Senior Associate, Cocoa

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 Senior Associate, Cocoa is responsible to implement Rainforest Alliance’s cocoa program in Indonesia with a focus on building the knowledge and capacity of farmers: instilling good agricultural practices based on the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) Standards that protect ecosystems, workers health and safety, and improves quality of life for families and their communities. This includes delivering grant projects according to work plans, coordinating with field consultants and staff locally and internationally and supporting local partner organizations. The position will work in close coordination with several Managers in Indonesia and reports to the Team Manager, Cocoa.

RESPONSIBILITIES:   

• The Rainforest Alliance’s Core Values are Impact, Change, Collaboration, Openness and Trust and as such they form the basis of the behaviours we demonstrate.

• Implement projects focused on cocoa farmer training programs in Indonesia in Good Agricultural Practices and post-harvest handling  and training in certification and traceability system requirements along the supply chain; 

• Under guidance from the Manager, take responsibility for project implementation, deliverables and budgetary execution. Prepare donor reports as per contractual commitments, and manage relationships with donors and partners. Ensure compliance with internal Rainforest Alliance procedures and act as project manager for assigned projects and support other project managers as assigned;

• Supervise Rainforest Alliance’s implementing partners and coordinate with consultants on agreement scope of work and subsequent deliverables in the country; support their work with farmers’ groups and other stakeholders through providing information and guidance, and ensure that they have the necessary personnel, tools, materials and financial resources;  

• Lead subgrants and/or consulting agreements; 

• Maintain active dialogue with the broad group of cocoa stakeholders in Indonesia (eg exporters, government bodies, national extension services, technical partners) as well as maintain communication with partners.

• Develop and maintain relations with key cocoa stakeholders including farmers and farmer groups, processors, exporters, NGOs, and representatives of important government agencies; 

• Coordinate with the Director, Program Design & Development, the Manager, and the Development team to write and present new proposals to donors;

• Coordinate with the managers and the Development team to write and present new proposals to donors;

• Coordinate with Rainforest Alliance’ Evaluation & Research team to monitor and record results from our activities in collaboration with our implementing partners and research institutes;  

• Make sure that all activity in the field aligns with Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and Social Gender Integration Plan (SGIP). Support diagnostic studies of the certifications prior to external audits, and support internal management system (IMS) in managing their certification program; and

• Other duties as assigned.  

QUALIFICATIONS:   

• Bachelor or Master's degree in Agriculture, Natural Resources Management, Business Administration or another tropical agriculture-related field;, or related field; 

• 5-7 years of work experience for Bachelor's degree or 3-5 years for Master's degree, including a demonstrated ability in related field; 

• First-hand knowledge of the concepts of sustainable agriculture and the cocoa sector;  

• Understanding of business and value chains and experience in working with companies as well as farmers;  

• Administratively efficient with ability to track project progress and prepare timely reports; 

• Effective interpersonal and communication skill;  

• Excellent written and spoken English; 

• Demonstrated experience in Project Management; 

• Ability to operate efficiently in multi institutional relationships and to communicate with farmers, government ministers, donor representatives and/or company executives;

• Proficient in most of office computer programs; (excel, correl draw is preferred) 

• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment, assess priorities and multi-task with strong attention to detail; and 

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of time. 

JOB LEVEL: 4A

SALARY:Commensurate with experience. 

DEADLINE: JUNE 15, 2023 

NOTES:Only candidates authorized to work in Indonesia will be considered.

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