Analyst, Forest Sustainability

Overview

Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS) is a global forestry-centered investment manager with significant expertise in all phases of institutional timberland investing and forestland management. Founded in 1950, RMS manages approximately $4.8 billion in timberland assets as a registered investment advisor through a vertically integrated operating structure, including comprehensive property management services. RMS is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.

RMS is committed to implementing long-term forest management strategies that protect and improve the health of forest ecosystems while contributing to the economic and social well-being of the communities surrounding those forests. Sustainable forest management practices, attention to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) topics, and responsible investment principles are fundamental to maximizing value and minimizing risks for clients. RMS develops and implements investment offerings that are inherently well-suited to align investor financial outcomes with impactful ESG activities, including the first of its kind open-ended fund for forest investments in the United States.

These efforts are described in greater detail in RMS’ Annual Global Sustainability Report, available at www.resourcemgt.com/responsibility.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will analyze forest data and create impactful and polished work products for presentation to internal decision-makers, investors, and external partners as part of a highly collaborative team. This includes financial analysis of potential ecosystem service projects, drafting presentations, coordinating with field foresters to gather and review data, and contributing written material for a variety of sustainability reporting deliverables.

Specific responsibilities include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Development of Sustainable Forestry and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting materials - Responsible for initial development of responses to ESG-related due diligence questionnaires for current and potential RMS investment clients. Assist Manager, Forest Sustainability with greenhouse gas (GHG) and other ESG data management, gathering, and quality control.

- Provide Support for Forest Certification Activities - Lead report development, including data management/gathering, facilitation of reviews, and input from various RMS teams including Operations and Resource Planning. Support internal and external forest certification audits (Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative) as appropriate.
- Ecosystem Service Project Evaluations – work with Acquisitions, Investment Management, Operations, Resource Planning, and others as needed to analyze ecosystem service and conservation transaction opportunities.
- Annual Sustainability Report and Client Reports – with direction from Manager, Forest Sustainability, work with all appropriate RMS Teams to help develop the annual RMS Sustainability Report and sustainability/ESG information for quarterly and annual client reports.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science Degree in forestry, natural resource management, sustainability, or related field and two years related work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong writing skills
• Fluency in Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Transact SQL, and other programming languages sufficient to perform data summary work for analytical and reporting projects.
• Experience with ESRI products sufficient to create maps and related materials.
• Carbon accounting experience a plus, but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Strong commitment to stewardship and ESG principles