Vice President - Transactions

Emergent; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Emergent is looking for a Vice President, Transactions to lead the structuring and execution of carbon credit transactions. This role involves coordinating between buyers and forest countries, developing contracts, and managing risks in the carbon credits portfolio.

The ideal candidate should have at least 6 years of experience, including sizable transactions in the voluntary carbon markets. A Bachelor’s degree is required, with a law degree or CPA favored. Passion for climate conservation is essential.

Qualifications

• At least 6 years of professional experience in a transaction-based environment.
• At least 3 years’ experience preparing and executing carbon credit transactions.
• Experience working with lawyers and preparing complex multi-party contracts.

Responsibilities

• Structure carbon transactions including forward purchases and options.
• Serve as the market making lead between Demand and Supply teams.
• Manage risk for carbon credits portfolio.

Skills

Carbon credit transactions

Transaction structuring

Interpersonal skills

Negotiation skills

Understanding carbon markets

Education

Bachelor's degree

Law degree or CPA

Job description

Location: Barcelona, London, New York, or Washington D.C. preferred;

Emergent is a non‑profit organization with the sole mission of accelerating the speed and scale of tropical forest conservation to combat the climate crisis. With an international team of world‑class climate experts and a board with deep private and public sector experience, Emergent is supported by a coalition including the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Norwegian government’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI). Emergent serves as the platform to facilitate transactions and as the administrative coordinator of the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition, which uses the independent and rigorous ART‑TREES standard to verify emissions reductions from deforestation. LEAF is an initiative with initial participation from the governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and leading companies including Amazon, Airbnb, Bayer, Boston Consulting Group, GSK, McKinsey, Nestlé, Salesforce, and Unilever. Participants in the Coalition will support high‑quality emissions reductions from tropical and subtropical forest countries, enabling efforts to reduce and end deforestation.

Job Description

With credits expected to become available in 2022 and initial transaction volumes in the tens of millions of tons (tCO2e) building to hundreds of millions of tons within a few years, Emergent expects to receive substantial flows of private sector funds underwritten by sovereign guarantees. Reporting to the Chief Portfolio Officer, the Vice President, Transactions role is critical to helping Emergent achieve its mission. The role holder will be charged with the successful design and execution of complex financial transactions, bringing together large private sector buyers and forest countries for the sale of carbon credits. The Vice President, Transactions will have the opportunity to help refine and execute on a new contractual framework underpinning a vital global market in carbon credits.

Responsibilities

• Structure carbon transactions, including forward purchases, pre‑pay, and call options
• Serve as the market making lead by coordinating between internal Demand and Supply teams
• Develop and finalize transaction contracts, including ERPAs
• Execute transactions once ERPAs are signed, including delivery of credits and receipt of funds
• Manage risk to carbon credits portfolio
• Perform diligence function including credit checks and KYC onboarding
• Develop and execute Emergent’s strategy for use of the floor price guarantee
• Run book building process for placement of credits
• Continuous improvement of Emergent’s flow of funds arrangements
• Portfolio management including ability to understand and manipulate financial and portfolio models
• Serve as a point of contact on structuring for sovereign governments and Fortune 100 companies

Qualifications

Required experience and qualifications

• At least 6 years of professional experience in a transaction‑based environment.
• At least 3 years’ experience preparing and executing carbon credit transactions, ideally in the voluntary carbon markets.
• Bachelor’s degree required; law degree or CPA, or equivalent preferred.
• Experience working with lawyers and preparing, negotiating and executing complex multi‑party contracts.
• Familiarity with the international climate policy framework, including UNFCCC, REDD+, Paris Agreement, etc.

Essential attributes:

• Passion for the mission of Emergent
• Ability to deliver consistently high levels of accuracy, efficiency and follow‑through
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and communication skills
• Willingness and ability to work within a small team start‑up environment
• Ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial and often virtual team environment
• Adept at making assessments quickly and identifying the best course of action.
• Ability to operate remotely. Emergent is a largely virtual team, although we aim to build the team out in 2‑3 hubs as the COVID‑19 pandemic passes

Applicants must have work authorization in the US or EU.

Additional Information

Emergent provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, local or other applicable laws.