Origination and Commercial Lead, Product Development – Climate Impact Partners

Location: Hybrid working in the UK or Kenya with access to Oxford/London or Nairobi office, or fully remote working in the US.

Overview:

About Climate Impact Partners:

Climate Impact Partners delivers solutions for action on climate. We believe that carbon markets have a critical role to play in delivering action by putting a price on carbon and funding carbon reduction activities to meet our global climate goals.

Together with the world’s leading companies and quality project partners we will cut 1 billion tonnes of CO₂ by 2030 to transform the global economy, improve health and livelihoods and restore a thriving planet.

We do this by delivering the highest quality carbon financed projects, from which we create carbon credit and energy attribute certificate portfolios. This enables organisations to offset the emissions they can’t reduce, put a price on carbon to incentivise change, and meet their ambitious climate goals.

Climate Impact Partners builds on the expertise, integrity, and innovation of two companies that have led the voluntary carbon market – Natural Capital Partners and ClimateCare. Fuelled by a relentless drive for rapid action and results, our global team continues to pioneer the market’s growth, and set the standards for quality that will maximise its impact.

Role Summary:

Climate Impact Partners, a leading provider of high-quality carbon credit programmes, is looking for a Origination and Commercial Lead to join our Project Development team. The role is focused on carbon project development of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) projects under internationally recognised voluntary carbon standards. NBS is an increasingly important part of our business and we are expanding our technical project development capability as client demand for NBS projects grows.

You will be part of a high calibre, international NBS commercial team and will work closely with experienced NBS Technical Managers and Portfolio Delivery colleagues, supporting the origination, screening and delivery of project development opportunities. You will lead origination, due diligence and commercial structuring of projects (from early development through to post-issuance stages).

Reporting into the Head of the Commercial within Project Development, you will be at the centre of accelerating the growth of Climate Impact Partners’ NBS project development portfolio, building on our award-winning reputation as a voluntary carbon project developer. Climate Impact Partners offers an environment in which to succeed in delivering impact through development of new projects, with a fully integrated strategy spanning supply and demand, long-term industry relationships and influence and a strong international policy and regulatory team.

Responsibilities:

• Lead origination and screening of project development opportunities; help set the criteria for what ‘good’ looks like. Take projects through from early-stage conversations to contracting and implementation, typically with a 12-18 month cycle per project.
• Work closely with client-facing teams to ensure that the project pipeline will meet current and future needs.
• Co-ordinate project due diligence, lead on the commercial due diligence aspects and working with the technical lead on technical and standards due diligence; to include site visits as needed.
• Develop commercial propositions for projects that also meet the needs of clients and Climate Impact Partners’ commercial objectives, appropriately balancing risks and rewards for each party.
• Lead contract and commercial negotiations with project counterparties through to completion.
• Ongoing oversight of operational partnerships and projects to ensure performance and delivery.
• Keep up to date with changes in voluntary carbon standards (including emerging jurisdictional standards) and help shape Climate Impact Partners’ NBS growth strategy.
• Be involved in strategic development – such as financial models, due diligence processes, new commercial products.

Capabilities and Experience:

• Extensive experience in commercial roles in a relevant setting; the ideal candidate will have experience in international finance and origination, NBS project development, carbon finance or carbon markets.
• Track record in originating, structuring, negotiating and managing commercial agreements, ideally with private and not-for-profit counterparties.
• Understanding of the voluntary carbon market; understanding of the key principles of the voluntary carbon standards such as VCS/CCB and Gold Standard, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals is helpful.
• Experience working with local implementation partners such as NGOs and private companies, with an understanding of the on-the-ground challenges, particularly in developing markets.
• Experience of managing a pipeline of opportunities through to delivery.

We are looking for someone who:

• Enjoys a ‘start up’ environment of building, and developing new functions within a business
• Is creative is finding pragmatic commercial solutions in a space with no ‘cookie cutter’ templates.
• Has a track record in managing productive partnerships; able to balance the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Is prepared to challenge project partners constructively to ensure that project assumptions are credible and robust.
• Has a strong attention to detail and able to identify what is most important to address.
• Can manage competing priorities and is respectful of others’ time in a busy organization
• Sets high standards for ethical behaviour
• Able to travel internationally to project sites (typically 3-4 times per year)

Perks:

• 25 days annual leave for Kenya and UK, plus public holidays
• Private Medical
• Life Assurance
• Equity Programme
• Bonus scheme, subject to company and individual performance
• Enhanced Parental Leave
• Electric Car Scheme
• Cycle to Work
• Work from anywhere policy (1 month a year in another country with manager discretion)
• Summer Fridays and Flexibility
• Remote working (no mandatory office days unless formally agreed
• In-house Carbon Academy training programme
• Join a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp™, awarded in recognition of our exceptional positive impact on its customer
• Join a profit-for-purpose business that delivers results and impact