Tanzania Carbon MRV Director
Reports to:
Operationally to: Tanzania Country Director
Functionally to: (Global) Technical Director
Department: Compassionate Carbon Tanzania
Position classification: Full-time
Location: Lumuma or Arusha, with approximately 80% of time spent at project areas in Lumuma, Kilosa District / Mbuga, Mpwapwa District
Employment type: Full-time
COMPANY INFORMATION
Compassionate Carbon Tanzania Ltd is a mission-driven organization launched by Compassionate Carbon LLC and Eden: People+Planet (Eden). Specializing in developing and implementing landscape-scale forest carbon projects through Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), we collaborate with local communities to restore landscapes, create jobs, protect ecosystems, and mitigate climate change.
Our projects integrate nature-based solutions to help meet global emissions targets while ensuring community ownership and long-term sustainable benefits. The Rubeho Mountains Carbon Project, a significant initiative in Tanzania, focuses on native forest restoration and community-based conservation efforts.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Tanzania Carbon MRV Director is a senior technical leader responsible for ensuring the quality of carbon-related project activity. Working in lockstep with the Program Director, this position ensures the merging of technical excellence into operational requirements to achieve objectives, build team capacity, engage stakeholders, and ensure all activities meet compliance requirements and organizational quality standards. The Carbon MRV Director provides leadership in the design, monitoring, and quality assurance of nature-based carbon projects (e.g. reforestation, REDD+, and landscape restoration initiatives), ensuring projects are scientifically rigorous, aligned with international standards, and deliver high-quality outcomes in carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and community benefits.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Leadership: Lead the contextualization and implementation of MRV systems for carbon, biodiversity, and community benefit indicators for Tanzania projects. Design and oversee field and remote-sensing data collection protocols, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and adherence to MRV requirements.
- Technical Leadership + Integration: Collaborate closely with the Program Director and Eden Technical Team to ensure technical standards are fully integrated with program design, budgets, staffing, and timelines. Ensure all activities are technically sound and directly support carbon, biodiversity, and community objectives. Provide technical inputs into strategic decisions and proactively troubleshoot technical challenges to maintain exceptional performance on restoration, car.
- Data Collection, Analysis + Information Management: Establish and maintain robust information management systems for spatial and non-spatial data collection, storage, processing, and analysis. Ensure data accessibility for reporting, audits, adaptive management, and strategic decision-making.
- Quality Assurance + Carbon Standards Compliance: Oversee project quality and compliance with carbon standards (e.g. Verra). Implement clear QA/QC procedures for data, ensure accurate carbon calculations, and stay updated on relevant protocols.
- Reporting + External Accountability: In collaboration with the global Technical Team, assist in the preparation and submission of monitoring reports. Support engagement with Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs), coordinating audits and addressing findings to ensure smooth certification.
- Program Technical Backstopping: Collaborate with the Program Director and project managers to ensure smooth execution of restoration and conservation activities that deliver carbon benefits. Monitor field progress, address technical issues, and confirm operational plans align with technical requirements. Review reports and data to ensure protocol adherence, updating guidance as needed.
- Capacity Building: Communicate project strategies and carbon methodologies clearly and lead training for staff and community members on MRV and sustainable land management; ensure Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) methodologies are integrated throughout community member engagement.
- Strategic Program Development: Support country-level strategic planning by identifying new carbon project opportunities. Evaluate sites for project viability, help develop technical sections of funding proposals, and ensure plans balance technical ambition with operational feasibility. Work closely with the Program Director to track progress toward strategic objectives.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary spokesperson on technical aspects of carbon programs, engaging communities, government agencies, NGOs, and private partners. Represent CCTZ at technical events to promote best practices and raise the country program’s profile.
- Other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION + WORK EXPERIENCE
- A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required, with a Master’s or PhD strongly preferred. Relevant fields include Forestry, Environmental Science, Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Geography / GIS, Climate Change studies, or Social Sciences. Specialized training or certification in carbon accounting, climate policy, or Monitoring + Evaluation (e.g. certification in GHG accounting, forest carbon inventory, or project management) is an asset.
- At least 5 years’ experience in environmental or climate projects, with expertise in carbon project development and monitoring.
- Experience working on projects that adhered to international carbon standards (such as Verra / VCS, Gold Standard, or equivalent) is required, including familiarity with the project validation and verification cycle.
- Proven experience in community engagement and collaboration with local stakeholders (utilizing FPIC); project work with community organizations, indigenous groups, or local governments is required.
