Director of Operations - Eldoret

About the company

Earthtree is a Kenyan company that develops agroforestry projects – rapidly scaling up climate action with real and measurable social and environmental benefits. In Kenya, Earthtree grows new forests in a highly data driven

manner, supporting regenerative horticulture and agriculture projects that can restore ecosystems that bring back biodiversity and support farmers with new sources of revenue. We support communities to help their land regeneration goals and engage with farmers, and landholders to help them achieve their land productivity goals.

Who and what are we looking for? 

We’re looking for an experienced Director of Operations to lead our work in Kenya. You will be reporting to the Global Director of Operation and to the CEO and co-founder of the company. You must possess excellent people skills and be inspired by the idea of working in a small, ambitious team, in a fast-paced environment. The job involves developing strategies from a ‘square one’ basis and liaising with a wide variety of stakeholders, including local authorities, local communities and NGOs. The ideal candidate will either have a civil engineering background with experience in large-scale infrastructure development projects or extensive experience in large-scale community-based project development, revegetation, agroforestry, or forest project management. Additionally, a strong background in organisational management and virtual team leadership is required.

Experience with one of the following project management or program management software tools is required or there must be a commitment to learn one of these software packages: MS Project, JIRA, Confluence, Trello, HIVE, ClickUp. The role will also oversee risk management, quality assurance and safety of the project by hiring required personnel and overseeing the development and implementation of new processes, digital workflows, safety, training and capacity building in partnership with the Director of Organisational Development & Management who is based in Sydney.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• This role will oversee project management, including project scoping, operational processes, procedures, and reporting. Manage team expectations and training, using recognised and proven methodologies for work management. Develop these processes in consultation with the incoming Director of Organisational Development and Management; and the Executive leadership team, in regards to establishing optimal workflows, communication and reporting channels, options analysis, budget impact assessment, and executive decision making on a weekly and monthly basis, whilst enhancing the meeting process for all stakeholders.
• Build workflows, develop expertise, lead and monitor the team so that they can take action on the ground.
• Create templates for the field team to input information and facilitate decision-making at the management level.
• Evaluate risk, including climate risk and impact on project operations. Utilise best practice approaches to assess and mitigate risks and include in project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation workflows.
• Work with on ground teams and MRV team to integrate key lessons and data to adaptively manage operations, adjust project management and improve workflows.
• Manage and oversee program activities, ensuring that they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.
• Plan and direct the workflow, and guide the local teams so they can complete required tasks on time while respecting the quality standards.
• Develop, assess, and monitor annual horticulture and plant production plans and budgets.
• Provide leadership and direction to operation teams, ensuring effective communication and collaboration as well as efficient use of resources and compliance with regulatory requirements and international standards.
• Develop effective and standardised communication channels and processes to allow the flow of information to smoothly go from the field to management and vice versa.
• Provide timely and accurate reports to the Senior Management team and key stakeholders.
• Monitor project progress and identify areas for improvement, making recommendations for adjustments as needed.
• Implement and maintain an up-to-date database of trees planted and their locations, together with a calendar of future projections.
• Oversee staffing processes including hiring, onboarding, and payroll. Ensure effective staff performance review systems.
• Working with Operation Team members on systems that ensure the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) of tree planting and restoration project operations.
• Onboard yourself into Earthtree Workplace, JIRA, Confluence and Earthbanc MRV App - and check the posts each day and reply conscientiously with Earthtree colleagues to ensure you keep moving priorities and project deliverables forward.

Requirements:

• Diploma, Bachelor or Masters Degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Land Management and Conservation, Environmental Management, Natural Resources Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering or related practical field.
• A minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in large infrastructure projects / carbon project development and management. knowledge of the design and implementation of internationally recognised carbon certification processes (including VCS, Gold Standard and other standards) is a plus.
• Practical experience in building templates, developing workflows, and creating systems from scratch.
• Experience with one of the following project management or program management software tools is required or there must be a commitment to learn one of these software packages: MS Project, JIRA, Confluence, Trello, HIVE, ClickUp.
• Expert in Excel / Google Sheets.
• Prior management/supervisor skills, including developing and mentoring a team of highly skilled horticulture and/or forest specialists.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, as well as independently, with colleagues based in different locations and time zones around the globe.
• Excellent project and time management skills that utilise digital management tools.
• Proven ability to delegate while managing organisational oversight and performance.
• Strong people management skills.
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Strong prioritisation, staging, and sequencing skills.
• Result-oriented work approach with the ability to work quickly from concept creation to the implementation of project programs.
• Demonstrated experience in, and commitment to, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, and an ability to represent these values and practices to staff, stakeholders, and the public.

Desirable:

• Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders, carbon registries, governments and NGOs.
• Understanding and knowledge of Afforestation, Reforestation and Agroforestry projects.
• Knowledge of analytical techniques relevant to carbon projects including experience of applying calculation methodologies and estimating carbon offsets generated by nature-based carbon projects, and associated understanding of evaluating, monitoring, and measuring the impact for carbon, biodiversity and community benefits.
• Experience of working internationally in varied cultures and countries.
• Knowledge of measuring and demonstrating the impact of carbon projects in line with external benchmarking such as SDGs, SBTi, NBS.
• Experience of communicating to a diverse range of audiences.
• Experience designing and presenting strategies, plans, processes, metrics, and information in a clear and comprehensible manner.
• Ability to remain calm and focused in stressful or complex situations.
• Good knowledge of data analysis and key performance indicators.
• Experience working with virtual teams in fast growing companies.

Working at Earthtree

• This role is full-time with flexible hours.
• Join a fast growing business with a great opportunity to quickly grow your career.
• Join the office in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya and help us positively impact climate, biodiversity and communities in Kenya and globally.
• We support some remote work but are moving to approximately 50% office based work to encourage in- person collaboration and teamwork.
• We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran, disability, or on any other grounds. We ensure every applicant gets an equal chance of success.

Other benefits

• Learning and development: We are on a constant learning journey and you will receive an annual learning and development budget to help you with this.
• Paid time off
• Hybrid work policy.
• Relocation package available from anywhere globally.