers within existing projects. This includes, but is not limited to, leading the creation of: Additionality Arguments, Eligibility Criteria, Farmer Engagement and Barrier Analysis, Planting Designs, Silviculture Intervention Schedule, Farmer Incentives, and other Project Interventions.This key role is highly collaborative and is empowered to work internally within the team, with our project partners, and directly with farmers, on all aspects of project design. Much of the work is leading the process and getting input from various sources to drive towards decisions for project design that reflect best practices and will be effective in meeting reforestation targets, highly accepted by farmers, certifiable, cost-effective, and implementable in the field.This is a full-time position, and we are open to full-time remote work in the Americas. Our office is in Vancouver, BC, and is available for employees who prefer in-person settings. This role does require the flexibility to travel domestically and internationally as required, as this role will require about 20% travel to work with project partners in the field. Please note that the posted salary range provided is derived from compensation analysis conducted on the labour market within metropolitan Canada. The final offer amount for this role will be dependent on adjustment for geographical region, applicable experience, and skillset of the candidate.We work with a diverse set of international partners and especially encourage Indigenous Peoples, members of racial minorities, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+, and members of other underrepresented groups to apply.What\xe2\x80\x99s it like to work at Taking Root?We\xe2\x80\x99re a team of purpose-driven individuals, united in our goal to restore the world\xe2\x80\x99s forests. Our workforce is a mixture of hybrid and fully remote, but we make space for connection and collaboration. Sharing pet photos is encouraged, regular organizational updates are the norm, and each fiscal year starts with an all-team in-person event (appropriately named \xe2\x80\x98Roots\xe2\x80\x99, because we love tree puns almost as much as we love trees). Employee health is a priority for Taking Root, and we continually strive to build a work environment that fosters growth, compassion, and transparency.Our organizational values are:

• We do it for nature.
• Be in service of those stewarding the land.
• Always pursue more impact.
• Face the unknown with courage.
• Help each other grow.

Read more about our values .Responsibilities:

• Lead the creation of new project design elements or updates of existing project design elements through collaborative work with our internal teams, partners, and farmers in the field.
• Develop robust and certifiable additionality arguments to assure our buyers of the validity of the credits they produce.
• Create the land use (ecological requirements) and farmer eligibility conditions for the project.
• Specify and size the target market for project participants to better understand the project potential.
• Build processes and conduct farmer interviews, focus groups, surveys and other ways to understand farmer conditions and the barriers that they face to better inform project interventions, additionality, and eligibility conditions.
• Create new and update existing planting designs (e.g. cacao agroforestry, silvopastoral, etc.) that provide high value for farmers, Taking Root, and the environment. Create and update project silvicultural interventions and monitoring schedules to ensure the healthy growth of the parcels we work in.
• Determine the costs to farmers to implement the planting designs and care for the trees. Based on this, create and update farmer incentive schedules to overcome participation barriers.
• Collaborate with Taking Root\xe2\x80\x99s local project partners around the world and lead the development of processes that increase farmer understanding.
• Lead project design activities with a project manager mindset. Work with technical experts across Taking Root, specifically our methodology and standards team and operations to ensure that they provide input and expertise on aspects of project design.
• Lead cross-functional projects/initiatives and provide regular updates regarding each project.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience required:We especially encourage those with unconventional experience, education, or career paths to apply, even if you may not meet the precise requirements listed in this posting.

• Must have, at least 3-5 years of experience in stakeholder management and consultative experience, preferably with partners in Latin America and working directly with rural, farming communities. As evidenced by:
• Experience working with community/farmer groups in Latin America related to agroforestry, forestry, etc.
• Conducted regular stakeholder meetings and consultations to gather feedback, address concerns, and incorporate stakeholder input into project planning and execution.
• Facilitated effective communication between project teams and stakeholders, ensuring transparency and timely updates on project progress and any issues.
• Developed and delivered presentations and reports to stakeholders, effectively communicating complex technical information in an accessible and understandable manner.
• Must have, fluency or high proficiency in both English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly with diverse audiences, including internal team members and external partners in a variety of different countries.
• Must have, flexibility to travel domestically and internationally as required, as this role will require about 20% travel to work with project partners in the field.
• Preferably, at least 2 years Project Design Experience in a minimum of two distinct forest carbon projects or another similar nature-based solution.
• Preferably, At least 3 years Industry Experience in reforestation, nature-based solutions, and/or the voluntary carbon market, with experience working in certification related projects in the voluntary forest carbon market or other areas related to farmers, conservation, agroforestry, agriculture, forestry market development, etc.
• Preferably, a basic-to-good understanding of forestry science, especially in the tropics and experience working with technical professionals (e.g. scientists, engineers, etc.)
• A proven ability making recommendations/decisions from ambiguous or conflicting information, with a results-driven & collaborative attitude. Strong desk research abilities and a proven ability to perform work with a high degree of latitude
• Intermediate software and technical skills (basic statistics, spreadsheets). Knowledge of other software tools such as project management tools or GIS is a plus.
• Bachelor\'s or Master\'s degree in environmental science, business administration, or a related field.

How to applySubmit a cover letter and resume via our portal. We value every application; however, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.Taking Root has a diverse team of talented people across gender and racial spectrums. We have created a culture of innovation, diversity, and inclusivity, striving for open discussions, best hiring and operational practices. We hire and promote based on merit, competence, performance, successful milestones, and business needs.

Taking Root