Forestry GIS and Carbon Assessment Specialist

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works in around 100 countries to save, protect, and transform lives, serving people in need regardless of race, religion, or nationality. Through trusted local partnerships, CRS delivers relief and development programs in emergency response, disaster risk reduction, health, agriculture, education, community savings, livelihoods, and peacebuilding.

CRS began working in the Philippines in 1945, making it the longest-running continuous CRS country program in the world. Today, CRS Philippines implements programs in emergency response and recovery, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, livelihoods, and peace and development. With more than 70 staff across Manila, Cotabato City, Tagbilaran City, Iloilo City, Virac, and Malaybalay City, CRS works closely with church and civil society partners, government agencies, and other organizations to serve vulnerable communities across the country.

The Innovative Climate Financing - Philippines Carbon Finance Pilot is an 18-month initiative (April 2026 – September 2027) which seeks to assess and advance the readiness of indigenous peoples’ ancestral domains in Bukidnon and Davao del Norte for participation in high-integrity forest carbon markets while delivering biodiversity, livelihood, and governance co-benefits. It likewise aims to support overall investments readiness by ensuring robust technical requirements are complied with, particularly on establishing the baseline and baseline, and calculation of project removals in line with the industry’s standards. CRS works with the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) as the local implementing partner, the IP organizations, government agencies, and local stakeholders, to support IP governance strengthening, forest restoration, agroforestry and livelihoods skills strengthening, FPIC processes, biodiversity assessments, land and carbon suitability assessments, safeguarding, and the development of investment-ready carbon project opportunities.

Given the highly spatial nature of carbon project development, a GIS Specialist is essential to support the collection, management, analysis, and visualization of geospatial data.

Job Summary

The GIS Specialist provides critical technical support in assessing land eligibility and suitability, analyzing land-use and land-cover (LU/LC) and land cover changes (LCC), ex ante LC/LU classification, stratification and mapping, feeding the result to the calculation of carbon yield, , mapping biodiversity and environmental, and producing spatial outputs needed for prefeasibility, feasibility analysis, and project design.

Basic Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Forestry, Environmental Science, Geomatics, Natural Resource Management, , or related field; Registered Forester is an advantage.
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in GIS, remote sensing, land cover change analysis, and general spatial analysis as applied to forestry, natural resource management, or environmental conservation.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and managing geospatial databases and conducting spatial analysis.
- Experience working with forest landscapes, biodiversity conservation, restoration, climate resilience, or carbon-related projects.
- Experience working with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, LGUs, government agencies, and development organizations.
- Preferable experience working in Mindanao, particularly Bukidnon and Davao del Norte.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly to field sites and remote communities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

GIS and Technical Skills

- Proficiency in GIS and spatial analysis software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Pro, Google Earth Engine, and related applications.
- Ability to manage, analyze, validate, and interpret spatial and environmental datasets.
- Ability to prepare maps, technical reports, presentations, and visual products to support planning and decision-making.
- Experience conducting field validation and integrating field data with spatial analysis outputs.

Technical Knowledge

- Strong knowledge of forestry, forest landscape restoration, agroforestry systems, biodiversity conservation, watershed management, and natural resource management.
- Familiarity with climate action projects, carbon finance, and nature-based solutions is desirable.
- Understanding of stakeholder engagement processes involving IP communities, government agencies, and local communities.
- Knowledge of project management principles, monitoring processes, and development programming approaches.

Organizational and Management Skills

- Strong organizational, coordination, and follow-up skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Strong analytical thinking and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining effective collaboration within a multidisciplinary team.
- Results-oriented, proactive, and highly responsive to project and partner needs.

Computer Skills

- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).
- Ability to use online collaboration, project management, and data management platforms.

Required Languages : Excellent spoken and written English.

Travel : Must be willing to travel up to 50% of the time to Malaybalay, Bukidnon and/or Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Supervisory Responsibilities: not applicable, unless otherwise amended as need arises

Key Working Relationships: TBD

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship