• Deadline: October 23, 2022
• Location: Bonn, Germany.
• Working Hours: Full time – 40 hours per week.
• Duration of Employment: Temporary contract – 2 years (extension possible) 

Background

FSC works to take care of our forests and those who rely on them: by protecting plant and animal species, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, forest workers’ safety, and much more. We achieve this through FSC certification, ensuring forests around the world are responsibly managed. For more information on FSC, visit our website at www.ic.fsc.org.

To effectively meet the challenge of protecting the world’s forests, we are committed to ensuring we have the world’s most skilled people working with us. This commitment extends to everyone that works in FSC around the world: from those that lead the design of policies and standards, to those that roll out those same policies and standards on the ground, and to those that provide us with backbone to do our work.

We are looking for an engaged Director for Certification Performance and Relations who brings solid expertise and a passion for FSC’s mission, to work with us in a multinational environment.

Job description

Role Purpose

Manage the relationships with over 40 independent Certification Bodies that audit conformance with FSC standards in the field of forest management and supply chain management, to further strengthen the performance, integrity and credibility of our overall assurance system.

Main Roles and Responsibilities:

• Provide direction to the certification body community on how we implement the FSC Global Strategy 2021-2026 through relevant change processes.
• Drive the development of key performance indicators for certification body performance and propose measures how to increase the overall quality and consistency of FSC certification.
• Explore and encourage the engagement of certification bodies in strategic areas beyond auditing where independent verification, relevant technical knowledge, or on-the-ground presence is required.
• Make use of the certification body community to get true intelligence from the ground – in general and on a case-by-case basis.
• Craft agendas and review the overall engagement with the certification body community, such as quarterly calls and annual meetings.
• Act as a senior interface for all overarching matters and concerns brought forward by the certification body community and maintain direct relationships with major certification bodies.
• Listen to and learn from the certification body community to finetune our approaches and standards ensuring auditability and integrity.
• Interact with other important stakeholders on assurance quality such as other voluntary standard-setting schemes or the ISEAL Alliance.
• Execute leadership responsibilities as supervisor of a dedicated team and as a Deputy Director for the Performance and Standards Unit.

Candidate requirements

Qualification, Experience and Skills:

Education and Training

• University degree in forest management or equivalent.

Work Experience, Style and Skills:

• At least 10 years of experience in auditing or consulting in the field of certification
• Outstanding analytical, conceptual and communicative skills paired with a strong commercial acumen gained from practical business experience in an assurance context.
• Readiness to take contested positions, aptitude to hold difficult conversations, and strong ability to deal with conflict.
• Eye for both technical detail as well as strategic aspects with a results-oriented approach
• High level of motivation to work with efficiency, flexibility and diplomacy under tight deadlines and pressure, both autonomously and as leader of a small team.

Leadership:

• Proven track record in strategical leadership and direct supervision of teams
• Effective cross-collaborator who liaises with peers, Directors, and others across the organization to ensure consistent messaging and consolidated technical analysis of relevant matters.
• Ability to work collaboratively and in cooperation with multiple stakeholders, while maintaining balance and the solid aptitude to manage and respond to divergent views.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (spoken and written.)
• Spanish and/or French is a plus.

Others:

• Commitment to FSC’s mission and values.
• Ability to represent FSC through his/her work with exemplary personal and professional authority and conduct.