Director, Reforest America Carbon Program

ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS:  

American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to large landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal, and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restore urban forests and forested landscapes.

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member. We hope you find your future with us.

PROJECT SUMMARY:  

America’s forests are a critical natural climate solution. Reforestation/afforestation offers the most immediate and ample carbon removal solution. There are many opportunities for this in the U.S., with as much as 148 million acres suitable for reforestation (ReforestationHub.org). Yet, deployment of quality reforestation at scale has been limited by high upfront costs that are out of sync with the timeline for carbon removal. 

American Forests’ Reforest America Carbon Program (RACP) is designed to address the financing challenges associated with reforestation/afforestation and advance the highest quality climate-adapted projects. Over the past year, American Forests has worked with landowners, forest carbon experts, carbon registries, and businesses to design RACP to help meet the country’s growing reforestation needs. 

We are currently developing a unique portfolio of climate-adapted reforestation projects with public land management agencies, Tribal Nations, and underserved private landowners who do not have access to the necessary funding to reforest severely burned lands in the western United States and other lands suitable for reforestation in other geographies throughout North America.

American Forests recently received a USFS grant to support the participation of federal recognized Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, in emerging markets for resilient reforestation, or reforestation that is resilient to future climate changes and disturbances as well as future market and economic conditions. We are working to deliver the following outcomes:  

• Provide federally recognized Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, with the technical and financial resources needed for implementing resilient reforestation projects.
• Create new opportunities for Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, to access new income streams and deploy climate-informed reforestation practices well suited to emerging markets for climate mitigation and resilience.
• Engage with and provide technical assistance to Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, about resilient reforestation and emerging markets for joint climate mitigation and adaptation.
• Implement high-integrity resilient reforestation projects yielding biodiversity, water, climate, and cultural benefits.

To advance this work, American Forests is looking for a Director of the Reforest America Carbon Program to direct the continued development and implementation of the Reforest America Carbon Program, oversee contract negotiations with project suppliers and buyers, recruit and lead a team of RACP staff to efficiently originate, develop, and market high-quality RACP projects, and represent American Forests in a leadership role in related carbon initiatives including, but not limited to, a nascent U.S. Forest Carbon Coalition effort. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of the Reforest America Carbon Program will direct the continued development and implementation of the Reforest America Carbon Program, oversee contract negotiations with project suppliers and buyers, recruit and lead a team of RACP staff to efficiently originate, develop, and market high-quality RACP projects, and represent American Forests in a leadership role in related carbon initiatives. Additionally, they will oversee the origination, development, and implementation of a portfolio of carbon financed reforestation/afforestation projects that include traditional and innovative approaches. They will oversee the direction projects in partnership with corporate and other philanthropic funders and land managers including state and federal agencies, private landowners, and tribes; manage existing projects and partnerships and lead project execution; manage contractors and forestry consultants. Specific responsibilities include:

Reforest America Carbon Project Development and Leadership (55%)

• Lead the Program by directing the refinement and implementation of the go-to-market strategy, and finance and operations, development, program, policy, and communication teams.
• Develop and maintain relationships with RACP partners, represent American Forests and RACP in the natural climate solutions community.
• Manage budgets and timelines, secure and supervise contractors and staff, and ensure completion of program deliverables.
• Be a service leader in the carbon finance arena, participating in working groups and engaging with federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, carbon registries, leading corporations, and carbon finance experts to inform and develop our strategies.
• Serve as American Forests’ expert on existing methodologies for financing afforestation/reforestation to inform our strategies and monitor the development of reforestation and carbon finance best practices to meet corporate net zero targets, biodiversity, social justice, and other outcomes.
• Act as the main contact for major global clients supporting large-scale global Nature-based Solutions programs, afforestation/reforestation carbon projects.

Carbon Project Direction (30%)

• Oversee the RACP team and support the origination, development, and implementation of carbon financed reforestation/afforestation projects that include traditional and novel approaches.
• Oversee outreach and work with Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners to assess opportunities to develop nature-based carbon projects in specific geographies and landscapes in the western US (OR, WA, CA, MT, NM) and Hawaii.
• Oversee the origination of new projects with senior forestry staff by engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organizations and underserved private landowners, consulting foresters, project developers, and NGOs, etc.
• Direct projects in partnership with corporate and other philanthropic funders and land managers including state and federal agencies, private landowners, and tribes.
• Manage existing projects and partnerships and lead project execution; manage contractors and forestry consultants.
• Oversee and run project financial analyses to inform project development and strategies.

Program Administration (15%)

• Track and manage program finances
• Develop and manage budgets in partnership with American Forests’ program and finance departments
• Lead recruitment efforts of staff and/or contractors to meet the finance and administration needs of RACP as the program develops.

QUALIFICATIONS 

Successful candidates will have demonstrated experience in directing program development and implementation of nature-based carbon projects and while we do not expect any one candidate to possess all of these qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal skills and qualities:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Non-Profit Management, Conservation, Natural Resource Economics or Management, Forestry, or Natural Resource Management desired; additional experience accepted in lieu of.
• At least seven (7) years of experience with nature-based solutions in the carbon market, with significant project/program management experience.
• Knowledge of, and/or experience working in carbon markets, carbon accounting standards and methodologies in a technical capacity, and experience in nature-based solutions projects are strongly desired.
• Experience leading partnerships with public agencies, Tribal Nations, private landowners, and/or non-profits, and work with corporations on climate and environmental programs.
• A proven ability to get things done and a proven track record of excellence in project management and execution.
• The ideal candidate will be a self-starting problem solver with a background in forest science and management, forest policy, and/or collaborative conservation. An ability to learn and adapt quickly is also important.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral) and comfortable with public speaking
• Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside American Forests.
• Results-orientation and passion for American Forests’ mission is essential.

LOCATION: 
This is a hybrid position that is primarily remote (70%) and requires frequent travel (up to 30% of time) within the western United States to engage in key stakeholder meetings, program events, and projects as funded. American Forests headquarters is in Washington, DC; occasional travel may be required to engage with colleagues.  

Subject to applicable laws, American Forests requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. We will consider requests for accommodation to this vaccination requirement during the recruiting process. Any requested accommodation(s) must be reviewed and approved (if applicable) in advance of your start date. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The individual must be comfortable with prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience. 

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS
This position will oversee up to three (3) Senior Managers of Carbon Projects. 

BENEFITS 
American Forests offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental and vision; disability and life insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with a 6% employer match; paid leave including 16 holidays, vacation, sick, parental leave, FMLA, bereavement and military leave; pet benefits and employee assistance programs.

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience. 

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.