Standards & Assurance Manager at Beyond Beans Foundation

• We are looking for a Standards and Assurance Manager at our office in Akure to help implement and activities related to the different standards or certification programmes, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Cocoa Horizons and Beyond Beans standards, in our supply chain in Nigeria.

Roles and Responsibilities

Certification:

• Ensuring that all certification documents required by our clients are obtained from our groups and partners.
• Updating the internal Certification Status overview on a weekly basis and ensuring key updates are shared with the Country Representative and Global Supply chain Manager.
• Keeping up to date on all certification’s standards regulation for a full compliance within the supply chain.
• Ensuring full compliance of our supply chain with our clients’ requirements.
• Developing and standardising all needed process, documentations/training manuals to comply with standards regulations with collaboration of the Global Supply chain Manager.
• Leading the Standard and assurance up-country team to successfully and effectively execute to the achievement of RA, FT and BB certificate holder’s certification.
• Developing, in collaboration with your IMS team, workplans, reports and assist them on developing best practice for the field staff.
• Continuously looking for synergies and improvement opportunities among the S&A team and with the broader Beyond Beans team
• Monitoring the progress of all certification processes steps of your team.
• Carrying out a risk assessment by group.
• Working closely together with the M&E and Information Management Team to standardise data collection activities, to:
  • Develop, pilot and scale best practices on digitising standardised data collection, (GMR, Internal surveys, etc..)
  • Collect 100% of all polygons.
  • Collect traceability data.

Leadership & Management:

• Developing and defined all S&A staff roles (IMS Officers, Documentation officers, Field Officers, Enumerators)
• Ensuring S&A teams receive appropriate objectives and review their performance during the year as per their grade.
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations locally as well as with company policy.
• Providing strategic leadership and direction to the S&A team as per the Client & Programme Targets + Objectives set by the Organisation, ensure they have the resources and support needed to achieve their goals, and that they get the support from Global Supply Chain Manager & Country Manager where required.
• Building and maintaining a strong, motivated team that can deliver high-quality work, and ensure that team members have the necessary training and development opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge.
• Ensuring good collaboration between the cooperative and all verticals.
• Always ensuring full staff safety by providing the need equipment and tools.

Finance & Budget:

• Designing the annual budget for the crop season.
• Managing S&A budget as a gatekeeper, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively and efficiently to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Getting the needed Approval of Operational Expenses, Procurement of Items, etc.
• Sending S&A Funds request not later than 15th of every month.
• Sending S&A Expense Report not later than 3 days after the month’s end.
• Driving and ensuring compliance with laws and company procedures e.g., fraud prevention.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Conducting a study on pesticide use and the management of pesticide packaging amongst the groups of farmers where we carry out our certification activities
• Conducting internal audits on EUDR and pesticides use in collaboration with M&E
• Carrying out mapping activities with conventional EUDR suppliers in collaboration with the M&E team
• Training conventional EUDR suppliers on traceability and related controls.

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 or any other standards is a requirement
• 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;
• Excellent communication and advocacy skills, and the ability to effectively represent the organization in meetings and events.
• Solid understanding of on the ground (local) realities within the respective Country of Operation or similar.
• Fluency in English.