VACANCY: Standards & Assurance Manager

Beyond Beans Foundation
Location: Kumasi, Ghana

THE ORGANISATION
The Beyond Beans Foundation is the implementation partner of ETG trading company for sustainability programs in cocoa, coffee, and cashew, that are developed with and for industrial clients. In close cooperation with our Sustainability Team in West Africa, cocoa suppliers and program partners we support farmers to improve their farming practices towards a living income, we help communities to tackle child labour, we strive to empower women, and we protect the natural environment with agroforestry and conservation efforts. Beyond Beans is a foundation based out of the Netherlands and has operations in West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Togo.

With our international and driven team of 100+ project and field officers we build dedicated sustainable supply chains towards skilled farmers, resilient communities, and a healthy environment.

THE JOB
Beyond Beans team in Ghana has been operating for over 3 years with a series of sustainability activities. We are looking for a Standards & Assurance Manager to oversee activities on Rainforest Alliance (RA) and our internal standard. You will be working with a dynamic team of 30+ members, coordinate activities relating to agricultural standards/certification and work together with team members in other units on Certification+ activities.

KEY ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitoring of and internally updating on performance and progress of activities of (RA/internal BB standard)
  certification compliance of IMS teams of suppliers, through:
  • Monitoring the progress of all steps of the certification processes of IMS teams of suppliers.
  • Updating the internal Certification Status overview on a weekly basis and ensuring key updates are shared with the Country Representative.
  • Conducting risk assessments per IMS team on ‘certification readiness & risk’, timely indicating challenges to the Country Representative and the Global Standards and Assurance Manager.
  • Collecting and updating all documents relating to the certification process, such as: pre-audit reports, audit reports, non-conformity reports, certificates.
• Standardising processes across suppliers’ IMS teams to ensure aligned deliverables, through annually reviewing and updating the following guidance documents for implementation, guided by the Global Standards and Assurance Manager:
  • Multi-level (IMS staff, Field Trainer, Farmer) training curriculums to meet RA and internal training requirements, ensuring integration of additional training topics for client reporting on i.e. Climate Smart Cocoa, Child Labour.
  • Farmer Profile survey to ensure all necessary indicators for the Farmer Registry for both RA and client reporting purposes are captured.
  • Farm Inspection survey to include all necessary indicators for both RA and client reporting purposes.
  • Traceability form capturing farmer purchases at community level.
  • Updating the list of necessary additional documents for RA certification and creating templates for these assisted by the relevant BB staff (example: environmental management plan with the CFI team, Assess & Address system with the Community Development team).
• Monitoring standardised data collection activities by all suppliers’ IMS teams and supervising data organisation efforts with documentation officers/data analysts, to create the following full population databases:
  • Farmer registries compliant with RA and containing all internal indicators necessary, through Farmer Profile Surveying done by Field Trainers.
  • First-step collection of GPS polygon files, through farm mapping done by GPS mappers.
  • Traceability database, through traceability recordkeeping done by Field Officers.
  • Farmer training attendance database, through training attendance record-keeping done by Field Trainer trainings.
• Working closely together with the M&E & Information Management Team within Beyond Beans, in order to:
  • Develop, pilot and scale best practices on digitizing standardized data collection, with the following ambitions for 2022:
    • Full population digital data collection for Farmer Profile Surveys to collect data for the Farmer Registries & for GPS mapping.
    • Piloting digital data collection for Inspection Surveys, Training Attendance, Traceability.
  • Coordinate setting up and training on tools & data collection methods for surveyors (Field Trainers, GPS mappers) collecting data digitally.
  • Coordinate training on data review, cleaning, analysis and file management for documentation officers and data analysts.
  • Address any technical issues arising during the digital data collection processes with the relevant service providers and/or Head Office.
• Being in continuous communication with Certification Standards / the Standards and Assurance team at Head Office, to:
  • Remain up to date on any developments or changes to the RA 2020 standard and on communication on thimplementation of the RA standard or RA certification processes in Ghana.
• b. Support with and providing consultation on the development of internal standards, as well as developing
• implementation guidelines.

QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• A master’s degree in Agricultural development, Environmental science, or other related disciplines.
• At least 5 years of experience in managing agricultural related standards in cocoa, coffee, or cashew (preferably
  cocoa). Experience in RA certification programme is an advantage.
• Planning and organisational skills.
• Communication and inter-personal skills.
• Innovative and driven to continuously improve our projects and procedures.
• A passionate and ambitious worker.
• Self-starter and all-round mentality; willing to execute simple tasks as well as manage big portfolios.
• English and French proficiency is an advantage.
• Applicant must also speak Twi (local language).
  

WHAT WE OFFER YOU
You will be part of a fast-growing organisation and broad network with excellent future career opportunities. We offer substantial freedom in your work, engagement in a broad range of sustainability topics, and personal development opportunities. You will learn about the newest tools and programs to bring a positive change to cocoa farmer livelihoods and environment. Work status 40 hours per week. Based in Kumasi, Ghana.

INTERESTED?

Please fill in the form below including your CV and Motivation Letter no later than Tuesday 30 August.

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