Job description

About Us:

Founded in 2003, FLO-CERT is the global certifier for Fairtrade International. Among many areas of operation, we mainly offer certification, verification, climate, information and impact services from crop to shelf. Our key customers are disadvantaged producers, such as mid-sized agricultural organizations, peasants and farm-workers, in developing and emerging countries. In the northern hemisphere, we advise and support traders and manufacturers on their comprehensive purchasing activities and complex value supply chain management.

FLO-CERT has offices in Bonn, Cape Town, Bangalore and San José. With over 3,000 clients in more than 70 countries, a staff of 80 and over 100 auditors, we are one of the world's leading social certification and verification bodies, bringing together producers, traders, brands and consumers.

Position Description:

FLOCERT's Business Development department explores and develops market areas beyond the traditional Fairtrade certification services including product development, marketing and sales.

As Product Manager Fairtrade Certification you will manage the product development function of the Fairtrade core service incl. collaboration with other schemes and the new added value services (e.g. information services). This includes the development of a sustainable customer retention approach in alignment with Fairtrade International on the one hand and the development and go-to-market strategy for newly developed added value services.

The Product Manager has a strong impact on the development, innovation and customer retention concept and on the success of the strategic direction of FLOCERT's core Fairtrade service. The role requires a willingness to operate at multiple levels, as well as experience in creating and implementing pricing and customer retention strategies in a competitive and fast-paced environment. The function also requires a strong understanding of certification and verification processes and the activities that go along with a customer focused launch of new added value services.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and drive the company's strategy for the core Fairtrade service
• Develop and align a collaboration with other schemes strategy' in alignment with Fairtrade International
• Develop, implement, and drive the company's added value services in the area of information and impact
• Develop and implement monitoring procedures to measure customer satisfaction as a base analysis to drive customer retention
• Engage on a regular basis with key stakeholders on the operations side and on the other hand key functions of Fairtrade International
• Supervise, manage and implement the alignment of a (new) pricing strategy
• Support the improvement of FLOCERT's customer and stakeholder communications
• Represent the Fairtrade core service at industry events (trade fairs, seminars, trainings, etc.)
• Drive business development activities: business planning for potential new services
• Identify reputational risks and implement a strategy to respond to them in alignment with Fairtrade international
• Communicate proactively and frequently to customers and stakeholders about the content of service delivery and state of service development
• Establish mutually beneficial relationship with other organizations

Management Responsibilities:

• Supervise a team of 2-3 employees
• Manage relations, internally with other FLO-CERT departments and Fairtrade International and externally with traders and producers (where necessary)
• Set up and control yearly product development budget

Qualifications:

"Must haves"

• University level education in a relevant subject
• At least 5 years of work experience in product management, customer retention activities, new services launches
• Excellent Business English (equivalent to English mother tongue speaker)
• Extensive know-how about the Fairtrade core service and/or strong background in Certification
• Proven skills in customer orientation and service delivery
• Flexible and entrepreneurial working attitude
• Strong cross-cultural communications skills
• People management skills
• Analytical and conceptual skills
• Ability to structure and communicate precisely on complex subjects
• Team Player
• Flexible and entrepreneurial working attitude
• Skills in working with MS Office and Database-Systems

"Nice to have"

• Advanced language skills in German and/or Spanish
• Experience in working in a multi-stakeholder environment
• Management experience in leading departments or project groups
• Experience with other certification schemes (e.g. Rainforest Alliance, UTZ etc.)

Job Details:

• Job Share: Full-time (38.5 hrs. p.w.)
• Position is based in the FLO-CERT GmbH Office in Bonn, Germany
• The salary and benefit package depends upon qualifications and experience
• Start date: As soon as possible

Compensation

this position is: salaried

Application instructions

Deadline

April 15, 2015