Reports to: Quality Assurance Manager - Quality Assurance Unit, RA-Cert Division
Location: Richmond, VT
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
RA-Cert, a division of the Rainforest Alliance, supports the organization’s mission by delivering sustainability auditing, verification, validation and certification services based on the best available global standards. RA-Cert conducts its work with the highest integrity, transparency and quality in order to generate positive economic, ecological and social benefits for our clients and worldwide.
Position Summary:
Covering farm and crop auditing services, the Agriculture Specialist serves as the RA-Cert global resource for policies, systems, quality monitoring and training for agriculture (Ag) services implemented across RA-Cert regions including partner organizations. Oversight of services includes maintenance of related RA-Cert accreditations, audit management, auditing, and monitoring of RA-Cert’s Ag portfolio to ensure consistent implementation of related policies and procedures, and timely follow through on stakeholder comments and complaints.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as principal technical resource for RA-Cert regional offices and partners (subcontractors) on Ag-related auditing services and policy interpretations, including SFC and SAN;
- For the implementation of Ag auditing services, develop and maintain RA-Cert policies and procedures, including manuals, templates, and guidance materials;
- Support regional management to develop and implement strategies to promote and implement Ag auditing activities and to meet certification/verification targets;
- Provide regional support in the development of local auditor capacity;
- Coordinate with regional office and subcontractor staff regarding management of high profile and controversial clients (risk management system);
- Work with Quality Assurance Manager to integrate, implement and maintain a quality monitoring system for review of Ag services;
- Monitor staff and auditor performance and overall quality of Ag auditing across all regions;
- Develop training modules and tools to improve Ag auditor competency and deliver training to RA-Cert and subcontractor staff and auditors as necessary.
- In coordination with the certification body, manage Ag accreditation audits (e.g., IOAS-SAN), including the timely response and follow-up with accreditation reports and nonconformities;
- Represent RA-Cert in technical discussions with SAN and other parties (e.g., researchers, regulators, associations) involved in sustainable agriculture;
- Support development of SAN accreditation system by developing and overseeing training and support programs for prospective new SAN certification bodies;
- Conduct audits as well as quality report reviews for certification decisions as needed and to maintain up-to-date and relevant competencies for Ag services.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/related Natural Resource field required; Master’s degree or equivalent academic degree strongly preferred;
- Minimum of 5 years field experience in agriculture/related field, and minimum of 2 years experience in agriculture auditing or other evaluation;
- Experience in quality assurance and demonstrated experience in developing auditing systems including tools, procedures and manuals;
- Solid experience in certification and auditing required;
- Knowledge of training program design, implementation and evaluation;
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook with a working knowledge of PowerPoint;
- Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills;
- Bilingual Spanish/French with written and verbal proficiency in both languages desired;
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time sensitive manner;
- Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact culturally, linguistically, and diplomatically with diverse internal and external individuals;
- Initiative, self-motivated, resourceful, and dependable with a strong attention to detail; and
- Ability and willingness to travel a minimum of 20% per year, nationally and internationally.
Salary:
Commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package provided.
To apply:
Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 665 Broadway, Suite 500, New York, NY 10012; Fax: 212-677-2187; If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title of position you are applying for.
The Rainforest Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.
