Lead, Voluntary Market Governance at South Pole

The Sustainability Grid; India; Hybrid; INR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

South Pole, a global climate solutions company, is hiring a Lead, Voluntary Market Governance to provide specialist expertise on governance frameworks shaping the voluntary carbon market.

The role sits at the intersection of policy, technical analysis, market intelligence and commercial strategy, translating developments into actionable strategies for origination, portfolio positioning and market activation.

Qualifications

• University degree in political science, environmental economics or another relevant discipline.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in carbon markets or a closely related field.
• Strong understanding of the voluntary carbon market landscape and governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Maintain up-to-date technical knowledge of voluntary carbon market governance, policy frameworks, eligibility requirements and review processes.
• Monitor developments across VCM governance and policy, identifying emerging market risks and opportunities and communicating their implications to relevant internal teams.
• Support market analytics and intelligence gathering relating to voluntary carbon markets.
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing across South Pole's certificates business, helping colleagues understand governance developments and their implications for the market.
• Analyse how changes in VCM governance could affect certificate origination and sales strategies.
• Provide technical expertise for RFPs, client proposals and deal structuring, ensuring compliance with policy requirements.
• Collaborate with Sales, Portfolio, Marketing and Communications and Structuring teams to identify new market opportunities.
• Support go-to-market strategies for South Pole's voluntary markets offering.

Skills

Public policy analysis

Stakeholder communication

English proficiency

Policy monitoring

French or Spanish (desirable)

Carbon markets knowledge

RFPs & tendering

Market intelligence

Education

University degree in political science or environmental economics

Job description

Lead, Voluntary Market Governance at South Pole

South Pole is a global climate solutions company working across carbon markets, climate finance, sustainability and decarbonisation. The company supports organisations in navigating the transition to a low-carbon economy through climate projects, carbon markets and related environmental solutions.

By The Sustainability Grid Desk

Location New Delhi, India; Berlin, Germany; London, UK; Milan, Italy; Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Cape Town, South Africa

Type Hybrid / Flexible

Salary Not specified

Experience Senior / Lead

Deadline Not specified

About South Pole

The Opportunity

South Pole is hiring a Lead, Voluntary Market Governance to provide specialist expertise on the governance frameworks shaping the voluntary carbon market (VCM).

The role sits at the intersection of carbon-market policy, technical analysis, market intelligence and commercial strategy. The successful candidate will help South Pole understand emerging governance requirements and translate those developments into actionable strategies for certificate origination, portfolio positioning, sales and market activation.

Priority areas include the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), ISO standards, Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) and the GHG Protocol, alongside national claims regulations, insetting and broader voluntary-market governance developments.

This is a senior strategic role for an experienced carbon-market professional who can turn complex policy developments into commercially relevant insights.

What You'll Do

Maintain up-to-date technical knowledge of voluntary carbon market governance, policy frameworks, eligibility requirements and review processes.

Monitor developments across VCM governance and policy, identifying emerging market risks and opportunities and communicating their implications to relevant internal teams.

Support market analytics and intelligence gathering relating to voluntary carbon markets.

Contribute to knowledge-sharing across South Pole's certificates business, helping colleagues understand governance developments and their implications for the market.

Business Development

Analyse how changes in VCM governance could affect South Pole's certificate origination and sales strategies.

Provide technical expertise for RFPs, client proposals and deal structuring, ensuring customer requirements are aligned with applicable policy requirements and South Pole's portfolio.

Work with Sales, Portfolio, Marketing and Communications and Structuring teams to identify emerging business opportunities and new market segments.

Support go-to-market strategies for South Pole's voluntary markets offering.

Communications & Marketing

Lead the development and maintenance of VCM trackers and technical intelligence tools.

Coordinate with internal teams to develop consistent external advocacy and market messaging.

Support thought leadership, marketing content and product positioning related to voluntary markets and South Pole's certificate offering.

Translate complex governance developments into clear and compelling messages for clients, industry stakeholders and broader audiences.

Advocacy & Industry Engagement

Maintain a strong network across voluntary carbon market organisations, governance bodies, regulators and other market shapers.

Represent South Pole in relevant industry associations and task forces focused on voluntary markets and carbon dioxide removals.

Contribute South Pole's expertise to public consultations, industry discussions, governance processes and industry events.

Help shape external advocacy by translating technical developments and their commercial implications into clear positions and messages.

Requirements

Core Qualifications

A university degree in political science, environmental economics or another relevant discipline.

At least 5 years of professional experience in carbon markets or a closely related field.

Strong understanding of the voluntary carbon market landscape and the governance frameworks influencing market dynamics.

Technical Expertise

Knowledge of major VCM governance initiatives and frameworks, including:

• SBTi
• ISO
• VCMI
• CRCF
• GHG Protocol
• National carbon-market and environmental claims regulations
• Insetting and related market mechanisms

Experience with policy research, market research, data analysis, modelling and market intelligence.

Commercial & Professional Strengths

Experience supporting commercial strategy and business development.

Experience with tendering, RFPs and client engagement.

Ability to assess complex policy and technical developments and translate them into commercially relevant insights.

Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex technical information to diverse audiences.

Working proficiency in English.

Network & Advocacy

Established relationships across voluntary carbon market governance organisations, regulators and industry bodies.

Experience representing an organisation in industry associations, task forces, consultations or similar external forums.

Desirable Qualifications

Mastery of French or Spanish would be an advantage.

Technical knowledge of Carbon Dioxide Removals (CDR), particularly biochar, is also desirable.

South Pole has not specified a detailed benefits package for this vacancy. Benefits and employment conditions may vary depending on the successful candidate's location.

Why This Role Matters

Voluntary carbon markets are evolving rapidly as governments, companies and market bodies introduce stronger standards around carbon-credit quality, climate claims, removals and corporate climate action.

That makes governance expertise increasingly important.

The successful candidate will help South Pole anticipate these changes rather than simply respond to them, connecting VCM policy, market intelligence and commercial strategy to help shape the company's certificate portfolio and market positioning.

For professionals working at the intersection of carbon markets, climate policy, ESG and sustainable finance, this represents an opportunity to influence how the voluntary carbon market develops across multiple international markets.