Senior Program Officer, Livestock Enteric Methane Mitigation

About Spark

We are a science-driven, philanthropically funded non-profit that accelerates progress on unsolved climate challenges. We focus on blind spots that pose big climate risks or offer big climate opportunities—like major sources of unabated emissions—and work to speed up the development of the fields needed to address them. We use a large suite of field-building tools to support new research, markets, policies, and talent development, through both in-house initiatives and building broader coalitions. We are currently focused on super pollutants from agriculture, warming-induced greenhouse gas emissions, and methane removal.

At Spark, you’ll join a team of scientists, strategists, and systems thinkers working to shift the trajectory of global climate mitigation. This role offers the chance to make a material difference on one of the world’s most potent and overlooked emissions sources.

About the Role

The Senior Program Officer for Spark's Livestock Enteric Methane Mitigation program will play a pivotal role in advancing Spark’s work to accelerate the development and adoption of scalable, science-based solutions to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Working closely with the Spark team, including program lead Charles Brooke, , the Senior Program Officer will lead the strategy and execution of key initiatives that address critical barriers to the development and adoption of livestock enteric methane solutions.

We’re looking for a candidate who has experience in, or working with, the livestock industry, particularly in navigating regulatory pathways and the challenges involved in getting solutions to market, and who is deeply motivated by the climate opportunity and potential to address enteric methane. This role is highly interdisciplinary taking science, engineering, producers, industry, and government into account to advance the field. This is a unique opportunity to help shape a fast-growing program at the forefront of climate and agricultural innovation.

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Key Responsibilities

‍Strategy and Planning:

• Develop and implement strategies to accelerate the development and adoption of livestock enteric methane mitigation solutions with a focus on measurement, regulatory pathways, market development, and other barriers and catalysts to commercialization
• Contribute to program strategy development, landscape mapping, and opportunity identification.‍

Project Management:

• Lead cross-cutting initiatives, aligning partners and other stakeholders and ensuring execution against timelines
• Work cross-functionally with Spark's operations, communications, and leadership teams to ensure effective program execution and alignment with broader organizational goals.

Research and Analysis:

• Synthesize scientific literature, technical reports, and market analyses to inform strategy and funding decisions.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build relationships with academic researchers, startups, producers, industry members, and government agencies  to collaborate on efforts to accelerate the field
• Represent Spark’s Livestock Enteric Methane Program at external meetings and conferences
  

• Communications:
  
  • Prepare memos, briefing documents, presentations, and written content for internal and external stakeholders.‍

Qualifications

• 7+ years of combined professional and research experience, including any graduate work; 4+ years are professional experience in the private sector. The ideal candidate has a combination of business and/or public sector background in agricultural systems, with scientific understanding.
• Strong understanding of livestock systems, methane emissions, and emerging mitigation strategies
• Strong knowledge of, and experience with, livestock methane measurement technologies and regulatory pathways for adoption of solutions for livestock
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategies and independently run projects and complex worktracks.
• Adept at system-level thinking –  understanding how scientific research, policy, funding, regulation, industry, etc, all play a role in developing a robust livestock enteric methane mitigation field
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively and effectively with external stakeholders to drive meaningful outcomes.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills
• Self-motivated, proactive professional who works well independently and collaboratively with others.
• Insatiable curiosity about the climate problem; open-mindedness in exploring all possible climate solutions; and the flexibility, creativity, and tenacity to drive the necessary work forward

Eligibility

• Fluency in English
• At least 4 overlapping work hours with US Pacific time work day (9am-5pm PT)
  

Location

As with all positions at Spark Climate Solutions, this will be 100% remote. Employees can work anywhere within the United States, or internationally with approval.

Compensation

This is a full-time position with benefits. The starting salary range is $130,000-$150,000 / year, dependent on experience and location, and may be higher for more senior candidates. In addition, Spark Climate Solutions provides exceptional benefits including generous PTO, sick time, holidays, a 401-k match, generous health insurance coverage, and full-covered dental/vision/life insurance, and parental leave.

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