Standards and Certification Officer at Fairtrade International

Main functions

Support integration of fairtrade standards improvement measures in projects to ensure compliance and additionally support revision of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations (FLO) standards Support training and communication on standards and their updates to FTA producer members Support producer organisations develop systems for maintaining fairtrade standards Follow through certification decisions to maintain producers in the system Ensure FTA’s organisational capacity on standards is improved and maintained.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to drafting, updating, editing and translating generic and product specific standards, both for products for which Fairtrade standards exist and for new products; consulting with the Fairtrade certification organization and with Fairtrade stakeholders, other organizations and persons as appropriate;
• Design of standard setting projects, preparation of the necessary papers (progress and final reports) to the Standards Committee and/or the Standards Director for decision making on standards.
• Whenever applicable, design of such projects by tendering of those projects, selection of consultants, guiding the consultant during the project and final endorsement of the consultant’s report;
• Comparative analysis of Fairtrade and other ethical standards and contribute to defining relationships between these;
• Contribute to the development and improvement of standards methodologies in pricing for Fairtrade labelling;
• Contribute to discussions on standards and policies on labelling of Fairtrade products, in particular within the framework of the Standards Committee;
• Ensure the updating of standards in all of FTA’s information and communication;
• Contribute to execution of general (office) tasks related to work in standards and policies as they come up;
• To collaborate with FLO, FLO-CERT and National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs) as necessary for the purpose of consistency in certification decisions;
• Feedback certification decisions and analysis into Fairtrade policy and standards development process. Support FTA members to remain certified and to appeal certification decisions, where applicable Work effectively and collaboratively with various functions through joint planning, training and monitoring on compliance to Fairtrade Standards by producers.
• Demystify understanding of standards and certification within FTA and its stakeholders

Knowledge and Experience Required:

• Educational background in Agricultural science, Agricultural (economics) or development studies Minimum of 3 years’ relevant professional experience
• Professional experience with project management and outsourcing of projects to consultants
• Advanced knowledge of smallholder and workers’ social and economic conditions in developing countries
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of voluntary certification schemes
• Strong motivation for Fairtrade and its standard setting and guaranteeing system
• Languages: Fluency in English, working knowledge in French would be preferred
• Professional experience of work in international development, particularly small business development
• Professional experience of work in the not-for-profit sector
• Experience in working with people from different cultures and backgrounds
• Ability to work with standard operating procedures and fixed Fairtrade principles

Desired:

• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant discipline (environmental conservation, Standards and Certification, sustainable development or a related field);
• Expertise in sustainability challenges in international supply chains, certification and labeling, ethical standards and standards setting processes