Job Title: Climate and Carbon Specialist
Background
The amended Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act outlines TII's obligations regarding climate change and carbon budgeting. The Government's annual Climate Action Plan (CAP) outlines TII's specific obligations regarding climate action and reducing carbon emissions. As required by CAP, TII publishes an annual Climate Action Roadmap (the Roadmap) setting out TII's pathway to reducing carbon emissions to 2030 and beyond.
Role and Responsibilities
A Climate and Carbon Specialist is now required to lead the ongoing assessment and management of TII's carbon emissions, ensuring reduction pathways outlined in the Roadmap are delivered, ensuring carbon reductions are achieved. The Climate and Carbon Specialist will review implications of the proposed new carbon budgets and how they influence TII's activities and projected pipeline of future projects. A particular focus of the role will involve assessing the carbon impacts and benefits of actions identified in several key national policies responsible for driving the necessary adaptation and mitigation actions, including Project Ireland 2040, the National Planning Framework, the National Remote Work Strategy, Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, NIFTI, NR2040, DoT's Sustainable Mobility Policy, DoT's Haulage Strategy and relevant Government circulars including DOTE's recent report regarding low carbon cement and concrete and the proposed new programme for Government.
Main Responsibilities
The successful candidate will support all activities across TII. Specific responsibilities include:
* Lead the development of a carbon management plan for TII and provide technical expertise on carbon emissions, assessment, analysis, and reporting, aligned to global standards such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol.
* Lead TII's Carbon Inventory incorporating the collection and validation of carbon emissions data related to TII's activities, working to improve data quality by identifying gaps and opportunities to increase confidence in existing and future data sets.
* Lead implementation and delivery of TII's pathway to reduce carbon emissions outlined in TII's annual Climate Action Roadmap, supporting TII's contribution to Ireland's Climate Action Plans.
* Provide technical expertise and data analyses regarding carbon reduction opportunities (including changes in relevant legislation) and develop cross divisional carbon management plan in conjunction with colleagues across TII.
* Develop and manage a multi-year programme for carbon inventory reporting at TII.
* Advise local authorities on how to implement TII's new climate standard, particularly with defining future climatic baselines for development areas and identifying how receptors in these areas could be impacted by various climatic hazards.
* Support a programme of stakeholder engagement and communications to drive improvements across TII, liaising and collaborating with colleagues, stakeholders, and advisors. This may include support on initiatives to generate new data or improve data quality.
* Lead the assessment of the potential of carbon offsetting projects and propose recommendations for implementation, where appropriate.
* Advise on and develop methodologies and processes for carbon assessment, visualisation, and reporting that support decision making, programme planning and tracking of TII's performance in achieving its Net Zero targets.
* Lead in the development and management of research and innovation opportunities within TII and in collaboration with its supply chain.
* Provide climate and carbon support to Regional Managers, Engineering Inspectors for both public transport and road project and to the senior environmental team during the project planning phases to ensure the delivery of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIAR) and Natura impact Statements (NIS).
* Participate in national and international working groups related to climate and carbon issues and engage at relevant conferences, where appropriate.
* Lead in the development of new planning, design, construction and commissioning and maintenance standards to ensure a consistent approach is used for the treatment of climate and carbon issues for all transport related projects.
* Prepare responses to parliamentary questions, departmental requests, FOIs and questions raised by members of the public in relation to climate and carbon issues associated with all TII activities.
Requirements
The successful candidate must have:
* A recognised third level degree qualification (NFQ Level 8), in environmental science, climate/meteorology (or equivalent discipline); and, preferably, a masters degree or higher in environmental science which had a strong focus on air quality or climate (or equivalent discipline).
* A minimum of seven years relevant post-graduate experience in GHG management and climate assessment.
* Experience in GHG management, including GHG assessment aligned with PAS 2080 Carbon Management in Infrastructure (BSI).
* Proficiency in carbon accounting and the development of Carbon Management Plans.
* Be experienced in Climate Change Risk Assessments (CCRA) including the interpretation and application of climate change data (historic and projections) and have experience managing climate change impacts.
* Experience in data collection for undertaking carbon assessment calculations for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
* Excellent people management and teamworking skills.
* Excellent interpersonal, presentation and communication skills and can build working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.