Lead, Voluntary Market Governance

Lead, Voluntary Market Governance

South Pole

Multiple Locations

Role Summary

The Lead for Voluntary Markets Governance sits at the intersection of technical expertise, market intelligence, and commercial support. The Lead is a key subject matter expert on voluntary markets governance, contributing to South Pole's offering across business development, product development, and informing our certificates’ origination and sales strategies. This role drives value by developing deep knowledge of voluntary carbon market (VCM) governance frameworks - as a priority that includes SBTi, ISO, VCMI and CRCF, but also more broadly national claims regulations, insetting and other governance frameworks that shape voluntary market dynamics. The Lead supports the translation of their policy insights into internal knowledge tools, market analytics, and commercial certificates strategy, directly supporting South Pole's position as a leading specialist voice in carbon markets. The Lead owns VCM intelligence and translates it into the go-to-market strategy for the Sourcing, Marketing, Communications, and Sales teams to enable revenue generation and market activation.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Expertise & Market Intelligence

• Maintain strong, up-to-date technical knowledge of voluntary markets governance and policy frameworks, eligibility criteria and review processes;
• Track policy developments and governance developments, assessing associated market risks and opportunities and communicating findings to relevant internal teams;
• Support with market analytics and intelligence gathering related to voluntary markets;
• Contribute to knowledge-sharing activities across the certificates business line, helping colleagues understand voluntary markets and their implications.

Business Development

• Analyse the implications of VCM governance developments for South Pole certificates origination and sales strategy;
• Provide technical input on RFPs, deal structuring, and client proposals, ensuring alignment between customer needs, policy requirements, and South Pole's portfolio;
• Help identify new business opportunities and market segments in close coordination with the Sales, Portfolio, MarComms and Structuring teams;
• Contribute to go-to-market activities for South Pole's voluntary markets offering.

Communications and marketing

• Lead the development and maintenance of voluntary markets-related trackers or technical intelligence solutions;
• Coordinate with different South Pole teams to ensure coherent, common external advocacy messaging across the company;
• Support the development of South Pole's thought leadership materials, marketing content, and product positioning on voluntary markets and product offering, in coordination with MarComms.

Advocacy

• Maintain a strong network of key market shapers across VCM industry and governance bodies;
• Represent South Pole in relevant industry associations and task forces active in areas relating to voluntary markets or removals;
• Translate technical insights into voluntary market governance developments and the ensuing commercial impact into key external advocacy messages for the company and inform ongoing governance developments across industry bodies with South Pole insights through public consultations, engagement with industry and governance bodies, industry events and compelling communication pieces.

Essential profile requirements

• University degree in political science, environmental economics or other relevant field;
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in carbon markets or related field;
• Good understanding of the voluntary carbon markets landscape and the governance systems that shape VCM market dynamics: SBTi, ISO, CRCF, GHG protocol, VCMI and so forth;
• Strong network across voluntary market governance bodies and regulators, with experience in representational roles in these bodies;
• Experience with policy and market research;
• Experience with commercial strategy support and business development, tendering and client engagement;
• Proficiency in data analysis/models and market analytics;
• Ability to interpret complex policy and technical developments accurately into appealing messages for external audiences, and convey complex data to diverse audiences;
• Working proficiency in English.

Desirable profile requirements

• Mastery of French or Spanish;
• Technical understanding of Carbon Dioxide Removals, in particular biochar.