Senior Carbon Offset Advisor - Tullow Oil

Tullow Oil is a well-established, recognised and African focussed independent oil and gas company. The Group has interests in over 30 exploration and production licences across 8 countries in Africa and South America.

Tullow Oil has an exciting opportunity for Senior Carbon Offset Advisor reporting to the Carbon Offset Project Manager in Ghana

Job Purpose

The Senior Project Advisor (Carbon Offsets) to support the Carbon Offset Project Manager, in-country, to deliver on Tullow’s carbon offset plans in Ghana.

The role is focused on the delivery of the current project alongside the Ghana Forestry Commission (FC) to reach a Final Investment Decision and manage the long-term project implementation.

This would be the first public/private partnership for a voluntary carbon market project in Ghana and provides the opportunity to shape the partnership model.

This role is based Offshore in Ghana

The following are the key roles and responsibilities of the successful candidate

• Working with the Project Manager other key stakeholders, support the development of a robust activity plan to reach Final Investment Decision (FID)
• Engage with FC, and other relevant stakeholders, to coordinate and, alongside project manager, review and provide feedback on work outputs in accordance with the FID activity plan
• Regularly review project status with FC, understand issues as they arise and engage with project manager and wider Tullow team to resolve issues and mitigate identified risks
• Manage third party due diligence process between FC and Tullow ethics and compliance team

Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with key project stakeholders (FC, other government agencies, consultants)
• Accompany FC on project field visits to monitor and document community engagement and review implementation of safeguards
• Champion Tullow’s project, alongside our external affairs team, with different stakeholders in Ghana as part of net zero / shared prosperity strategy

Commercial Support

• Support project manager and Tullow commercial team with financial modelling and ERPA negotiations with FC
• Management of long-term contract (ERPA) with FC to manage delivery of defined outcomes (verified emissions reductions, community benefits)

Reporting and Communications

• Support the development of pragmatic project KPIs and monitoring metrics for monitoring, reporting and verification requirements (including environmental and social performance), in compliance with adopted standards
• Work with FC to review existing reporting templates (e.g. community participant lists) and implement new templates where required, including set up of document management system to document all community engagements
• Coordinate quarterly project reporting with FC to ensure timely delivery of reports to project steering committee

Social and environmental benefit management

• Engage with the FC to ensure compliance with Tullow’s policies (e.g. Human Rights) throughout the project life cycle
• Review and provide guidance on project documentation, including environmental and social impact assessments, community engagement, project safeguards, mitigation plans
• Maintain a deep understanding of issues relating to the identification, prevention, management and resolution of community complaints, disputes and grievances and conflicts.
• Ensure that an effective grievance and feedback mechanism is established and communicated within the project area and ensure effective corrective actions are implemented by FC and other relevant stakeholders, where necessary

Carbon market and policy development

• Engage with Ghana government / Article 6 office to ensure project continues to align with national accounting and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• Monitor carbon market evolution in Ghana, providing timely updates to key stakeholders in Tullow.

EHS

• Complies with the EHS Code of Conduct Policy and Procedures to always protect people and the environment. Has a duty of care to ensure that all personnel work in a manner that is not harmful to their own health and safety and the health and safety of others.

Compliance

• Always complies with Tullow’s Code of Conduct and Business Ethics policies and training.

Skills

• Exposure to the challenges of working with local, regional and national governments
• Ability to build effective, long-term relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including governments, local communities, civil society groups, and non-government organisations.
• Knowledge of social and environmental impact assessments and reporting frameworks
• Commercial mindset, with a willingness to develop the commercial skillset to manage the long-term project contract
• A desire to learn about the carbon markets sector and wider sustainability
• Deep expertise in voluntary carbon project methodologies
• Management and interpersonal skills to interact with and coordinate the activities of contractors and within their own multi-discipline project team
• Excellent verbal, written and listening skills
• General knowledge on contractor management.

Experience

• A suitable degree in environmental science, natural sciences, sustainability, engineering or in a related discipline with a minimum of 8 years’ experience in the natural resources sector or a similar field
• Minimum 10 years industry experience in a supervisory operations discipline role in the oil and gas industry
• Proven Project management experience and ability to work with governments to deliver to timelines
• Significant experience managing delivery partners, external consultants and government partners