Job Title: Chief Operations Officer / Chief Financial Officer
Start Date: Immediately
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Reporting to: CEO
Background
The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the associated VCS Program were launched in November 2007 and are now well stablished among the leading global greenhouse gas (GHG) standards and programs in the voluntary carbon market. Our primary objective is to bring standardization, transparency and credibility to the voluntary carbon market. Increasingly, we are generating lessons and providing inputs for compliance regimes emerging worldwide.
The VCS is managed by the VCS Association (VCSA), which has grown significantly in the last few years. The VCSA now has employees working in Washington, DC, Santiago (Chile), Bangkok (Thailand) and Beijing (China). With continued growth, that number is likely to continue to increase, as is the organizational complexity that accompanies it. The VCSA is therefore seeking a Chief Operations Officer / Chief Financial Officer (COO / CFO) to help manage the organization.
Job Description
The COO/CFO will be responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the VCSA, to include financial, administrative and all
other organizational matters. Principal tasks and responsibilities will include, at a minimum, the following:
- Supervise all fiduciary matters relating to the VCSA, including overseeing payments, managing accountants, ensuring timely audits, forecasting revenues, helping to develop and manage programmatic budgets, and managing surplus and/or deficit situations.
- Manage all human resource functions, including hiring, employee agreements, benefits, and the annual performance
review process.
- Supervise all aspects of office management activities, to include ensuring proper office space and supervision of Office
Manager.
- Oversee all contracts, ensuring the use of standard templates, and the effective delivery of services.
- Manage the VCSA’s IT platform, including overseeing service and software providers and managing its ongoing development.
- Manage the VCSA’s legal support, which comes from multiple law firms.
- Oversee the financial, administrative, and legal aspects of establishing new offices.
- Manage all elements related to the VCSA’s US and Swiss entities.
- Help lead the VCSA’s planning (eg, conducting an annual SWOT analysis followed by allocation of resources to priority
activities).
- Supervise the activities related to the VCSA becoming an ARB-approved Offset Project Registry.
- Assist with other parts of the organization as needed.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Experience
- Demonstrated experience in and strong grasp of both financial and operational management, planning and contract management across multiple offices and in multiple jurisdictions.
- Demonstrated supervisory and management ability.
- Solid grasp of non-profit and/or corporate governance best practice in an international setting.
- A minimum of fifteen (15) years of relevant professional work experience.
- Work experience in an NGO or private sector company operating internationally would be an asset.
- Fluency in English required; another UN language would be an asset.
Required Traits
- Ability to multi-task and balance urgent tasks with tasks linked to long-term activities and priorities.
- Ability to work independently and on own initiative.
- Professional approach and demeanor.
- Superior organizational, communication, interpersonal and team skills.
- Excellent writing and oral communication skills.
Terms and Conditions
A competitive salary is available and other terms and conditions will be discussed during the
application process. Applicants must be eligible to work in the US.
In order to streamline the application process, applicants are invited to submit the following documents:
- Cover letter (not to exceed one page).
- Resume/CV (not to exceed two pages).
All documents must be submitted to employment@v-c-s.org by COB 15 February 2013.
