Position Available: Program Director, EPAF

Peter Weisberg, The Climate Trust
February 9, 2018

Title: Program Director, Environmental Price Assurance Facility (pdf)
Reports to: Chief Operating Officer
Application Deadline: Until filled
Location: Preference for Portland, Oregon. Remote work a possibility
1.0 FTE

Who We Are

The Climate Trust, a non-profit based in Portland, OR, is a national leader in the financing and development of high-quality greenhouse gas offset projects. We are a highly collaborative, congenial, and entrepreneurial organization working on innovative climate change solutions.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking an ambitious and organized individual with a passion for climate finance and carbon markets that is fluent with contract structuring and management, philanthropic fundraising, and project finance and project development to launch and manage a new Environmental Price Assurance Facility (EPAF). This is an exciting opportunity for the right person to grow a new initiative into a successful program and demonstrate a new model for how public capital can be used to leverage private finance to benefit conservation.

About the Environmental Price Assurance Facility

In August of 2017, The Climate Trust launched the Environmental Price Assurance Facility with the support of a $900,000, three-year Conservation Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a $900,000 commitment from The Climate Trust to act as a buyer of last resort for offsets acquired by the EPAF. The EPAF brings the World Bank’s successful Pilot Auction Facility model for international offsets to benefit conservation in the U.S. The significant risks associated with the future value for environmental credits diminish the ability of environmental markets to mobilize much needed investment capital for conservation. The EPAF will auction long-term, minimum price guarantees to project developers, landowners, and green investors working on projects with the potential to generate environmental credits—starting with carbon offsets and then potentially growing Low Carbon Fuel Standard Credits and other environmental credits. This position will design, manage, and grow the EPAF.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage the design, execution and growth of the EPAF, a new program for The Climate Trust
• Oversee the development of the infrastructure for the EPAF’s auctions, including but not limited to template put option contracts, the auction platform, and the auction parameters
• Market the opportunity to participate in the EPAF auctions to landowners, project developers and project investors
• Manage long-term put option contracts
• Fundraise for new public capital interested in leveraging private finance to meet long-term environmental goals. Promote the use of price guarantees using philanthropic or government capital as a method to leverage the use of private finance to meet long-term climate goals

Qualifications

Required

• At least seven years of professional experience managing and growing a new program or initiative related to conservation, environmental markets and/or project finance
• Demonstrated experience in contract structuring and management, in particular around investment, purchase and/or option contracts
• Experience and comfort in philanthropic fundraising and policy engagement and advocacy
• Comfort with project development and project finance in the energy and conservation spaces
• Passion for impact investing, conservation finance, environmental markets and/or new pay-for-performance mechanisms to benefit conservation and mitigate climate change

Preferred

• A strong professional network in climate and conservation finance sectors
• Experience structuring and running auctions
• Carbon market expertise and a working knowledge of the existing markets, protocols, and purchase structures

Compensation

Compensation under the three-year grant will be in the $90,000 to $110,000 per annum range, commensurate with experience. The Climate Trust offers a very strong benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, five weeks paid time off in the first year, flexible work hours, a 401(k) match, and a bus/bike commute incentive program.

How to Apply

Please email a resume and cover letter to jobs@climatetrust.org. Please include the position title in the subject line.

No phone calls please. Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted. The Climate Trust is an equal opportunity employer.

Image credit: Flickr/Eric Prado