Regional Manager, REDD+ Design

South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Job summary:

• As the Regional Manager for REDD+ Design & Implementation in LATAM, you will play a pivotal role in overseeing the development and implementation of REDD+ projects within the Colombian Amazon.
• This position is especially crucial as it involves interaction with diverse indigenous communities, navigating different ethnic groups and governance structures.
• The expert is tasked with aligning project activities with established design documents, adhering to quality standards, and complying with environmental regulations.
• Responsibilities encompass developing and fine-tuning operational plans and schedules, supervising project execution to ensure quality, managing the integration of environmental conservation and local economic activities, implementing monitoring systems to assess project progress, and leading multidisciplinary teams in culturally rich yet challenging environments.
• The role also involves forging and sustaining strategic relationships with community leaders, government bodies, and other stakeholders to ensure all-round support and project sustainability.
• Additionally, your leadership responsibilities involve mentoring the NBS Social Sustainability team, focusing on talent development, retention, and succession planning.
• You will also play a key role in managing communication and engagement with the Indigenous Territorial Environmental Authorities (AATI) to facilitate comprehensive territorial governance, and facilitating community consultation and participation processes.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

Directly reporting to the Associate Director of Nature-based Solutions in LATAM, your primary responsibility will be to lead and supervise the activities related to the implementation of REDD+ projects in the Colombian Amazon. These projects, developed with indigenous communities of various ethnic groups and governance structures, require your expertise from the post-verification phase.

You will guide the implementation of REDD+ activities and oversee the monitoring processes aligned with the validated project design plans.

• Project Management and Quality Assurance (50%):
• Support the project managers in developing a theory of change and long-term implementation work plans. Develop and adjust the Preliminary Annual Operation Plans (Pre-POA) by strategic line, including schedules and budgets.
• Supervise the development and execution of the projects' annual operational plan' and their alignment with the validated project design documents to ensure adherence to quality standards and expectations.
• Manage the operational integration of forest protection and subsistence economy with local productive systems.
• Ensure alignment between project activities, the certification requirements, and the environmental regulations.
• Implement effective monitoring systems to continuously evaluate the progress and integrity of the projects.
• Ensure the correct application of methodologies adapted to the needs and contexts of indigenous communities.
• Coordinate follow-up meetings and ensure the implementation of feedback-based adjustments.
• Monitor the quality and progress of project activities using updated indicators and activity matrices.
• Evaluate and enhance Standard Operating Procedures for biomass, soil, household surveys, participatory rural appraisals, and biodiversity surveys according to best practices and market standards.
• Project Performance Optimization and Accountability (20%)
• Supervise and accompany the fiduciary scheme to ensure transparency and efficiency in resource management of the corresponding REDD+ projects.
• Review and validate financial proposals and contracts, in collaboration with the legal and financial team.
• Coordinate the consolidation and updating of the project's cash flow to optimize resources.
• Supervise the preparation and sending of terms of reference for key hirings, ensuring they align with the objectives of the REDD+ project.
• Coordinate the labour linkage of teams in the field and prepare relevant training for implementation.
• Prepare and present project progress reports and results to key stakeholders.
• Facilitate collaboration and coordination between the project team, local communities, and other stakeholders to ensure effective stakeholder engagement, local ownership, and the long-term sustainability of project outcomes.
• Monitor and evaluate projects' social sustainability impacts, using defined metrics and indicators to assess progress towards social goals and adapt strategies as necessary to enhance project effectiveness and impact.
• Team Leadership and Management (15%)
• Support NBS Regional Senior Manager Sustainability in planning and managing the team's functional structure, ensuring alignment with project needs and strategic objectives.
• Develop and implement strategies for the attraction, development, and retention of talent.
• Oversee the mentoring and development of a team of professionals responsible for project screening, Due Diligence, and quality review processes.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and effective guidance to the NBS technical team in the region to ensure high-quality and timely project cycle activities while securing talent development and retention.
• Support NBS Regional Senior Manager Sustainability on leading the recruitment and performance review processes for the NBS Technical team.
• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams in the field and remotely, including the formation and consolidation of teams in the territory.
• Organize and direct team meetings to ensure effective communication and the achievement of objectives.
• Supervise and evaluate team performance, providing direction and support where necessary.
• Promote continuous professional and technical development of the team.
• Strategic Networking and Engagement (15%)
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including local communities, governmental entities, and other project partners.
• Participate in relevant events and forums to promote the project's interests and foster strategic alliances.
• Manage communication and engagement with the Indigenous Territorial Environmental Authorities (AATI) to facilitate comprehensive territorial governance.
• Facilitate community consultation and participation processes to ensure that project activities reflect local needs and priorities.
• 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.

Essential skills and experience:

• University Degree in social science and related fields.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in REDD+ projects focusing on project implementation, and socio-environmental development, particularly with peasant communities and ethnic groups.
• Understanding of carbon finance essentials and carbon project development and certification, including familiarity with carbon standards like CDM, VERRA, GS4GG, CCBS, the CAR, among others.
• Proven experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams, and providing process-oriented and technical input to guide the work of others, providing expert-level guidance in the field of REDD+, ACoGS, ARR, and other NBS-related fields of work to ensure carbon and biodiversity assets are developed and implemented while ensuring compliance with social safeguards and quality standards.
• Proven experience related to design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation, preferably in ecosystem services, restoration, sustainable productive systems or preservation-related fields.
• Strong understanding of social and environmental safeguards, principles, and methodologies related to sustainable development projects.
• Results-driven team management abilities and talent development and retention experience.
• Business-quality communication skills (verbal and written) in both English and Spanish.
• The capacity to solve relatively complex project-related problems independently and receive general direction on new assignments or projects.
• Ability to manage targets and priorities and develop own goals.
• National or holder of a valid work visa in the country of application.

Desired skills and experience:

• Ability to design, develop, and implement strategies to fulfill the company's regional targets on NBS and capacity to communicate and execute them.
• Ability to work under little supervision on diverse assignments, apply company policies, processes, and procedures, and identify critical routes to resolve various issues/problems on time.
• Ability to create high-quality written documents (proposals and deliverables) in English and Spanish and quality control for others.
• Experience building a talented and high-performing team, providing supportive mentoring and empowerment to develop and retain talent at different levels.
• Ability to manage targets and priorities and develop own goals.
• Basic to advanced Portuguese (spoken and written) is a plus.

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation.

We're a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make; South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.