InPlanet, a ClimateTech startup with a bold mission to combat climate change, is on the hunt for a Head of Carbon. This role is a pivotal position within the company, tasked with leading its growing carbon credit operations and driving large-scale carbon removal efforts through Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW).
What makes this role particularly intriguing is the intersection of scientific understanding and operational excellence it demands. The Head of Carbon will be at the forefront of InPlanet's efforts to not only remove gigatons of CO₂ from the atmosphere but also to regenerate tropical soils and boost agricultural productivity. This is a role that requires a unique blend of technical prowess and leadership skills, making it an exciting opportunity for the right candidate.
A Mission-Driven Startup
InPlanet, headquartered between Germany and Brazil, is a mission-driven ClimateTech startup with hubs in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, New York, and London. Their core mission is to remove gigatons of CO₂, regenerate tropical soils, improve agricultural productivity, and support climate resilience in food systems. This is a challenging and ambitious goal, and the Head of Carbon will play a crucial role in making it a reality.
The Role: Head of Carbon
The Head of Carbon will be a key member of InPlanet's leadership team, reporting to the VP of Science and Research. This role is designed for a senior professional who can seamlessly blend scientific understanding with strong execution, process management, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in carbon systems, environmental science, or related fields, along with a proven track record of leading and managing high-performing teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Project and Process Management: Overseeing end-to-end carbon credit project timelines, ensuring timely delivery of milestones, and building scalable project management systems. Coordination with registry partners and tracking bottlenecks are also key aspects of this role.
- Team Leadership and Management: Directly managing the Principal Carbon Scientist and GHG Accounting Lead, defining team objectives, and scaling the carbon team in line with organizational growth. This includes recruitment, onboarding, and development of new team members.
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Acting as the main coordination point between carbon, business development, and operations teams, ensuring alignment of deliverables, and representing the carbon function in leadership discussions.
- Strategy and Reporting: Supporting overall carbon strategy, overseeing carbon credit forecasting and issuance reporting, and contributing to organizational planning and resource allocation.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate for this role is a technically strong and operationally excellent leader with a background in carbon systems, environmental science, or related fields. They should possess both scientific literacy and strong organizational leadership capabilities. A Master's degree in a relevant field is required, and a PhD is advantageous but not mandatory.
Core Competencies
- Structure-Building: Ability to build structure in complex and evolving systems.
- Ambiguity Comfort: Comfort working in ambiguous and scaling environments.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- Proactive Communication: Proactive and solution-oriented communication style.
- Scientific-Operational Balance: Ability to balance scientific depth with operational execution.
Preferred Experience
- Carbon Markets Expertise: Experience in carbon markets or carbon credit systems.
- Carbon Registries: Familiarity with carbon registries and issuance frameworks.
- Climate Science Background: Background in climate science or environmental consulting.
- Team Scaling: Experience scaling teams or organizations during growth phases.
- Portuguese Language Skills: Portuguese language skills or experience working in Brazil.
Company Culture and Values
InPlanet operates with a values-driven culture centered around three core principles: Trust, Drive, and Impact. The company combines performance excellence with a people-first culture, reflecting both ambition and empathy in its mission to address climate change. This culture is reflected in the benefits and working model, which include a fully remote work model, equity participation, home office and personal development budgets, language learning support, and a generous leave policy.
Application Process
The hiring process for this role spans approximately 6-8 weeks and includes initial screening, interviews with the hiring manager, optional additional interviews, a practical challenge with team members, reference checks, and psychometric assessments. Candidates are expected to submit a CV in English.
Conclusion
The Head of Carbon role at InPlanet is a unique and exciting opportunity for a senior leader to make a significant impact in the field of climate science and carbon markets. It requires a blend of technical expertise, leadership skills, and a passion for driving large-scale carbon removal efforts. If you're ready to take on this challenge and contribute to a mission-driven startup, InPlanet might be the perfect place for you.
