Senior Specialist, NBS Biodiversity, LATAM

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 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, & 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 & 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, a l 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 guidances provided by South Pole to ensure projects remain within budget.

● Implement best practices among NBS technical teams in al 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 e ciency and reduce expenses. This is 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 to develop detailed technical plans for achieving positive biodiversity impacts in NBS projects and support to define the methods and processes to be fo lowed 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 & 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 adapt the regional strategy for NBS project implementation proactively. Project

Performance Optimization and Accountability (35%)

● Strive for maximum e ciency 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 contro led 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 e cient 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 contro lable factors such as dissatisfaction or late payments.

Business Development and Operational Integration (15%)

● Support for biodiversity projects treasury management, overseeing project liquidity, and managing cash follows.

● Coordinate with the financial team on recovery plans, accounts payable, and receivable for biodiversity projects.

● Give 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.

● Supporting 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 co laboration with Operations and other business lines and departments such as Climate Solutions, Climate Strategies, CPFCM, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Project Design, Management & 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 participate and stay informed actively.

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 & 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 f inance, 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 & 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 and programs in LatAm countries.
• Business-quality communication skills (verbal and written) in both English and Spanish, associated with high-quality products (e.g., Project Design Documents, Monitoring Reports, Monitoring Plans, and proposals, among other biodiversity-related projects).
• The capacity to independently solve relatively complex project-related problems, receive general direction on new assignments or projects and apply company policies, processes, and procedures. Likewise results-driven person.
• Ability to work under little supervision on diverse assignments and identify critical routes to resolve various issues/problems on time.
• Ability to manage targets, complex and multiple projects and tasks, prioritizing urgent and important ones and fulfilling high-quality deliverables that meet established budgets and timelines.
• Ability to apply quality control to written documents.
• Ability to create and innovate climate and biodiversity conservation solutions.
• Competence in teamwork with professionals; experience supporting clients, partners, and conservation stakeholders for community-based approaches.
• Highly motivated, prone to applying and receiving feedback, adaptive management, and improving productivity.
• National or holder of a valid work visa in the country of application. Desired ski ls and experience

• Proven track record on biodiversity monitoring design and implementation, according to different frameworks, methodologies, and standards under carbon and biodiversity projects for mandatory and voluntary markets.
• Relevant experience as a specialist, project coordinator, or project manager with forest management approaches in AFOLU's Nature Climate Solutions or Biodiversity projects.
• Ability to design, develop, and implement strategies to fulfi l the company's regional targets on NBS and capacity to communicate and execute them.
• Understand and be sensitive to the social contexts, risks, and demands that can emerge in the context of carbon project development, particularly but not only REDD+ projects with indigenous communities.
• Experience with a community-based conservation approach for halting and reversing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation while achieving net positive benefits for specific High Conservation Values.
• Ability and willingness to learn GIS, biodiversity, and ecology measurement programming (e.g., R, QGis, Python, Google Earth Engine).
• Experience with environmental safeguards and SDGs orientation and compliance for sustainability.
• Experience with environmental assessment & compliance for development projects and national authorities in LatAm countries.
• Understanding biodiversity offsets, biodiversity credits, habitat banking, ecosystem assessment, restoration, or evidence-based conservation approaches.
• 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.