Head of Carbon and MRV

Company DescriptionVerdara is a forestry and climate platform developing high-integrity, large-scale carbon removal projects across Africa, with an initial focus on afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR). The company is building multiple programs across multiple sites in tropical forest landscapes. Programs are deliberately structured around contrasting asset types: sustainably managed mixed forest generating sawtimber, forest carbon and biochar, alongside native-species restoration sites with no commercial harvest, planted with indigenous species including IUCN-listed taxa. Projects are designed in accordance with Verra's VM0047 and VM0044 methodologies, with Article 6 and integrity-label pathways under development, and are supported by satellite-, aerial-, and ground-based MRV, biodiversity co-benefits, and community benefit-sharing structures. Verdara collaborates closely with governments, communities, carbon buyers, and climate finance partners and is in a high-growth stage of development.Role DescriptionThe Head of Carbon and MRV will own Verdara's carbon asset end-to-end: methodology selection, project design, registration pathway, and the MRV framework that determines the value of our credits. This is a full-time remote role with regular travel to Africa, reporting directly to the CEO.The role is accountable for PDD development under VM0047 and VM0044, including dynamic performance benchmarks, baseline and leakage quantification, long-term average carbon stocks, buffer determination, and uncertainty analysis. It includes methodology eligibility screening and the gap register that carries projects to a registrable state, design of an MRV system spanning satellite, aerial and ground-based measurement with the objective of tree-level traceability rather than plot-average estimation, and certification strategy across Verra, CCB, FSC and integrity labels including ABACUS, designed in from the outset rather than retrofitted.The Head of Carbon and MRV will scope, select and manage external technical consultants across feasibility, FPIC, PDD and validation, holding them to schedule and quality. The role is the technical interface with national carbon authorities on registry, Article 6 and authorization workstreams, and supports offtake negotiation, investor diligence and rating agency pre-assessment. Day-to-day responsibilities also include building and mentoring a small technical team, implementing quality-control processes, and clearly communicating carbon performance to both technical and non-technical audiences.This is a builder's role at an early-stage company, not stewardship of an existing portfolio. You will be the person accountable for whether these projects register.QualificationsMinimum ten years in forest carbon, with a substantial share on the development side rather than in review, analysis or ratings.Direct experience taking an African ARR project from design through validation to registration under Verra or an equivalent standard. Name the project and registry ID in your application.Working command of VM0047 mechanics, including the dynamic performance benchmark, the area-based versus census decision, the pre-project harvest eligibility rule and mandatory leakage deduction. Familiarity with the concepts is not sufficient.Strong MRV capability, including design and implementation of measurement protocols, sampling design, data management, and integration of satellite and field-based monitoring. Experience with LiDAR, drone or ground robotics measurement is an advantage.Demonstrated use of AI and machine learning in a technical carbon or forestry context, for example remote sensing classification, biomass estimation, change detection, or automation of analysis and documentation workflows. We expect this role to build with these tools, not around them.Background in forestry, climate science, environmental engineering or a related quantitative discipline, with the ability to apply technical methodologies in practical field settings.Proven ability to commission and manage external forestry, inventory and carbon consultancies, and to hold them to account on cost, schedule and technical quality.Direct operating experience in tropical forest environments in Africa, including field conditions, seasonal access constraints and community engagement contexts.Excellent analytical and written communication, including documentation that will withstand validation, verification and buyer due diligence.Judgement about integrity risk, and the confidence to say when a number will not survive scrutiny.Valuable but not essential: biochar or improved forest management alongside ARR; moist tropical forest ecology and native species silviculture; exposure to ABACUS, ICVCM Core Carbon Principles, CCB Gold or FSC certification.