Reports To: CEO

Location: Arusha, Tanzania

About Carbon Tanzania:

Carbon Tanzania (CT) is a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to addressing climate change and protecting biodiversity by empowering communities to conserve their natural resources. We develop and implement high-quality, nature-based carbon projects that deliver tangible benefits to both the environment and local communities.

We are a forward-thinking organization at the forefront of conservation and climate action, and we are expanding our impact across Tanzania. We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated professional to join our team in a pivotal role, ensuring th integrity and impact of our work.

Position Summary:

Carbon Tanzania is seeking a Lead for Validation, Verification and MEL. This high-level position is critical to ensuring the rigorous compliance of CT’s projects against global carbon standards and the successful issuance of carbon credits through recognized certification bodies. The role encompasses comprehensive oversight of all Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) activities, including meticulous validation and verification processes. Furthermore, this position will drive CT’s commitment to robust monitoring and evaluation, with a focus on biodiversity and the social and environmental impact within the communities and areas where we operate.

The successful candidate will be instrumental in upholding CT’s reputation for excellence and integrity in the carbon market. This is an exceptional opportunity to play a leadership role in a forward-thinking organization at the forefront of conservation and climate action. You will be instrumental in ensuring the highest standards of integrity and impact for our projects, directly contributing to meaningful environmental and social change in Tanzania. If you are passionate about making a difference and thrive in a challenging yet rewarding environment, we encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities:

Validation and Verification:

• Manage the validation and verification processes, including all responses to findings, for all CT projects, ensuring strict adherence to relevant international standards and guidelines.
• Ensure clear understanding of all standards and certification requirements relevant to CT projects.
• Contribution towards, editing and management of project documentation e.g. PD, PDD, MR
• Manage any processes to transition relevant REDD / ARR projects
• Achieve successful validation/verification audits for all CT projects.
• Awareness of emerging potential new international standard options for CT projects.

Monitoring Framework:

• Ensure the implementation and maintenance of all project-level monitoring frameworks, guaranteeing accurate data collection and reporting and adherence to documented schedules.
• Continuously review all monitoring frameworks, providing recommendations for improvements.
• Ensure submission of all project monitoring reports as per established schedules.

Liaison with Stakeholders:

• Ensure effective communication with all levels of stakeholders (communities, local authorities, landscape partners) regarding operational aspects of validation and verification.
• Maintain detailed records of all communications with stakeholders, including dates, topics discussed, and action items.

Operational Support & Contract Management:

• Assist in exploring, negotiating, and contracting with service providers (VVBs, technical service providers) for specific business processes.
• Co-create and maintain a contract tracking system, including key dates and deliverables

Senior Management Support:

• Participate in all Senior Management Team (SMT) meetings, contributing to strategic decision-making and ensuring accurate documentation.
• Prepare a comprehensive compliance and verification update for each SMT meeting.

Staff Capacity Building and Appraisals:

• Work collaboratively with the HR team to conduct and/or oversee, record, and report on regular, scheduled staff appraisals for the compliance team.
• Ensure that the compliance team are supported to improve their skills and capacity for their roles.

Process Documentation:

• Maintain thorough documentation of complex processes related to validation and verification (e.g., data collection, data management, decision recording).
• Contribute to the maintenance of clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all processes and document clear improvements in processes.

CT MEL System Management:

• Manage the internal CT monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system, ensuring that evaluation and learning are internalized and used to improve systems and processes.
• Track CT’s impact in project areas, inclusive of the Reflect social monitoring tool.
• Oversee and continuously improve biodiversity monitoring in CT project areas.

Work Environment:

This position operates within CT, offering a dynamic and collaborative workspace. This position will be stationed at our contemporary, environmentally conscious office in Arusha, and will also require leading audit visits to all CT project areas in Tanzania.

Qualifications:

Essential:

• Proven experience in MEL, particularly for biodiversity and social impact
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• GIS and database skills
• Experience with certification processes; standards, compliance criteria etc.
• Degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience
• Proactive and able to initiate and drive tasks independently
• Strong communicator with excellent English language skills, both verbal and written.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in carbon project validation and verification processes
• A strong understanding of relevant carbon standards (e.g. Verra, Plan Vivo)
• Experience in forest or community based conservation projects.atabase skills

Compensation:

Carbon Tanzania offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.