Manager, Assurance (Europe) - 9 months contract

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Today, the RSPO is a global, non-profit organisation with over 6,000 voluntary members across 104 countries and territories, representing every link in the supply chain: oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs.

At RSPO, we believe that our success is built by the passion, dedication, skills, and expertise of our people. They are the ones who drive our organisation to new heights and guide us through the next phase of our development.

The Manager of Assurance Europe will be responsible for assurance and technical matters related to the supply chain certification of RSPO members in Europe. The Manager of Assurance Europe will work in close alignment with the global Assurance and Market Transformation teams.

The Manager of Assurance Europe is the primary person responsible for supporting members in Europe with questions or queries they may have in relation to the certification and assurance system. He/she/they will also be the primary point of contact for the European Certification Bodies and focus on regional activities regarding verification methods (including but not limited to certification) and assurance mechanisms that distinguish RSPO certified sustainable palm oil.

The location of this role is Netherlands, Europe.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include but will not be limited to the following:

• To support developments related to the RSPO Supply Chain certification documents within the relevant units/division.
• To work with the Assurance team to ensure that European RSPO members with queries about the RSPO Supply Chain standard receive a swift and correct answer.
• To support RSPO members seeking certification and accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) to conduct Supply Chain certifications in the region, and organize alignment meetings with CBs.
• To collaborate with the RSPO Accreditation Body and other relevant service providers in the region, including those that support the CSPO trading platform.
• To develop and populate a database of total palm oil consumption and uptake of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO)/Certified Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil (CSPKO) for the region (aggregated by country and industry), in collaboration with the Assurance Division and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Unit.
• In close collaboration with the Assurance team, to facilitate the work of the RSPO Working Groups and Standing Committees that are responsible to give guidance on all matters related to supply chain certification and develop options for trading in sustainable palm oil without diluting the credibility of RSPO CSPO.
• To conduct periodic observations on the external RSPO endorsed training providers for lead auditors for RSPO supply chain certification in the region to ensure quality and compliance.
• To assure a good communication between the Assurance and the MT Europe teams.
• Primary responsible for the organization of the meetings specifically organized by the RSPO for the European Certification Bodies.
• To assist in the organization of the annual European conference, in close collaboration with the relevant partner(s), stakeholders, and the global Secretariat team.
• Apart from the duties stated above, to perform any duty or duties reasonably assigned.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in any relevant majors/fields.

Experience

• At least 4-5 years of working experience, with sound experience in certification, verification, and/or assurance systems.

Technical and Professional Knowledge

• Knowledge in agricultural and/or commodity industry, and certification schemes.
• Ability to work in a multi-stakeholder and international environment.
• Proficiency in Office applications (e.g., G-suites, Ms. Excel, Ms. Word, Ms. PowerPoint)
• Prior experience working with Certification Bodies is considered an advantage.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with diverse stakeholders.
• Fluency in English is a must and proficiency in other European languages is an advantage.
• Ability to establish cooperation and rapport with internal and external parties of different backgrounds and/or nationalities.
• High integrity and a good team player.
• Goal oriented and organised.
• Self-motivated and self-directed.

**RSPO is an equal opportunity employer. Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.