Job Advert: Certification Manager

Employment Type: Full-time

Job Summary

The Certification Manager will lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of all sustainable agriculture and ethical sourcing standards. The successful candidate will spearhead fair trade and UTZ certification schemes, ensuring the company’s operations maintain strict traceability, ethical labor compliance, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Certification Management: Develop and execute strategies to ensure compliance with fair trade and UTZ Alliance cocoa standards across the entire supply chain.
• Training & Capacity Building: Design and oversee training programs for internal field staff, agronomists, and local farmers regarding certification requirements, sustainable farming, and worker safety.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the primary liaison between the company, fair trade, the UTZ Alliance, external auditors, and local farming cooperatives.
• Reporting & Compliance: Maintain accurate, auditable documentation and records related to certification activities, ensuring all social, economic, and ecological requirements are met

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Agronomy, International Development, or a related field.
• Minimum 4+ years of professional experience in agricultural supply chains, sustainability standards, or compliance management.
• Deep, hands-on knowledge and prior training/experience with fair trade and UTZ certification frameworks.
• Excellent training and facilitation skills, strong organizational ability, and a proven track record of managing field teams and agricultural cooperatives.
• Maintain accurate, auditable documentation and records related to certification activities, ensuring all social, economic, and ecological requirements are met.

• Develop and execute strategies to ensure compliance with fair trade and UTZ Alliance cocoa standards across the entire supply chain.
• Design and oversee training programs for internal field staff, agronomists, and local farmers regarding certification requirements, sustainable farming, and worker safety.
• Act as the primary liaison between the company, fair trade, the UTZ Alliance, external auditors, and local farming cooperatives.
• Maintain accurate, auditable documentation and records related to certification activities, ensuring all social, economic, and ecological requirements are met.

• Excellent training and facilitation skills
• Strong organizational ability
• Proven track record of managing field teams and agricultural cooperatives
• Deep, hands-on knowledge and prior training/experience with fair trade and UTZ certification frameworks

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Agronomy, International Development, or a related field.
• Minimum 4+ years of professional experience in agricultural supply chains, sustainability standards, or compliance management.