The Work

The Auditor / Sustainable Landscapes Specialist will play a key role in coordinating bilateral and regional programmatic efforts and fostering partnerships focused on land use, forests, agriculture, and climate-related matters. The Specialist will represent the client in international market mechanism initiatives offering policy contributions and technical perspectives for related deliberations and documents.

MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE

Key Responsibilities

• Support and strengthen engagement in major programs, global partnerships, and trust funds related to sustainable landscapes, climate finance, mitigation, and markets, including serving as a principal representative on governance bodies and exercising rigorous oversight and high‑level representational responsibilities.
• Shape, coordinate, and implement policy on international climate change and related cross‑cutting issues, with particular emphasis on sustainable landscapes, REDD+, agriculture and land-use issues, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), mid‑century strategies, climate finance, and market-based mechanisms.
• Design and drive country-level ambition and implementation strategies for priority countries—especially in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia—to advance high‑impact, measurable outcomes on forest conservation, land‑use governance, and emissions reductions.
• Conceptualize, develop, and negotiate proposals to shape international and bilateral programs, ensuring that the allocation and use of funds are strategically aligned with and demonstrably advance organizational climate and development objectives.
• Support participation in UNFCCC negotiations and other key international fora by contributing to negotiating positions, drafting text, coordinating internal inputs, and engaging with international counterparts to advance strategic interests and priorities.
• Support the design, management, and implementation of climate-related assistance programs, including development of results frameworks and robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems for grants and initiatives focused on sustainable landscapes, REDD+, climate-smart agriculture, and carbon markets.
• Draft and refine high‑quality memos, speeches, position papers, decision memoranda, talking points, meeting readouts and summaries, correspondence, and other strategic communications to articulate, defend, and advance climate policies, priorities, and strategies with senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Other Duties as assigned.

Qualifications – Here’s What You Need

• Five years (5) of relevant experience and an advanced degree with relevant background (e.g. public policy, economics, law, environment, or a related field).
• Experience in international negotiations, projects, and/or programs, particularly with respect to sustainable landscapes and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) issues. 
• Familiarity with REDD+ and sustainable landscapes policy and financing.
• Experience in major REDD+/ sustainable landscapes partnerships, including the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes. 
• Experience with UNFCCC negotiations, including familiarity with the state of play with ongoing negotiations.
• Experience with international forest and land use fora and platforms, including public-private fora such as the Tropical Forest Alliance and World Business Council on Sustainable Development.
• Due to the nature of work at the client’s facility, U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Secret Clerance is required.
• Must be able to pass a background check. May require additional background checks as required by projects and/or clients at any time during employment.

Minimum Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Proficient in MS Office, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Strong project or program management, international negotiations, and strategic planning skills.
• Exceptional written communications skills, with the ability to produce clear and compelling documents.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail and ability to reliably deliver on multiple priorities under tight deadlines. 
• Strong team player who is eager to help resolve difficult situations as they emerge.
• Ability to work with a wide variety of actors, including policymakers, representatives of other governments, business and the non‐governmental community.
• Ability to learn quickly the complex organizational structure of government agencies.

Our Commitment to you / overview of benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance; Wellness Program.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter).
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability options.
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance (Company Provided).
• Voluntary Life and AD&D options.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with matching after one year.
• Paid Time Off.

Reports to: Program Manager

Working Conditions

• Professional office environment, with the ability to work onsite in the main office.
• Must be physically and mentally able to perform duties extended periods of time.
• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed to meet the demands of this position.
• Must be able to establish a productive and professional workspace.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time looking at computer screen.

• May be asked to work a flexible schedule which may include holidays.
• May be asked to travel for business or professional development purposes.
• May be asked to work hours outside of normal business hours.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Cayuse is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, skills, and abilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with any applicable federal, state, or local law.