Job Opportunities
Assistant Project Manager – Responsible Production
Proforest is seeking a motivated, flexible and qualified professional with limited practical experience but with a high potential to quickly develop the technical skills required for leading on projects to support Proforest’s growing consultancy services in responsible production and to support the international capacity building programme. This is an exciting opportunity to work with major international brands, consumer goods clients and agricultural & forestry production companies to develop and implement their responsible production strategies, particularly in relation to agricultural commodities and forestry.
About Proforest
Proforest is a world leader in supporting the sustainable production and responsible sourcing of commodities including forest products, palm oil, soy, sugar, coffee, cattle, and other agricultural commodities. Proforest is a dynamic not-for-profit organisation with an international office in the UK and regional offices in Malaysia, Brazil, Ghana, and Colombia. Our staff are from many different countries and cultures and the successful candidate must be able to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Proforest provides practical support to producers, processors and purchasers of agricultural commodities to help them work in environmentally and socially responsible ways. As demand for sustainably sourced commodities increases, those actors all need to demonstrate that they are meeting commitments to environmental and social responsibility, which is a complex task in a challenging commercial environment. We work at every stage of the supply chain, from production and processing, through to purchasing and investment. Our 16 years’ experience covers the management of forests, oil palm, soy, sugarcane, rubber and beef, at a range of scales that includes smallholders, communities and forest-dependent people through to multinational businesses. We focus on the opportunities for conservation and social benefits within the production landscape, and never lose sight of the need for pragmatic and workable practices and solutions. We work at all levels throughout commodity supply chains – from international policy and legislation to practical operations on the ground – to support the development and implementation of workable environmental and social standards and safeguards that help to produce and source natural resources sustainably.
Position summary
The position offers an exciting opportunity to join Proforest’s growing consultancy team and take an important role in supporting the delivery of Proforest’s services. The Assistant Project Manager (APM) is a learning role which supports other team members on a variety of projects. The APM will be part of the responsible production team, and will mainly be involved in Proforest’s ‘upstream’ activities such as High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock Assessments (HCS) and related policy work. Based in Oxford, this role works with colleagues in our regional offices to provide support to the organisation globally. A more senior team member will provide mentoring support to the Assistant Project Manager and enable their progression to a Project Manager within 12 months. This is a fixed term position for 12 months after which Proforest may offer a role as Project Manager to individuals who perform well during the fixed term period.
Responsibilities
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Support the Proforest responsible production team on a range of tasks related to the management and delivery of projects and/or programmes.
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Maintain a clear understanding of relevant developments around Proforest's work, with a focus on the on-going no deforestation / no conversion debate and the related initiatives therein.
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Contribute to the broader functioning of the team.
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Support the international capacity development programme.
Qualifications and Experience
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Masters (or equivalent) qualification in a relevant discipline (natural resources management, ecology, biology, …)
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Excellent verbal & written communication skills, including presentation skills.
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Fluency in English and French
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Experience working with GIS software (ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, and/or QGIS) is considered as an asset.
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Any experience in consultation and working with various stakeholders including large companies, small and medium enterprises, NGOs, financing institutions, government aid agencies, smallholders and/or local communities is considered as an asset.
Other competencies
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Outstanding analytical and problem solving capabilities
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Eager to learn and quick-learning
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Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
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Excellent organisational and project management skills
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Awareness of the motivations and drivers relating to responsible sourcing/production in international agricultural and forest product supply chains
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Ability to support international capacity building and training programmes
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Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment
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Has a strong affinity with environmental and social sustainability issues affecting forest products and agricultural commodities sectors
Salary
Range from £20,000
To apply
Please send your CV, a cover letter explaining your suitability for the position and confirmation that you are eligible to work in the UK to personnel@proforest.net or by post to:
Proforest - Human Resources
South Suite, Frewin Chambers
Frewin Court, Oxford OX1 3HZ, UK
Application Deadline: 21st May 2017
Proforest is an equal opportunity employer.