UTZ Certified Regional Representative for West Africa

Do you want to be involved in the international dynamics of sustainability, where ideals and pragmatism meet?

UTZ Certified is a label and program for sustainable farming worldwide. Our mission is to create a world where sustainable farming is the norm. Sustainable farming helps farmers, workers and their families to fulfil their ambitions and contributes to safeguard the world’s resources, now and in the future.

UTZ Certified is one of the largest programs for responsibly produced coffee, tea and cocoa in the world, working across all continents with leading brands and retailers, such as Sara Lee, Mars, Nestlé, Heinz, Ahold and IKEA. UTZ Certified’s field support network, standards and certification services, and traceability system enable markets to reward good practices. UTZ Certified is headquartered in Amsterdam and works closely with its partner network in Africa, Asia and Latin America. UTZ Certified is looking for a:

Regional Representative for West Africa
(based in Côte d’Ivoire)

 Job description

 UTZ Certified is looking for a representative who is able to coordinate the activities for the UTZ Certifiedprogram in Ivory Coast, Ghana and other countries in the region. The representative reports to UTZ Certified in The Netherlands.

UTZ Certified works together with major stakeholders from industry, government and civil society to achieve a more sustainable agricultural sector, with a strong focus on cocoa. You work on the implementation of and support to UTZ certification with UTZ colleagues, international and local partners. You define and coordinate critical processes and you monitor output agreements with partners. Recognizing the interests of all stakeholders you are a pragmatic, credible and inspiring ambassador for the UTZ certified program.
You have the following responsibilities: 

• Promote the UTZ Certified program and related good practices
• Maintaining a strong market linkage and support partners in the implementation of the UTZ Certified program

• liaison with local producer organisations, traders  and service providers
• facilitate client visits, press trips, market events
• provide supply information, ensure the flow of information to home base

• Liaison with national governments and agricultural institutes
  • Participate in a national and regional platform(s) for sustainable production
• Broaden the implementation capacity for UTZ certification in the field

• Providing master trainings
• Creation and maintenance of a network of trainers
• Create and distribution of relevant tools

• Supporting the assurance system

·         Monitoring and improving the quality of implementation and certification

• Ensuring workability of traceability in local context

• Project development and implementation

• Contribution to international proposals & local fundraising

• General strategic and operational planning and financial management

·         Guidance on priority themes for the region: e.g. farm productivity & child labor

Candidate requirements:

• Experience in the cocoa supply chain is a must
• Experience in designing, supervising and evaluating strategies in an international (development) context

• Experience in training trainers
• Experience with agricultural certification schemes
• Strong Knowledge of sustainability and rural development
• Credible ambassador, communicative, connector with intercultural skills and able to work with different types of stakeholders (e.g. producers, governments)
• Self-starter and strong initiator within a group
• Strong communicator, verbal and written
• Fluency in verbal and written French and English
• Master´s degree, preferably in relevant field such as agronomy, development economics, environmental science, or related
• Minimum 8 years of work experience, minimum 3 years in a related field
• Willing to travel regularly in the region  
  

UTZ CERTIFIED provides a dynamic and international working environment with an entrepreneurial and innovative approach. The position is based in Cote d’Ivoire (exact place to be determined) and involves regular travel. UTZ Certified offers a consultancy contract with a monthly fee indication of 3,500-4,500 EUR depending on seniority and experience. Starting date of the contract is foreseen as soon as possible in the 4^th quarter of 2012.

This is your opportunity to create real value for a meaningful global sustainability initiative!

Please send your application to hr@utzcertified.org before 31 October 2012, mentioning “RegionalRepresentative for West Africa” in the subject line. Interviews are foreseen in the first half of November 2012. For more information about this position please contact Albertine De Lange or René Magermans (+31 20 530 8000). For more information about UTZ CERTIFIED, see www.utzcertified.org.