Job description
With the acceleration of climate change, biodiversity loss and the degradation of natural ecosystems, more than ever, time is for action. How can we support farmers and rural communities whose source of income directly depends on natural resources, climate, soil, water? Which agricultural models can feed a growing global population that will reach 9.7 billion by 2050? Which models can generate a decent living income to farmers and contribute to reduce carbon impact while regenerating soils, biodiversity and water resources?
Since 2011, the Livelihoods Funds have been acting on the ground to support the efforts of rural and agricultural communities to restore the foundations of our home, the Earth. We have been working hand in hand with local organizations in all continents, to foster farming practices that have a positive impact on people, nature and climate. We do it with one conviction: no-one can address these complex challenges alone! Livelihoods track record is based on partnerships and operational coalitions between farmers and their organizations, international brands and local businesses, public organizations and governments, who are engaged in the transformation of their value chain.
After more than 10 years of successful partnerships supporting nature-based solutions in diverse geographies (Asia, Africa, Latin America & Europe), it is now time to move up a gear! Are you convinced that climate, nature and peoples’ livelihoods are strongly interlinked? Are you ready to put your boots on the ground and excited to develop and manage solutions that deliver impact? Are you motivated to play a leading role in building and running stakeholders coalitions?
To join our team of talented, committed, and agile professionals and support generating and coordinating Regenerative Agriculture projects, we are looking for a Senior Project Portfolio Coordinator - Sustainable Sourcing, based in Paris or in Europe (able to be present 20% of time in the H.Q.). This is a highly visible and influential role that will regularly interact with executive leadership and director-level teams and requires an individual to embody exceptional integrity, optimism, expertise, and collaborative spirit amongst both internal and external stakeholders to help advance Livelihoods’ mission.
YOUR ROLE:
Reporting to the Sustainable Sourcing VP, the Senior Portfolio Coordinator will hold three roles:
1. Generating of business opportunities leveraging Regenerative Agriculture commitments of food & cosmetics corporations:
- Is responsible for identifying and evaluating project opportunities by keeping an eye out for Corporations calls for actions, Reg Ag trends, and principals that will enable Livelihoods to keep corporations engaged in long term transformation.
- Plays a major strategic role by developing corporations relationships that lead to long lasting business engagement on field projects, building awareness and credibility with the key corporations as well as Reg Ag.
- Plays an analytical role by preparing detailed proposals depending on each corporation’s requirements to enhance collaboration.
- Maintains knowledge of best sustainability business practices, market trends, consumer trends, and the competitive environment.
2. Coordinating operations within a program/portfolio of Regenerative Agriculture projects in a matrix organization:
- Is responsible for Reg Ag programs and project portfolio management within Corporate Partner(s) supply chains; coordinating and easing communications with corporations at diverse levels (central and regions for example).
- Co-develops Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to the investors of these various programs and portfolio in compliance with Livelihoods charter. He/She also reviews target achievement and creates reports for senior account management, which facilitates the creation of informed decision-making and strategy formulation within Livelihoods.
- Makes sure that Livelihoods and teams’ resources are allocated and utilized as per business goals of partnering corporations. It requires liaising with senior key account management in the creation and determination of departmental strategies, financial requirements, and account management standards.
3. Acting as a Project Sponsor for some field projects in various geographies and is accountable for their quality during:
- Is responsible for the field project design with socio-economists, agronomists, Assessing, Measuring, Evaluating & Learning experts at Livelihoods as well as several external stakeholders (farmer cooperatives, private brands and off-takers, Chamber of Agriculture, local banks…).
- Is accountable for field project implementation by making sure the ad-hoc Livelihoods project manager can deploy the field activities on the ground with local project implementer(s) towards the expected outcomes of Corporations.
As such her/his main responsibilities will cover:
- Setting-up, facilitating and act as focal point on specific Corporation partnership and project coalition.
- Regularly Reporting to Funds/Platforms(s) on the challenges and projects progress, with mitigation plans.
- Coaching project managers in charge, backstopping activities of project implementers close to rural communities.
- Managing the KPIs of portfolio of projects.
- Overseeing the co-design and implementation of agroecology & regenerative agriculture projects adapted to the local context.
- Bringing or identify expertise on business coalitions to our colleagues and partners and help adapt these to the projects’ local context.
- Continuously learning and improve the engagement of new partnering organizations.
- Collaborating within internal and external stakeholders and activities in the long run, by playing an active role within projects/programs governance, anticipating opportunities and risks, monitoring, and achieving results over time.
You are a passionate, experienced, and result-driven professional with:
10 to 15 years’ experience in sustainable sourcing initiatives with/within Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Companies.
Positive track record to drive commitments with business players and/or within large-scale project management and directly with farmers.
Bilingual English and in another European language.
Communication skills are a major requirement for the candidate, tasked with handling high-value business clients and should, therefore, be able to consistently address those consumer concerns while offering clear, concise, and understandable responses to their prompts.
Higher education degree eq. MSc. field of study on business administration, Agronomie, agrifood, agronomy, sustainable development, procurement or with the equivalent hands-on experience.
Ability to travel regularly in France and Internationally.
You are:
- Result-oriented: you are able to adapt to changing situations and have a mitigative action plan to deliver on objectives.
- Assertive: you will interact confidently internally and externally, especially able to say in a direct and constructive way what you expect from project manager and how you can support them.
- Change-embracing: Be open to- and keep a curious eye on- innovation, climate initiatives, regulatory environment, and debates in a fast-evolving policy context; willingness to learn.
- Didactic: Clear and concise communication skillset, able to adapt content & delivery method to the public and facilitate informed decision-making.
- Multi-tasker: Prioritize, deal with pressure, keep track of the progress of several tasks simultaneously and be ready to rearrange priorities in response to new information.
- Able to collaborate with and adapt to multi-cultural working environment and with our international project partners.
- Able to work remotely: Particularly when interacting with peers based outside company’s HQs, ability to self-start, work efficiently, create relationships, work in teams despite long distance and time-difference.
Other specifics:
- A location with reasonable train distance from Paris (Headquarters) is possible.
- The company offers the opportunity to work significantly from home with regular in-person interactions at the headquarters.
- Livelihoods values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
