Vice President Operations

Location: Dallas, Texas (in-office)

Department: Executive

Reports to: CEO

Who we are

Sky Harvest creates carbon credits and sells them to corporate customers to offset their emissions. We do so by paying landowners not to harvest timber that they otherwise would. We work exclusively with small-acreage and underserved timberland operators in the United States to generate carbon credits. We are a project developer—not a broker, nor a marketplace.

We’re passionate about fixing carbon markets. We’re passionate about sensible, practical solutions to this climate issue. And we have a humble, hard-working culture intrinsically motivated by the excellence and impact of our work.

More importantly, Sky Harvest has a fresh edge in this space. We voluntarily issue credits under the Carbon 2.0 framework, which requires fewer credits are issued but ensures that each issued credit properly and completely offsets the negative climate impact of emissions elsewhere. To our knowledge we are the only developer issuing credits with multiple tons of carbon in each credit. For additional information on the Carbon 2.0 framework, please see: Carbon 2.0: A Better Yardstick for Carbon Markets.

Why this role

If you’re a hungry, self-motivated achiever with a passion for building and streamlining a growing operation in the sustainability sector, this is the perfect job for you. 

What is needed

Reporting directly to the CEO of Sky Harvest, the VP Ops will:

• Run all aspects of operations: landowner relations, carbon quantification, and credit issuance
• Build the “Sky Harvest Machine” to automate and expand operations at scale in an efficient, data-driven structure
• Drive down the marginal cost of producing each carbon credit through meticulous cost analysis and informed investment in the Machine
• Manage landowner communication, including but not limited to recruiting, enrolling, and contracting new landowners
• Manage and build partnerships with industry-leading technical experts, including designing scopes of work and negotiating contracts
• Hire, manage, and retain top-tier talent to expand the operational engine
• Develop key performance goals, manage the team’s performance, and develop employees
• Support the Business Development team through effective communication of the environmental impact narrative
• Manage various aspects of start-up operations: office management, IT systems, vendor payment, HR administration, etc.
• Other projects & responsibilities as needed

As a startup, the VP Ops will need to be hands-on and personally generate outputs and outcomes. That may mean building an excel model or drafting a term sheet personally. The VP Ops will have resources: he/she will initially rely heavily on a network of partners with subject matter expertise, and then over time hire a team of experts to manage operations in-house as appropriate and strategically beneficial.

What it takes

A successful VP Ops will naturally demonstrate a self-driven curiosity and need to achieve successful outcomes. She/he will be highly proficient and possess a strong work ethic. He/she will also be a quick learner and demonstrate humility commensurate with that of an effective team leader.

The VP Ops will possess:

• Culture buy-in: we Act with Focus, Get After It, and Lead By Serving
• Entrepreneurial spirit: we act like entrepreneurs. Our team members are incredibly driven, agile, goal oriented, and are always up for a challenge
• Activation: the ability to convert a vision to execution with minimal direction
• Analytical horsepower: strong problem solving skills and the ability to understand and operate robust analytical models
• Range to flex between serving as a hands-on doer—willing to get “in the weeds” as required—and an effective executive managing teams and partnerships
• Systems thinking: An understanding of large-data structures and the systems that allow them to operate efficiently at scale
• Commercial judgement to autonomously negotiate and close landowner agreements, set a pricing strategy, and optimize allocation of resources
• Organization, persistence, and influence to navigate bureaucratic regulatory systems and third-party audits
• Persuasive and highly effective communication skills
• 10 years of demonstrated high achievement in managing and executing lean operations in the private sector
• 5 years of experience managing teams to demonstrably successful outcomes
• Bachelor’s degree in business management, MBA preferred

Benefits

Base salary and performance-based bonus are commensurate with experience, including the opportunity for equity incentive as a member of the leadership team.

As we expand, you will help us build additional competitive benefits, including health; 401k; mobile reimbursement; and a monthly wellness stipend for house cleaning, gym membership, grocery delivery or massages.

All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other discriminatory factors. Please note that we do not provide immigration sponsorship for this role. All offers are subject to a background check.