Our client is an established player in the cocoa industry. Its principal activities comprise the production and sale of cocoa ingredient products, namely cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa mass.

Through their sustainable sourcing strategy and their programs at the origins where they source, they work to have more transparent supply chains with a positive impact at farmer level.

SCOPE OF THE POSITION

The Global Sustainability Manager is responsible for the development and management of global sustainability programs and partnerships in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This role will drive the interaction and engagement with multinational clients and define the global sustainability strategy for the group. The person in this role oversees the different projects, ensures alignment and coordination between local teams, suppliers and customers, as well as contributes to the monitoring and reporting, especially related to tracebility and EUDR requirements.

This role can be based in 1 of 2 locations: Cote d'Ivoire (if in Africa) or in Switzerland (if in Europe). This role involves extensive travel and a flexible schedule.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Business Development and Strategy:

• Develop the Group sustainability strategy and support the implementation at the origin countries (Asia, Africa, and Latin America)
• Identify and develop proposals, including budget and costing for partnerships and funding opportunities to leverage programs in the origin countries
• Liaise between our project implementation partners in the origins and our key multinational customers
• Implement customers’ specific requirements by working with our partners in origins to ensure compliance in areas such as deforestation, child-labour, agroforestry, good agricultural practices, geo-mapping, etc.
• Design, together with the sales department, the strategy for the sustainable products sales to offer the adapted solutions to customers including certification, customer programs and due diligence
• Engage with potential donors and NGOs
• Contribute to the sustainability debate through participation in platforms, conferences, and stakeholder meetings
• Represent the company at international platforms such as World Cocoa Foundation and Cocoa Sustainability Partnership
• Identify new customers for existing and upcoming sustainability programs
• Increase percentage of certified and sustainable product sales to customers
• Meetings and visits to customers globally

Sustainability Operations:

• Develop in-depth understanding of up-country supply chain from farmer level to export level at different origins, working closely with respective Regional/Country Managers
• Interact with trading department, supplier management team and suppliers to allocate program volumes and contracts
• This role will be the focal point for certification programs and oversight of credit balance
• Prepare the company to be compliant with EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and any other regulations related to sustainable sourcing

PROFILE AND BACKGROUND

• Ideally a Bachelor or Master Degree in a field such as Business, Sustainability, Economics or Agronomy
• 8-10 years’ experience related to country and community level programs with a focus on sustainability and liaising with customers on budgets and proposals
• Experience working in other cocoa origins is preferred (Africa, Asia or South America)
• Multicultural teams collaboration and ability to professionally deal with unconscious bias
• Understanding of corporate sustainability and sustainable sourcing key topics and challenges
• Experience in cocoa sector ideally, but experience in other commodities can also be considered
• Strong business development abilities, communication skills and proficiency in English and French (oral and written)
• Strong knowledge in Monitor, Evaluation and Validation (MEV) of Program data.
• Ability to deliver results in a clear, organized and methodic manner
• Attentive to cultural diversity and good rural community living knowledge
• Ability to work independently and proactively
• Team player, system-thinker and people oriented
• Comfortable spending time in the field and traveling to cocoa origin countries