Compliance Lead

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Compliance Lead is responsible for leading and managing the deployment of activities required for the implementation of the sustainability standards such Rainforest Alliance, Cocoa Horizons, Fairtrade, African Regional Standards among others.

This is a key role as ensuing full compliance to those standards is the foundation of both sourcing and sustainability as cocoa can not be sourced and no sustainability activities can be implemented with non compliant cooperatives. More specifically, he/she will manage all cooperatives certification renewal based aligned with customers contracted targets. He/She will work in close collaboration with the traceability and EUDR team as well as the sustainability program management team to ensure successful implementation.

The role encompasses a wide range of activities including strong collaboration and interaction with external stakeholders management ( CCC, certification bodies, customers) and cooperatives leaders.

He/she will manage the certification projects in multiple buying regions and must be able to plan, influence and lead a team of agents to deliver the implementation of activities while respecting time and budget constraints. He/She may also be called upon to contribute to other projects/programs of the Sourcing, Sustainability and Traceability teams.

KEY RESPONSABILITIES INCLUDE

● Certification management

● Ensure all cooperatives conduct their audits on a yearly basis with top scores this includes the preparation of the audit and budget verification budget with Controlling

● Manage verification and validate activities certification ( RA, FT, ARS) renewal for all cooperatives, including: activities planning , training and supervision of field teams.

● Identify and mitigate risks associated to decertification or alerts of non-compliance verification activities to ensure compliance with the relevant standards requirements and minimize negative impacts on the business

● Continually evaluate and improve processes related to certification renewal to improve efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring alignment with evolving standards requirements and industry best practices.

● Prepare and manage the budget for audits and checks in collaboration with FINANCIAL CONTROLLING for SUSTAINABILITY;

● Lead the registration of cooperatives on the RA portal as well as the effective validation of their registers with supporting evidence within the deadlines;

● Conduct regular field audits inline with the operational audit and M&E teams

● Define and implement an operational plan of activities allowing the migration of our partners, from one standard and/or from one norm to another within the given deadlines

● Define the ARSS 1000 program implementation strategy and approach

● Monitor the implementation of the African Standard for Sustainable Cocoa (ARSS) at the CCC level

● Ensure compliance with the ARSS certification process, for obtaining and/or renewing our cooperatives' certificates

● Ensure that the actions undertaken both by BARRY CALLEBAUT (SACO, BCN) and by its business partners comply with the regulations in force, in particular the requirements of customers and the countries of destination of BARRY CALLEBAUT products (RA, FT, COH, C4G, CL, NCP, RCCP, CCC, CBP, ARSS, etc.)

● Conduct regular field audits to ensure effective preparation before audits

● Compliance with legislation ( EUDR, CSDDD,...)

● Manage verification and validation activities for deforestation alerts and alerts of non-compliance in identified agricultural plots, including: activities planning , recruiting, training and supervision of field teams.

● Collaborate with external stakeholders such as suppliers, regulators and industry associations to ensure alignment with EUDR requirements and promote transparency and collaboration.

● Identify and mitigate risks associated with plots verification and deforestation alerts or alerts of non-compliance verification activities to ensure compliance with EUDR requirements and minimize negative environmental impacts.

● Continually evaluate and improve processes related to plots verification and deforestation alerts verification to improve efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring alignment with evolving EUDR requirements and industry best practices.

● Contribute to the collection and analysis of GIS data related to plots verification and deforestation alerts, as well as data supporting Barry Callebaut’s Deforestation Due Diligence Process, and ad hoc impact assessments and learning studies.

● Develop and submit regular reports on the results of alerts verification and validation activities to internal and external stakeholders, as appropriate.

● Internally report incidences of deforestation and ensure the implementation of the actions required to take them into account.

● Maintain clear and proactive communication with internal and external stakeholders regarding the status of projects, key findings, and any emerging issues or challenges.

● Ensure proper archiving of relevant documentation.

Budget management

● Define and manage the budget for audits and checks in collaboration with controlling and sustainability program managers

● Write calls for tenders for training ( when applicable), pre-audits and audits to be validated together with procurement team

● Monthly follow up of certification invoices payment with accountingteam

Reporting and communication

● Ensure technical and regulatory monitoring of all subjects related to the NORMS AND STANDARDS governing the cocoa sector and more particularly the field of Sustainability (updating, modification of standards, development of the ISO / CEN standard, Label Côte d'Ivoire ,…)

● Maintain clear and proactive communication with internal and external stakeholders regarding the status of projects, key findings, and any emerging issues or challenges.

Training and Capacity building

● Take charge of promoting BARRY CALLEBAUT's actions with partners, in collaboration with the relevant departments

● Stay at breast with potential changes in sustainability standard and communicate those as well as their impact at local, regional and global levels

● Define and implement the training plan related to compliance for the sourcing and sustainability team as well as cooperatives staff

Stakeholder management

● Ensure and maintain relationships with external certification partners such as the Rainforest Alliance, Faitrade, and the Cocoa Coffee Council

● Be the focal point to liaise with the government institutions on new standard development and deployment

● Represent BC at relevant external meeting on the standard development topic

● Proactively engage with customer during quarterly meetings or ad hoc meeting stating the status of standards and compliance activities

● Ensure all customers proposal are fully compliant with the relevant standards

● Support the set up and lead on strategic partnerships on related topics in line with Barry Callebaut’s Forever Chocolate strategy

● Collaborate with external stakeholders such as cooperatives, regulators and industry associations to ensure alignment with ARS, RA,FT and other standards requirements and promote transparency and collaboration.

ABOUT YOU

● Master Degree in Agriculture /Geography/ Data Analysis/ Geographical Information System

● Experience at least 7 years’ experience in cocoa sustainability

● Minimum 5 years of experience in managing certification process & sustainability program

● Good knowledge of all certifications schemes

● Experience in managing teams and carrying out complex tasks across different regions

● Experience engaging with local communities and cooperative

● Experience organizing training programs for farmers and team members

● Ability to work under tight deadlines

● Fluency in both French and English

● Strong listening and analytical skills

● Attention to details and reporting capability

● Strong multitasking skills and solution-minded

● Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges and remains calm in stressful situations

● Proactivité and Flexibility

● Bilingual ( English and French)

● A driving license

● Driving experience in the rural areas

● Travel requirements: Travel 40% into rural cocoa communities

● Others: be able to go on assignment outside the country

● All certification scheme and standard knowledge

● Ability to manage critical and important stakeholders including government officials

● Ability to lead and be able to plan, coordinate and monitor in order to achieve results

● Ability to explain complex reporting processes to end users with strong coaching and training skills

● Strong listening, analytical skills and solution minded

● Attention to details and reporting capability

● Strong multitasking skills

● Strong knowledge of GIS and mapping data tools

● Familiar with certification declaration platform such as multitrace, Flocert

● Microsoft Office suite (excel, word, powerpoint,…)

● Ressource planning

● Self-starter, when picture and rules are clear he does

● Good networker and stakeholder management

● Good communicator

● Seeks collaboration with his peers in the country

● Can work/understand the field but at the same time feel and easy to contribute or lead strategy discussions on sustainability

● Team motivator

● KPI driven

● Easily approachable for all levels in the org

● Methodical, honest and well organized

● Comfortable with project management

● Capacity for analysis and synthesis

● Good legal knowledge

● Be a good communicator

● Very good written and oral expression