DIVISION/TEAM: Standards, Pricing and Assurance
REPORTS TO: Director Standards & Pricing
OVERVIEW:
Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. Fairtrade offers producers a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their everyday shopping.
Fairtrade International is the international non-profit, multi stakeholder body that is responsible for the strategic direction of Fairtrade, sets Fairtrade standards and supports producers.
The Standard Unit (S&P) seeks to bring social, economic and environmental benefits to producers and workers and to empower them to address the challenges of poverty and to achieve sustainable livelihoods. S&P primarily does this through developing, monitoring and reviewing Fairtrade Standards and economic benefit mechanisms, including Fairtrade Minimum Prices and Fairtrade Premiums. In addition S&P provides interpretation of Fairtrade standards to assurance providers and support agents. Finally, S&P hosts the responsibilities of the scheme owner and provides the necessary oversight to the implementing parties of the scheme.
OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE:
The post holder will contribute to maintaining FI’s Scheme and Oversight mechanism, and will support the Manager Assurance and Oversight with the responsibilities related to the scheme management, on all assurance and licensing matters.
PRINCIPAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Scheme Ownership:
- Provide support in the regular assessment of the Assurance Providers and Licensing Bodies, specifically in scheduling audits, revising documents, setting up meetings, following up on agreed action;
- Support the Manager Assurance and Oversight in maintaining FI’s Scheme and Oversight mechanism, its processes and procedures, also implementing improvement activities;
- Organize the logistics of the Oversight Committee meetings: i.e. prepare presentations, take minutes and support the members by providing them with information as needed;
- Support the Manager Assurance and Oversight in implementing instructions of the Oversight Committee and reviewing of the FI Oversight mechanism to deliver agreed principles such as competency, consistency and impartiality, which includes management of the oversight plan, data collection and analysis;
- Maintain the assurance and licensing risk management plan, registry and monitoring logs for the Oversight Scheme documents;
- Receive and review second instance allegations and complaints related to the FI’s assurance and licensing scheme and prepare them for review by the Manager Assurance and Oversight;
- Draft consultancy tenders, prepare contracting of consultants;
- Contribute to other tasks and relevant projects related to certification and licensing as required.
Unit development and maintenance:
- Prepare and contribute to research and analysis as needed by the Oversight Committee;
- Organize trainings, meetings and webinars and deliver presentations, info materials for all relevant stakeholders related to FI’s scheme matters;
- Contribute to the development of procedures and templates for the oversight mechanism;
- Respond to assurance and licensing questions and requests from various stakeholders;
- Contribute to the execution of general office tasks related to the work as needed and assigned;
- Manage the website for all the Oversight related topics, and monitor the generic assurance email inbox;
- Undertake administrative tasks (i.e. filing, correspondences, reporting).
SKILLS REQUIRED:
Knowledge/Job Specific Competencies
- A minimum of 1-year experience working for a certification scheme or certification body (essential);
- Experience within Fairtrade relevant area (desirable);
- University education in development, economics, business, agriculture or other relevant field (essential);
- Knowledge of normative context in accreditation, certification, auditing and scheme ownership (desired);
- Qualification and experience in social, economic, or environmental standard-setting or auditing (desired);
- Professional experience of work in international development, particularly small business development (desired).
Professional Skill Requirements:
- Strong coordination skills, including logistics, setting up meetings, etc.;
- Profound knowledge of MS office applications;
- People connection and social skills;
- Analytical, research and presentation skills and structural thinking;
- Excellent cross-cultural communication skills;
- Languages: Fluency in English (essential) and ability to work effectively in Spanish, French or Portuguese (desired).
Personal Qualities:
- Strengths in logical thinking and attention to detail;
- Strength for data analysis and ability to present results in a simple and understandable way;
- Collaborative and team-working approach;
- Passion for learning and improvement;
- Capacity to work independently and self-sustainably when needed and within given guidelines;
- Motivation for the aims of Fairtrade.
PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS:
Within FI the position has primary working relationships with the Manager Assurance and Oversight and the Oversight Committee. Further relations are with the S&P unit, with other FI units and in a guided way with all Assurance Providers for Fairtrade Standards and Licensing Bodies.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
- This is a full-time position, based in the Fairtrade International office in Bonn, Germany;
- The working language is English;
- Start date: 1st of May 2021;
- Salary as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Wholesale and Foreign Trade Industries for North Rhine Westphalia and Fairtrade International Company Agreement on wages and salaries Group V plus an attractive benefit package;
- 30 days’ annual leave and flexible working hours.
APPLICATIONS:
Applications, in the form of a letter of motivation and Curriculum Vitae, should be submitted via e-mail to applications@fairtrade.net, citing Coordinator Assurance and Oversight in the subject field.
The deadline for completed applications is 1st March 2021.
this job offer is not open for applications
