JOB DESCRIPTION
TITLE:
DIVISION / TEAM
REPORTS TO:
Director of Global Product Management
Global Product Management (GPM)
Chief Operating Officer
OVERVIEW:
Fairtrade International (FLO) unites the producer-, market- and business-facing activities within the
Fairtrade Labelling system. FLO develops the Fairtrade Standards; promotes the empowerment of
Fairtrade-certified producers by supporting them in gaining and maintaining Fairtrade Certification and
capitalizing on market opportunities; and facilitates global Fairtrade markets, to optimise benefits for
producers.
Global Product Management (GPM) covers the six key products within Fairtrade:
bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, sugar and tea. The Director is in charge of managing
the unit and ensuring delivery of goals in alignment with the overall vision and mission of
Fairtrade.
The purpose of the Global Product Management Unit is
- Creating product strategies to increase market share and producer impact so as to
meet the growth Ambition for Fairtrade
- Providing product-specific information to all units and actors in the Fairtrade
community, including supply and demand information.
- Activating Product Advisory Councils to help facilitate communication amongst actors in the chain
and help FLO identify solutions to unlock bottlenecks to growth.
OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE:
The Director of Global Product Management contributes to Fairtrade’s strategic objective of securing
industry commitment to trade that helps fight poverty and promote sustainable development by • Directing and guiding theGPM unit, so that it can provide accurate and timely forecast information
and take both strategic and tactical action regarding supply and demand for key Fairtrade certified
products
• Managing the unit
• Influencing key stakeholders across global business and producer facing organisations to
encourage trade in line with Fairtrade aims
ROLES INCLUDED:
• Developing a global product function that determines strategic supply-demand strategies and action
plans
• Undertaking both strategic and tactical action to anticipate market opportunities and invest in
delivering through producers focusing on those who represent the priority for Fairtrade’s
development objectives
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Managing the new function to maintain quality operations that deliver against continuous
improvement targets and best practice
Identifying, recruiting, managing and guiding staff to achieve the function’s remit
Working with other stakeholders - internally and externally - to identify, shape and deliver focused
programmes to drive market- and producer-facing trade behaviors that increase market
opportunities for producers
Creating and maintaining strong internal relationships – providing input to, influencing activity of,
responding to, sharing information and communicating with other functions across Fairtrade
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
As a result of the work of the post holder and his/her team, Fairtrade will be able to –
• Increase market share of core products and producer impact
• Provide high quality and timely information to facilitate the matching of industry demand to Fairtrade
supply
• Maintain focus on marginalized and disadvantaged producers, enhancing their access to market
partners
• Identify and respond to supply constraints.
SKILLS REQUIRED:
Level of education
• University Degree or comparable qualifications
Knowledge / Job Specific Competencies:
• Over 7 years professional experience in supply chain management
• Leadership experience in global supply chain and demand operations
• Understanding of supply chain impacts on small-scale and disadvantaged producers and workers in
developing countries and the ways in which Fairtrade seeks change in this area
• Experience with supply-demand planning, data management, forecasting systems and marketintelligence
• Knowledge and understanding of commodity trading and experience/knowledge of product
categories in Fairtrade scope
• Professional experience in managing staff, also with remote teams, and ability to lead
Professional Skill Requirements:
• Experience in the management of complex, multi-stakeholder projects and achieving goals on time
and to budget
• Influencer: able to achieve desired consensus and action from stakeholders with differing aims
• Creative: used to guiding colleagues to seek solutions to difficult problems with multiple stakeholder
requirements.
• Excellent communication skills
• Languages:
- Fluency in English
- Spanish , French and other relevant languages strongly preferred
Personal Qualities
• Leadership
• Sensitivity to different cultures and business styles
• Collaborative and supportive approach to teamwork
• Good understanding of and commitment to the work of Fairtrade;
• Diplomatic style to drive collaboration in a multi-stakeholder environment;
• Demonstrable ability to motivate and enthuse others;
• Service- and goal-oriented style
• Innovative and proactive personality
• Demonstrable personal commitment to sustainable development based on social justice and
inclusion.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
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This is a full-time executive position and is based in the FLO office in Bonn, Germany
The working language is English
Start date: 1.8. 2011 or as agreed
APPLICATIONS:
Applications, in the form of a letter of motivation and Curriculum Vitae, should be submitted via e-mail to
applications@fairtrade.net, citing Director of Global Product Management in the subject field. The
deadline for completed applications is 30 May 2011