Tupande Biochar Compliance Specialist (Fixed-Term) at One Acre Fund

About the Role

• Owns the facility's Compliance function, combining leadership of the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) programme with responsibility for facility Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) programme design and oversight. Designs and runs the data system that captures feedstock, production, quality, and end-use data to the standard required by the external verifier. Owns HSE programme design, training, documentation, and audit readiness. Serves as the primary interface with external verifiers, auditors, and regulators (NEMA, DOSH, third-party carbon verifiers). Reports to the Biochar Lead.

Responsibilities

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Leadership

• Design and maintain the facility's HSE programme, including risk registers, emergency response plans, and safety-critical procedures
• Design and deliver HSE training for all facility staff, including inductions, toolbox talks, and emergency drills
• Ensure PPE distribution, safety signage, and site safety infrastructure are in place and maintained
• Support the Production Shift Supervisors, who carry shift-level safety accountability, with the programme, tools, and training they need to enforce safety on shift.
• Coordinate scheduled third-party HSE testing and audits (fire safety, emissions, occupational health)

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Leadership

• Design, implement, and manage the facility's MRV system covering feedstock inputs, production outputs, quality measurements, and carbon removal calculations.
• Ensure data collection processes across all shifts are accurate, consistent, and traceable to the carbon standards the facility reports against
• Oversee and support the Lab and Quality Technicians in their data recording responsibilities to ensure the standard required for verification
• Develop and maintain data management systems, dashboards, and reporting templates for MRV purposes
• Stay current on evolving carbon standards, methodology requirements, and MRV best practices in the biochar sector

Audit Readiness

• Serve as the primary point of contact with external verifiers, auditors, and certification bodies during verification and audit cycles (carbon, HSE, environmental)
• Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly reports required for carbon credit verification
• Prepare the facility for audits, including documents, site walkthroughs, and evidence for the verifier
• When auditors flag issues, own the corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) through to closure
• Maintain audit-ready documentation across MRV, HSE, and environmental compliance streams at all times

Staff Training

• Train all relevant staff at the facility on MRV data recording requirements, HSE procedures, and the importance of data and safety discipline
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Production, Quality, and Administration on the completeness and accuracy of the data they record for MRV and safety reporting

Farmer Engagement

• Develop and maintain training materials for field staff on correct biochar application methods and how to collect data at the point of delivery
• Deliver refresher training to field teams before the start of each season

Qualifications

• Degree in Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Data Science, Agronomy, or a related field
• Minimum 3 years of experience in HSE, compliance, audit, or environmental data management roles
• Strong background in HSE, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act, Kenya, 2007), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), or comparable regulatory environments is a strong advantage
• Comfort engaging with third-party auditors and external verifiers, and comfort designing and running audit-facing programmes
• Familiarity with carbon standards (e.g., Isometric, Puro.earth, EBC, IBI) or carbon credit methodologies is a plus but not required. Successful candidates will build this expertise on the job, supported by Tupande's carbon partners
• Strong data management, reporting, and analytical skills
• Experience with data management platforms, spreadsheets, or environmental monitoring software
• High attention to detail and a strong commitment to data integrity, traceability, and safety discipline
• Willingness to learn on the job across both MRV and HSE domains; the role's success depends on translating a strong compliance foundation across both areas
• Fluent in English; experience working in an East African context is an advantage