IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Job Description: Senior Policy Manager

Term:               Permanent

Time:               100%

Salary:             £50,000 – £55,000 (based on London appointment) to be negotiated dependent upon experience and location

 

About the ISEAL Alliance:

ISEAL is an international non-profit organisation that codifies best practice for the design and implementation of social and environmental standards systems. ISEAL shapes the context in which voluntary standards systems operate, by defining what good practice looks like for the sector, as well as through influencing how external stakeholders think about and engage with credible voluntary standards systems.  ISEAL Alliance members such as the Forest Stewardship Council, the Marine Stewardship Council, and the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International[1] are leading organisations in social and environmental standard-setting and certification, and are committed to compliance with ISEAL Credibility Tools.

What We Offer:

The ISEAL Alliance has developed an ambitious Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 that aims to ensure that the movement of voluntary standards systems play an expanding role in achieving social justice and ecological sustainability. Globally, multilateral, national and regional governmental bodies are key users and supporters of social and environmental standards systems, using them to deliver on their own public policy objectives. In a globally interconnected economy and a world calling for multilateral solutions, ISEAL believes that the partnership between governments and voluntary standards systems is set to grow. Yet, whilst many individual government representatives work with voluntary standards, others still have underlying concerns inhibiting more widespread engagement.

As Senior Policy Manager you will lead ISEAL’s engagement with the governmental sector, as well as topical engagements with civil society and business, further developing and implementing ISEAL’s “Sustainability Governance Policy-Making” activities. As a small organization with a global mandate, operating in the sphere of good governance, ISEAL’s focus is on identifying and developing new frameworks and approaches to how standards systems can be used in coordination with and support of public and private sector approaches, rather than traditional lobbying or public affairs.  Accordingly, ISEAL is committed to lead efforts to bring together governments and voluntary standards systems, to find ways in which to learn from each other, share best practice and cooperate in the shared challenges we face as a global community aiming to achieve social justice and ecological sustainability, worldwide. This will be your mandate.

What We Seek:

Building on close to a decade experience in working with or for a diversity of governmental bodies, you know how to reach out and gain the confidence of policy-makers, as well as understand how to position voluntary and private sector initiatives to best meet their needs. You are keen to apply your skills and knowledge to strengthen tried and tested models of public-private partnership as well as to identify innovative models of collaboration. Your work to date has brought you into contact with decision-makers from different countries around the world, as well as working in several fields affecting sustainability (e.g. environment, development, agriculture), notably climate change.

Your experience will likely have been gained from within a non-governmental or a professional organization, probably one centered on a sustainability mission. You will have had some experience of interfacing with one or more ISEAL Alliance members. Importantly, you have experience in organizing and facilitating the coming together of individuals from different organizations, to work to objectives jointly identified and agreed upon. You are a strategist, and have proven you can apply strategic thinking both to rally people around you, as well as in developing work programmes.

You are enthused by the prospect of helping to build the profile and impact of a small (10-20 people) organization, as well as committed to contributing to scaling-up the impacts of the movement of voluntary standards systems.

 

ISEAL’s head office is in London. However ISEAL operates as a networked organization with staff in Belgium, Canada, the United States and Australia. It is hoped that you will be based in London, though other strategic locations such as Brussels or Washington DC may be considered.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a current CV and a statement explaining how they meet each of the selection criteria for the position.   

Applications should be submitted by email, to reach us no later than 5pm GMT on Friday 12 March 2010.  To apply, or for specific enquiries, candidates may contact Mr. Philip Wilson, ISEAL Finance & Operations Director, by email at: philip@isealalliance.org.  

We regret that we will only be able to contact short-listed candidates.

Other Relevant Information:

Working Hours:            Based on a full time equivalent of 37.5 hours per week.  Based on negotiations with the successful applicant, there is some degree of flexibility in terms of the number and pattern of working hours.

International Travel:     The post holder will be required to undertake international travel including overnight stays.

Equal Opportunities:    The ISEAL Alliance strives to be an equal opportunities employer and commitment to this process is expected.

Ideal Start Date:           April 2010 or sooner if possible

Duty Statement

Under the general direction of the Director for Learning & Innovation, the following duties will be carried out:

#	Duties	Time %
1	Lead ISEAL’s Sustainability Governance Policy-Making activities, including: >        Build on existing groundwork to develop and implement proposed activities, as well as identify further opportunities and strategies for ISEAL’s work with governmental bodies. Current and planned activities are: >        Sustainable Public Procurement >        A Forum for Innovation in Collaborative Sustainability Governance >        Governmental Uptake of ISEAL Credibility Tools >        Priority MEAs and the ISEAL Alliance >        Strategies for engagement in Brazil, China and India >        Collaborative projects with the NGO community (e.g. Consumers, Developmental, Fisheries groups) >        In co-ordination with the Development & Fundraising team, ensure the funding of agreed activities >        Organise and facilitate the engagement of ISEAL’s membership in agreed activities >        Implement ISEAL’s advocacy, outreach and information to and from governmental and non-governmental bodies (e.g. policy papers, technical research papers, articles, presentations, organising expert meetings, …) >        Carry-out monitoring & evaluation for “sustainability governance policy-making” activities	65
2	>        Represent the ISEAL Alliance at relevant international events and meetings >        Participate in ISEAL’s broader policy analysis and advocacy activities (e.g. writing articles for members, organising events with decision-makers, …) >        Provide information to the Communications & Outreach team for ISEAL’s newsletters, website and on-line community	20
3	Support the on-going development and implementation of the ISEAL Alliance’s Climate Change engagement strategy	15

Selection Criteria

A	Knowledge and Experience	Essential or Desirable
A.1	Degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Policy & politics, environmental management, law), or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education and training	Essential
A.2	Eight to ten years work experience, with at least five years directly involved in policy work, preferably for or aimed at different types of institutions (e.g. national, inter-governmental)	Essential
A.3	At least five years experience in working on sustainability-related issues (e.g. environment, CSR, development, labour)	Essential
A.4	Experience in strategic programme planning and implementation	Essential
A.5	Experience in engaging and facilitating groups or teams	Essential
A.6	Knowledge of one or more sustainability standards systems	Essential
A.7	Line-management experience	Desirable
A.8	Experience in working for an international organisation with staff members based in multiple locations	Desirable

 

 

B	Skills	Essential or Desirable
B.1	Proven analytical and research skills	Essential
B.2	Capacity to work alone to deadlines, to establish priorities	Essential
B.3	Fluent spoken and written English	Essential
B.4	Capacity to articulate complex issues in an accessible way for a diversity of audiences, both in writing and talking	Essential
B.5	Proven group building and facilitation skills	Essential
B.6	Fluent spoken and written Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese or French	Desirable

 

C	Personal Attributes	Essential or Desirable
C.1	Ability to engender trust through communication and evidence of outcomes.	Essential
C.2	Self-motivated and able to work independently.	Essential
C.3	Committed to team work, and to promoting team working spirit.	Essential
C.4	Committed to contributing to positive social and environmental change.	Essential