Senior Officer, Certification Partner Support

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, an 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.

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.

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:

 At Rainforest Alliance we are looking for a performance oriented, collaborative, and impact driven Certification Partner Support Senior Officer (CPSO). The CPSO is responsible for developing and providing technical training and monitoring to partners and stakeholders for implementation of the new Rainforest Alliance certification program in Colombia. S/He reports directly to the Colombia Country Director and in close coordination with other RA departments, contributes to the implementation of the country strategy, and provides information for the development of initiatives and projects in the country. The CPSO, facilitates training workshops, develops training materials, and provides guidance for certificate holders and local key stakeholders.

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;
• Coordinate with producers and stakeholders in the country; answering technical questions about the certification program;
• Identify needs for training, technical assistance, or other value-added services with inputs from other areas in RA;
• Develop and implement a national training plan to support all Certificate Holders (group of farmers, large farms, exporters);
• Identify appropriate training providers with content specialized capacity on key issues detected through the planning process, including set up and ongoing support/maintenance of the Associated Trainers Network;
• Support Certificate Holders with their certification process, absolving their doubts via mail and meetings.
• Communicate to other areas inside RA about main difficulties and challenges for Certificate Holders to implement the RA Standard.
• Develop and update training materials, to be used at ToT and farmer level;
• Organize training events for Certificate Holders and other stakeholders in the country, monitoring the attendance to the events;
• Ensure the quality of RA service providers through the development, implementation and monitoring of a trainer accreditation system;
• Supervise the efficiency and effectiveness of the trainings conducted and provide follow-up;
• Support RA on monitoring activities related to producer organizations;
• Actively contribute to the national, fundraising, and relationship strategy, providing inputs, coordinating activities, and giving feedback.
• Supervise activities of consultants hired for the implementation of projects and initiatives.
• Maintain good relationships and liaise with stakeholders;
• Develop and conduct Trainings of Trainers (ToT) for members, partners, and relevant stakeholders, based on training needs assessments and the training modules in Colombia;
• Ensure support in all work – related activities as directed by the Country Director and supporting departments such as Standards & Assurance and Training; and
• Mapping out other value-added services for Certification Partners including tools designed by RA.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in a field related to agriculture or natural resources.
• Minimum of 5 years’ work experience. At least 3 years of experience in the fruit sector (banana/avocado) and flower sector.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience with auditing and certification programs and processes.
• Proven experience in training, capacity building for adults, and knowledge of extension methodologies, including experience in the development of training materials.
• Experience managing people or consultants as part of a greater project or program.
• Spanish language skills (native), English (advanced level in verbal and writing).
• Availability to travel at least once a month to rural areas of Colombia and, occasionally, to other countries in LATAM.
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills in the management of digital tools and platforms
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time-sensitive manner. Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact culturally, linguistically, and diplomatically with various internal and external people. Initiative, motivated, ingenious, detail oriented, reliability, great attention to detail.

Job Level: 4A

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Deadline: December 8, 2022

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

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