Sustainability Officer

Overview

The Sustainability Officer plays a key role in implementing our client's Sustainability Programs in the field. She/he ensures the daily implementation of 
sustainability activities with a designated farmer group and set of farmers, ensuring that activities are implemented on time, within budget, and 
to the required quality levels.

Responsibilities

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

The Sustainability Officer will be responsible for: 

• Sustainability activities implementation
• Collaborate with the relevant our clients employee to develop the workplan for the designated farmer group and farmers
• Deliver training and coaching sessions on improved agricultural techniques, soil management, pest control, Climate Smart Agriculture,
• tree planting, agroforestry, post-harvest handling and any other relevant topic to designated set of farmers
• Follow up with trained farmers to ensure adoption of new farming practices 
• Supervise and monitor the work of third parties providing farm services support to designated farmers
• Undertake any other tasks assigned in line with the scope of work

Monitoring, evaluation, learning and reporting

• Monitor and collect data to track progress and adoption
• Report progress of field activities regularly to the relevant our client’s employee
• Report discrepancies in traceability data and work with the Traceability Team to ensure farmer and traceability records are consistently

• Document best practices, lesson learned and success stories about our client’s sustainability interventions Certification & Compliance
• Adhere to SOPs in the implementation of all activities
• Support annual certification audits, when relevant (i.e.: COH)
• Follow-up on non-compliances detected in audits and assist in their correction
• Engage farmers to communicate requirements and support capacity-building efforts

Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain strong working relationships with relevant key stakeholders while implementing activities
• Support our client’s partners in the implementation of projects on the field
• Support client visits and be ready to showcase and explain sustainability interventions
• Other Responsibilities
• Act as the custodian of all company assets (e.g., pole pruners, motorbikes) assigned for use in your role

Requirements

REQUIRED ACADEMIC & TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Agriculture with at least 3 years' experience in agriculture or farm management, an experience in cocoa production will be preferred
• A Higher national diploma with 5 years of strong experience in cocoa farming can be considered
• Familiarity with climate-smart agriculture, integrated pest management (IPM), and good agricultural practices (GAP)
• Good interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to speak a local language
• Willing and able to work and travel 80% of the time in the rural communities
• Have a valid permit and ability to ride a motorbike

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

• Fluency in English; knowledge of the relevant local languages spoken in cocoa growing communities 
• Understanding of certification schemes, sustainability standards and stakeholder engagement is an advantage
• Agronomic knowledge, especially on cocoa culture, or similar tree crops
• Experience and skills engaging with farmers and communities
• Strong skills in facilitating trainings and on the job mentoring

TECHNICAL / FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services
• Ability to identify common crop pests and diseases
• Sustainable and Climate-Smart Practices
• Strong understanding of soil types and fertility management

LEADERSHIP & INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• Ability to explain agricultural practices
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organize a demanding workload comprised of diverse and

challenging tasks and responsibilities

• Strong oral/written communication and interpersonal skills
• Conflict Resolution
• Cultural Sensitivity

PERSONAL STYLES & ATTITUDE

• Trustworthy and dependable
• Curious and open to learning
• Detail-oriented
• Adaptable