With world attention on both the environment and the economy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is where policymakers and business leaders turn for win-win solutions. By focusing on strong science, uncommon partnerships and market-based approaches, we tackle urgent threats with practical solutions. We are one of the world’s largest environmental organizations, with more than two million members and a staff of approximately 700 scientists, economists, policy experts, and other professionals around the world. We operate in 22 geographies with unique projects running across four programs. You will be part of a vibrant workplace where innovation and results are a way of life.

EDF envisions a world in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected to the environmental challenges we face and are engaged in creating durable, equitable solutions. We seek talented candidates who share our Core Values of Respect, Results, Innovation, Optimism, and Integrity, and support our Commitment to Diversity.  

Project Manager, Climate-Smart Agriculture

Location: Boulder, CO, Raleigh, NC, Washington, DC, other US EDF office location or remote

EDF’s Climate-Smart Agriculture, Finance and Markets team within the People & Nature program addresses challenges and works with carbon market and agriculture finance stakeholders to advance financial incentives for farmers to adopt practices that reduce net greenhouse gas emissions and generate other benefits such as soil health and water quality improvement and downstream flood reduction. This initiative involves quantifying the environmental and financial impact of adopting climate-smart agricultural practices, designing financial products and market structures to support practice adoption, and advising policy development that supports equitable financial incentives for farmers.

The Project Manager will be a major contributor to EDF’s Climate-Smart Agriculture, Finance and Markets team. This includes identifying and overseeing research, analysis, and collaborative efforts critical to advancing EDF’s efforts to develop markets and other financial incentives that support farmers, ranchers and foresters adopt climate-smart practices at scale. The Project Manager will develop and manage projects with key partners including Universities, producer organizations, finance providers, and organizations active in the design and operation of voluntary carbon and other environmental markets. The Project Manager will take particular care in assessing opportunities to increase the ability of producers of color and other historically underserved producers to equitably access markets and other financial incentives, as well as the impacts markets and other financial incentives have on environmental justice communities. The Project Manager’s initial focus will be in the United States but will help grow the team’s international reach, with key regions including India, China, and the EU. The position requires strong analytical skills, a desire to collaborate with a variety of partners inside and outside of EDF, strategic thinking, and public communication to various audiences. This position reports to the Senior Manager, Climate-Smart Agriculture.

This role can be based remotely or out of a US EDF office location, including Boulder, CO, Raleigh, NC, New York, NY, Washington, DC, Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage projects with partners and consultants aimed at identifying and promoting various carbon markets and other financial incentives that support farmers, ranchers, and foresters in adopting climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Summarize technical research and manage projects analyzing the financial impacts and environmental outcomes of priority climate-smart practices to identify appropriate incentive, measurements, reporting and verification (MRV) structures for those practices.
• Conduct analyses of climate-smart agriculture incentive and market structures, including greenhouse gas mitigation MRV methodologies, with a focus on ensuring high-integrity outcomes and opportunities for equitable access and/or unintended consequences for environmental justice communities.
• Grow the initiative’s work beyond the U.S. by supporting and participating in international working groups, projects, and partnerships.
• Apply strong written and oral communication skills to persuade, influence, or lead others, including public speaking and formal presentations to internal and external audiences.
• Development work plans, identify necessary resources, schedule, assign, lead and review work, proactively identify opportunities for efficiencies and potential challenges and coordinate with contractors and other EDF sub-teams as needed.
• Develop and apply appropriate means for tracking and measuring the success of projects.
• Participate in advancing EDF diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Additional relevant responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least two – three years of related experience, or Master’s degree and at least one – two years of related experience, including project management (e.g., economics, business, finance, agriculture or environmental management).
• Strong interest in and preferably working knowledge of status and trends in U.S. agriculture, voluntary and regulatory carbon markets, and financial incentives for the adoption of conservation-oriented agricultural management practices.
• Advanced independent research skills and experience performing rigorous, complex analyses in support of highly visible work.
• Demonstrated capacity to learn quickly, adapt, grow, and perform consistently as a self-starter who is detail oriented, well-organized, and able to plan and execute projects from conception to completion.
• Excellent communication skills, including both written and verbal, in person and online.
• Creative and innovative thinking, and willingness to challenge the status quo, propose new ideas, and identify opportunities.
• Proven ability to work both independently and as a member of small, matrixed teams in a predominately remote, fast-paced, dynamic, and creative environment with diverse populations.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds, including scientists, economists, industry, regulators, community groups and public policy decision makers.
• Robust computer proficiency, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and internet research, familiarity with project management programs a plus (i.e., Podio, Asana, Smartsheets, etc.).
• Experience in international collaborations and partnerships a plus.
• Willingness and ability to engage in travel up to 10% of time, though likely not right away.