Traceability Support Officer for TRACE Project at Corus International

Scope Of Work

As part of the project's vision to obtain a fair, traceable, sustainable cocoa sector in Nigeria, a national traceability system is expected to be established to enable industry actors complying with both external (EU Deforestation Regulation) and internal sustainability requirements. The system will consist of a data collection tool, a cocoa data warehouse, and public risk analysis provider. Over the last year, a needs assessment was conducted, stakeholder engagements were initiated, and a concept was developed in response to the identified needs and opportunities. Towards the future, there is a need for more intensive coordination with private and public stakeholders on the detailed design of this system, its operationalization and piloting with practitioners.

His/her Tasks Will Be As Follows
 

• Engage with stakeholders through in-person interviews and group-based workshops to further document the expectations and preferences towards the national cocoa traceability system.
• Engage with public authorities to understand applicable regulations on data privacy, data protection, statistical needs, and other relevant compliance requirements.
• Identify best practices for compliance, interoperability and user friendliness of digital tools to be developed from related data management settings (possibly in other sectors) in the Nigerian context.
• Create awareness and build capacity of informal intermediaries in the cocoa sector (in collaboration with exporters) to use the data collection tool and risks analysis tool.
• Contribute to the recruitment and supervision of the tech firm that will build the public digital infrastructure of the cocoa data warehouse and test its functionality.
• Document best practices and lessons learned along the process.

Remuneration: This is subject to negotiation.

Reporting

The Traceability Support Officer will report to the Deputy Chief of Party and collaborate closely with the Program management & Coordinator. Technical oversight will be provided by C-lever.org, which offers technical assistance to the TRACE program.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications and experience:

• Master's degree in Agricultural Economics, Supply Chain Management, Sustainability, Procurement, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of practical experience managing direct supply chains and due diligence processes, preferably in agricultural commodities.
• At least 3 years of experience in developing and/or navigating sustainability standards, chain of custody models, and regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU Deforestation Regulation, CS3D).
• At least 1 year of experience facilitating stakeholder discussions and working in public-private settings.
• At least 1 year of experience working with or supporting tech firms in the design, testing, and deployment of digital platforms.
• Strong analytical and process-thinking skills, with a sound understanding of data management principles.
• Existing networks in relevant public institutions and prior exposure to the cocoa industry are considered a plus.
• Strong project management skills to be able to ensure completion of tasks on time with minimal supervision, and proactive in communicating challenges and barriers to job completion.
• Fluency in spoken and written English, and proficiency in at least one local language relevant to the cocoa-producing states.
• Strong report writing and documentation skills in English.
• Well organized with good attention to detail
• Nigerian nationals only.

Expected Deliverables

• Independent intermediaries have been trained to use a public data collection tool to register farmers and plot.
• The national cocoa data warehouse is defined, established and operational.
• Cocoa exporters have been trained to use the national cocoa data warehouse.