About Fair Trade USA
At Fair Trade USA, we're leading the charge toward sustainable development and conscious capitalism by forming fair and honest partnerships across the globe. We believe in community, we're excited about change, and we hire driven, talented change makers who share our vision.
Founded in 1998, we are the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. Our unique market-based model for sustainability links millions of farms and factories around the world to over 1,500 leading brands and retailers through more transparent, equitable trading partnerships. Impact is our North Star: to date, we have channeled over $1 billion in additional income to hardworking families and communities around the world.
Fair Trade has emerged as one of the most promising models of conscious capitalism today. We are recognized for improving the working conditions and living standards of farmers and workers while protecting the environment. At the same time, we strengthen global supply chains and enable sustainability to drive profitability for the business community. For the end consumer, Fair Trade is an easy way to align our values with our purchasing decisions, voting with our dollars for a better world.
Our model has incredible leverage: for every $1 that we invest in building the Fair Trade market and movement, we are creating $4 in increased income for farmers and workers. Because of this unprecedented 4x1 "social return on investment" and community impact, we are a four-time winner of Fast Company's "Social Capitalist of the Year" award and have been recognized as a leading social venture by the Skoll Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, Ashoka, and the World Economic Forum.
The Role
The Manager, Producer Services will manage a portfolio of producer accounts and will be responsible for building collaborative relationships between organizations and Fair Trade USA. As part of a global team, the Field Advisor will contribute a critical perspective on the experience and challenges of farmers, farm workers, and producer organizations. The Advisor will contribute to the growth of the Fair Trade movement as we work to promote better conditions for farmers and workers, community development, and agricultural and commercial sustainability. The position requires an autonomous, innovative professional able to adapt to changing realities with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Key Responsibilities
- Establish good institutional relationships between Fair Trade USA and producer organizations.
- Promote the principles of Fair Trade with a constructive attitude, in defense of the most vulnerable communities, and by promoting ethical trade that benefits all actors in the supply chain.
- Document and communicate impact results, program achievements, risks, and challenges in the field.
- Participate in the design, update, and implementation of training tools and methodologies that provide a practical approach to capacity building.
- Implement activities for compliance with Fair Trade Standards and the Producer Recognition Program.
- Conduct analysis to understand and document the needs of producer organizations in order to strengthen Fair Trade programs in support of farmers and workers.
- Conduct training on a range of topics, including the Fair Trade digital service platform, marketing and impact communication, Fair Trade Committee organization, and others.
Experience / Qualifications
Skills, Experience, & Knowledge
- At least 3 years experience working in development, consulting, or agricultural sectors.
- Bachelor's degree in any of the following: Agronomy, Agriculture, Sustainability, Environment, Business, Agribusiness.
- Demonstrated experience in project coordination and management, with a proven history of successfully initiating, implementing, and completing projects.
- Demonstrated experience in communicating with farm workers.
- Familiarity with certification systems and audits (e.g. Fair Trade, Organic, SA 8000, etc.)
- Exceptional skill in relationship and conflict management.
- Experience and knowledge in the agricultural production sector.
- Experience working with agricultural producer organizations.
- Understanding and passion for community development programs, sustainability, Fair Trade certification, corporate social responsibility, etc.
- Excellent communication skills with multicultural audiences, and ability to localize concepts according to the audience.
- Comfort working remotely, and ability to work with interdisciplinary and geographically dispersed teams.
- Sensitivity to the social and economic situation of vulnerable communities in the agricultural sector
- Ability to work under pressure and in collaborative environments - contributing independently and as a team. Flexible to changes and ambiguous situations.
- Experience and comfort with technology tools and online platforms (Salesforce, Box, Google Drive)
- Experience with communication platforms (Slac