Manager, Sustainable Agriculture

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. To achieve our mission, we partner with diverse allies around the world to drive positive change across global supply chains and in many of our most critically important natural landscapes.

Our alliance spans 70 countries and includes farmers and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals. Together we work to protect forests   and biodiversity, take action on climate, and promote the rights and improve the livelihoods of rural people.

As an international nonprofit organization with more than 30 years of experience in sustainability transformation, we understand that the social and economic well-being of rural communities is tightly connected to ecosystem health. This knowledge has shaped our rigorous programs to advance sustainable land-use and commodity production.

At the Rainforest Alliance we combat climate change, protect forests and biodiversity, promote human rights, and improve livelihoods. The enormity of the social and environmental challenges we are facing requires working together in a broad alliance. This is why we bring farmers, forest communities, companies, and consumers together to change the way the world produces, sources, and consumes.

Why

To protect nature and improve lives it’s becoming increasingly urgent that we approach the way we use our land and produce food and other products in more sustainable ways. For this to succeed we need to fundamentally change the way that businesses operate and source, and the choices we all make as consumers.

How

Our growing global alliance aims to transform our relationship with our natural resources and each other, to create a better future for people and nature together.

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability and any other protected group.

Position summary:

The Manager, Sustainable Agriculture, will be accountable for developing and leading the Rainforest Alliance’s projects and programs in India and Sri Lanka. This includes delivering projects according to work plans and budgets, coordinating with field consultants and staff, identifying and coordinating the work of local partner organizations, and strengthening relationships with stakeholders in the corporate, government, donor and civil society sectors. The position is also responsible for developing new proposals to grow Rainforest Alliance’s work in India. The Sustainable Agriculture program promotes practices based on the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard  to small-scale producers, farmer organizations and some large plantations, primarily in tea, coffee and spices. It. It further develops multi-stakeholder landscape-scale initiatives to improve land use management and rural livelihoods beyond the production units. The position will coordinate closely with the multi-disciplinary India and Sri Lanka teams, as well as Rainforest Alliance’s international teams, such as Markets Transformation, Institutional Relations and Communications. The position  reports to the Director, South Asia, who is based in Rainforest Alliance’s office in Delhi. The successful candidate will be a self-motivated, creative and results oriented professional with excellent interpersonal skills, finesse for details while articulating reports and articles, and supporting building strong relationships with key stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise and lead the planning and implementation of field projects, identify and recruit partners and consultants as required and coordinate with Rainforest Alliance’s country teams to mobilize needed support;

  Coordinate with other Rainforest Alliance global departments to draw on their technical expertise and networks and ensure cohesion in the overall program execution

• Work in co-ordination with the regional finance and admin staff for financial oversight of the subgrantees/partners;

• Develop and maintain systems and mechanisms to ensure the successful implementation of the programs, including subgrants. This includes  responsibility for the quality of weekly updates, quarterly progress reports, proposal and grants tracking system and ensuring that grant records are kept up to date;

• Take responsibility for project deliverables, supervising partners and consultants;

  o   Conduct pre-monitoring visits to assess the suitability of proposed projects and conduct assessments of partners.

  o   Conduct monitoring visits to assess the effectiveness of projects and financial progress, provide recommendations and find solutions where there are problems in implementation.

  o   Help design project frameworks with partners and stakeholders. Ensure that the projects funded meet set criteria and standards. Assist with the closing of grants.

• Provide internal and external reports on project progress, performance against targets, and budgetary execution;

• Develop and maintain relations with key stakeholders to contribute to the growth and reputation of Rainforest Alliance’s work. Represent the Rainforest Alliance in appropriate events and platforms in India. Organize logistical support and host visits by companies, journalists and other stakeholders;

• In coordination with Director, South Asia and international teams, monitor and evaluate the results and impact of the work for the purposes of project learning, communication, and new proposal development;

• Support the Director, South Asia to identify new project opportunities and support in proposal writing and presenting new proposal to donors to build a pipeline of projects for the non-profit entity in India;

• Support the Director, South Asia to define strategies and identify resources required to further expand the Tea, Coffee and Spice programs in the country.

Qualifications:

• Education: Master’s degree in Agriculture, Natural Resources Management, Business Administration, or another relevant field.

• Work Experience: Minimum 7 years of experience in project management, including managing budgets and implementing activities according to agreed-upon work plans and schedules.

• Technical skills: First-hand knowledge of the concepts and practices of sustainable agriculture, including practices for climate resilience; Understanding of value chains and certification of sustainably produced commodities; administrative efficiency, with the ability to track project progress and prepare timely reports, and competence in the computer software programs;

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook and working knowledge of PowerPoint.

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, with ability to operate and communicate effectively in multi-institutional relationships- government ministers, donor representatives, and/or company executives- as well as with farmers and communities. Demonstrated English language writing skills, including project reports, concept notes and proposals

• Language Skills: Demonstrated professional capability in written and spoken English and Hindi. Working knowledge of other regional Indian languages would be an advantage.

• General Work Behaviours/Skills: Initiative, self-motivated, resourceful, meticulous, dependability, strong attention to detail.

• Travel Requirements - Ability to travel an average of 40% per year, nationally and internationally.

Job level: 3A

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Deadline:26 May, 2023

Notes: Only candidates authorized to work in India will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: [email removed - click apply for more details]