Woodland Carbon Markets Advisor, Edinburgh

Scottish Forestry has an exciting opportunity to play a central role in the development of the woodland carbon market and wider green economy opportunities across the UK. This new post will bring added capacity and skills in an innovative and growing area of work for Scottish Forestry. It will lead the Woodland Carbon Code team’s promotional work, play a central role in the operational management of the Code and help build new initiatives to develop the carbon market and green investment more widely.

These are innovative and exciting times in the forestry sector. Trees and woodlands have an important role in tackling some of society’s most important and challenging issues. Scottish Forestry is working with the other forestry authorities across the UK to develop new market opportunities for forestry at a time when nature-based opportunities are being seen as an increasingly important in tackling Net Zero climate change targets and securing economic renewal and development. The COVID-19 crisis has added further impetus to this work.

The UK-wide Woodland Carbon Code is run by a small team in Scottish Forestry, liaising closely with Forestry Commission, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Forest Service. The domestic carbon market is still in a relatively early stage of development, with rapidly growing demand from both supply (landowner) and demand (corporate offsetting) interests. A significant programme of work is required to develop the necessary tools to support the further development of the market and wider green investment opportunities.

The key responsibilities for the role will include:

Promotion and marketing:

• lead the planning and delivery of tools and measures to promote the Woodland Carbon Code and to enhance accessibility to users and the carbon market
• lead the Woodland Carbon Code communications sub-group and work with the Westminster and devolved administrations to implement the Code’s marketing strategy
• build relationships with landowners, land agents and buyers to strengthen market awareness and understanding of the Woodland Carbon Code
• work with key players and initiatives in the UK carbon market to establish the role of the Code in new policy and market-related initiatives, in both carbon and wider green finance markets
• increase the Woodland Carbon Code’s profile through participation in conferences, webinars and social media
• manage communications updates and mailing lists

Operational management

• be responsible for project management of the team’s milestones, and manage its secretariat and governance processes
• advise landowners and land agents on the UK carbon market and the process for setting up projects under the Woodland Carbon Code
• liaise with the validators/ verifiers (Soil Association and Organic Farmers and Growers), dealing with enquiries on cases and interpretation of the standard
• act as one of the team’s ‘regulators’ for the registration, validation and verification process - dealing with accounts, projects, and the transfer and use of carbon units
• advise the growing number of businesses interested in reducing their emissions, connecting them with relevant landowners and project developers
• assist with GIS mapping of Woodland Carbon Code projects, making this information availably publicly and developing its use as a tool to for both promotion and monitoring projects

Development

• develop strategic partnerships and relationships in order to facilitate the development of the woodland carbon market and of wider green investment opportunities
• support the Team Leader in the further development of the Woodland Carbon Code; for example on
  • widening the scope of the standard
  • using new/novel monitoring techniques
  • building the Code into with other related initiatives
    

For more information and to apply, please visit our website:

www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk

hr@forestryandland.gov.scot

Please quote ref 76992.

Closing date: 23/11/2020, 23:55

No recruitment agencies please.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all sectors of our diverse community.