- Experience in carbon accounting or MRV systems for forestry or land-use projects is an asset, including knowledge of project stages from baseline development to credit issuance. Practical skills with GIS and remote sensing for mapping, land-use analysis, and biomass or carbon estimation are essential.
- Experience with carbon methodologies and modelling (e.g., VCS ARR/IFM, CDM A/R) or scenario analysis is preferred.
- Background in nature-based solutions or landscape restoration linked to carbon outcomes or finance is expected.
- Forestry, agroforestry, or ecosystem restoration experience in developing contexts is highly valued. skills
SKILLS + ABILITIES
- Models the Ethos in all professional interactions, demonstrating a commitment to the organization’s values, vision, and conduct standards.
- Technical Expertise: Understanding of carbon project methodologies and standards (e.g., REDD+, afforestation/reforestation). Experience in carbon accounting, model design, and emissions calculations preferred. Proficient with GIS and remote sensing tools (ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Engine) for spatial analysis. Experienced with forest inventory, biomass estimation, and statistical analysis. Able to use data management and analysis software (Excel, R, Python) to support MRV tasks.
- Analytical + Problem-Solving Skills: Strong ability to interpret complex datasets and extract key insights for decision-making. Skilled at managing and verifying large field and remote sensing datasets, ensuring accuracy and consistency. Effective at resolving technical challenges and innovating solutions that uphold project standards and deadlines, while keeping broader program goals in focus.
- Leadership + Communication: Proven ability to lead and mentor technical and field teams, working collaboratively with program leadership. Must be able to effectively communicate complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences and produce well-written technical reports. Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and active listening skills are essential for aligning technical, operational, and community needs.
- Strategic Vision + Adaptability: Ability to align carbon projects with climate impact goals and program strategy. Integrate new science, MRV technologies, and co-benefit metrics into project design. Stay current on market trends and regulations, pursue ongoing learning, and lead adaptation to new requirements and innovations.
- Interpersonal Skills: Strong cross-cultural and interpersonal abilities, with a proven capacity to collaborate with diverse teams and build partnerships. Experience engaging respectfully with local communities and indigenous peoples is essential; able to effectively manage relationships with stakeholders such as government agencies, donors, and community leaders, and work well both independently and as part of a team.
- Organizational Skills: Strong project management and organizational abilities, including task prioritization, coordinating multiple activities, and maintaining data integrity. Must manage several projects or sites at once, keep timelines on track, and ensure thorough documentation for audits and verification. Effective time management and delegation are essential to balance field, office, and strategic tasks.
WORK CONDITIONS
- Work Environment: The position involves both office and field-based tasks. Fieldwork occurs in rural villages and agricultural areas, with varying weather conditions such as heat and humidity. Responsibilities may include interacting with community members and field staff, and walking across uneven terrain like hillsides, degraded land, or dense vegetation during landscape assessments and supervision. Office amenities include standard desk space, a computer, and internet access; field facilities may be basic.
- Work Schedule: The typical workweek is 40 hours with core hours based on the local office hours scheduled. Flexibility is required due to community work, including occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends for meetings or fieldwork. Adjustments are planned where possible to flex working schedules. While a standard schedule is aimed for, adaptability to project needs and agricultural cycles is essential.
- Physical Requirements: The role requires moderate fitness for frequent fieldwork, including walking long distances on rough terrain, standing for extended periods, demonstrating farming techniques, marking plots, and carrying equipment or materials weighing 10-20 kg. Must tolerate various climates. Office tasks require standard abilities such as computer work and attending meetings.
- Travel: Significant domestic travel to rural project sites, often requiring challenging logistics and occasional overnight field stays. May require infrequent international travel for meetings or workshops.
- Safety + Special Conditions: Adherence to all applicable safety protocols and alignment of activities with established environmental and social safeguards. Preference given to qualified candidates who possess valid (unsponsored) legal authorization to reside and work in Tanzania.
Compassionate Carbon Tanzania is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.
Disclaimer: This job description provides a general overview of the position's scope and essential duties. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the role, nor is it a contract of employment. Eden reserves the right to assign additional duties and to modify responsibilities as needed based on operational requirements, organizational priorities, or to accommodate an employee’s reasonable needs, in accordance with applicable law.
Safeguarding: Compassionate Carbon Tanzania holds strict safeguarding principles and does not tolerate behaviors that harm others, including sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, and other injustices. Employees are expected to abide by Compassionate Carbon’s Safeguarding and compliance policies. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection, and hiring criteria, subject to a thorough background, police clearance, and reference check process.
Compensation: Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Compassionate Carbon provides a competitive benefits package including annual leave, health insurance, and contributions to statutory funds.