Technical Lead, Sustainability Services (Regenerative Agriculture and Climate)

Location: Remote, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin will be considered. Working hours are EST/CT.

Location: Remote, USA

This role will be fully remote, however, only employees residing in: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin will be considered. Working hours are EST/CT.

Position summary:   

The Technical Lead will work collaboratively with clients in the food, land and agriculture (FLAG) sector to identify decarbonization opportunities, ensure adherence to GHG calculation methodologies and relevant standards, and provide technical advisory to clients on a broad range of GHG mitigation and agricultural topics.  The individual in this role will closely track the status and direction of key standards like the GHG Protocol and SBTi Corporate Net Zero Standard to support Winrock’s engagement with these standards and to advise clients.  You will work with some of the most influential private sector, philanthropic and governmental actors in the world. Past and current Winrock clients include Nestle, McCormick, and the Kinetic Coalition.  

Specifically, Winrock is seeking a detail-oriented, inquisitive, dynamic, technical expert with deep knowledge of climate mitigation strategies in the agricultural sector. This expert must also have deep technical knowledge of climate standards such as the GHG Protocol Corporate Suite of Standards and SBTi. Knowledge of commodity-specific guidance and best practice guidance in agricultural value chains, such as those authored by the Value Change Initiative, is a plus.  

Demonstrated experience in client relations is important. The ability to communicate the intricacies of climate mitigation and steps to alignment with sustainability standards related to agriculture to clients and other audiences who are not experts is important for this position.  

In some instances, the Technical Lead may manage two or more junior staff on projects, so demonstrated people management experience is important. 

Position role:  

The Technical Lead supports the Director, Sustainability Services to help clients within the FLAG sector achieve their climate mitigation strategies with a focus on decarbonization of a companies’ value chain emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3). Position responsibilities  include:   

• Leading or supporting interactions with clients, primarily in presenting updates or deliverables and conducting research to confidently answer client questions.   

• Tracking and managing a pipeline of technical advisory requests and or pipeline of climate or nature projects needing review and validation from clients on carbon accounting, decarbonization strategies, and how to comply with climate standards. 
• Lead project validation and communications with clients to scope the quality of climate projects and address relevant technical aspects and their methodologies in accordance with third-party and corporate-specific policies, standards and best practice guidance.
• Manage the analysis of climate projects at the intersection of agriculture, forestry, and greenhouse gas emissions, at the farm and corporate level, ensuring timely production of high-quality deliverables
• Prepare technical analysis reports, presentations, and other communication materials related to carbon accounting and project risk analysis, translating technical topics into terms that are meaningful to more diverse audiences.

•  Preparing client-facing PowerPoint presentations, reports, memoranda, and other communication materials.  

• Completing tasks in fast-paced and self-motivated environment in a timely and efficient manner.  

• Conducting desk research on corporate climate mitigation leadership standards

• Supporting new business outreach efforts, including leading and/or supporting proposal development and workplans.

• Perform calculations using greenhouse gas and activity data. Support critical thinking and innovative approaches, new analyses, and new analytical methods. 

• Working with small teams to prepare high-quality products, pitching in wherever necessary, and providing guidance and leadership.  
• Ideation of new and/or innovative sustainability project ideas to pitch to current or potential clients and other donors.
• Provide training to counterparts/stakeholders in the use of methods and internationally accepted best practices.
• Provide effective supervision including setting performance expectations, conducting regular performance evaluations, and providing ongoing feedback and coaching.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Education:  

• Bachelor’s degree required, Masters in relevant field preferred   

Experience:  

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience  
• Experience managing technical aspects of greenhouse gas accounting in the agriculture field
• Field or research experience with soil organic carbon (SOC) and land use change models, greenhouse gas profiles, and mitigation strategies of agricultural commodities

• Fast learning, curious, and passionate for uncovering and creating solutions to climate and sustainability problems.   
• Industry/sector understanding of the GHG profiles and potential mitigation strategies for several of the following FLAG commodities (listed in order of Winrock’s need for expertise for this position):  
• Cereals & Grains; Cocoa; Coffee; Vegetable Fats & Oils; Beef; Poultry and Eggs; Animal By-Products; Soybeans; Pulp and Paper; Vegetables; Spices; Coconut; Hazelnuts.

• Strong customer/client service orientation 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required, including effective public speaking and the ability to communicate complex issues both verbally and in written form  

• Team player capable of adapting to ambiguous environments with cross-group collaboration and problem-solving abilities.  

• Working understanding or experience with preparing submissions or reporting against key climate corporate leadership standards (e.g. GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and/or Project Standard, Science-Based Targets Initiative’s standards, the AIM Platform, and the Value Change Initiative, Taskforce for Corporate Action Transparency (TCAT) guidance documents).   

• Experience with developing or evaluating Life-cycle assessments (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)  

• Understanding of corporate supply chain management or procurement

• Experience using data analysis software, Excel (basic to intermediate skill in storing, presenting, processing, and analyzing data) 

Language: Fluent in English, fluency in another language is a plus as we engage clients globally.   

Travel: Ability to travel internationally and domestically required  

Physical Demands:   

• Typical office environment with continual sitting or standing required.  

• Must be authorized to work within the United States.  

Winrock is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability or any other basis protected by law. 
At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation.