Senior Technical and Programme Unit Lead

London, England, United Kingdom

1/8/2025

Job title: Senior Technical and Programme Unit Lead

Salary: £63,389.00

Location: London, E1 (Hybrid working)

Contract/Hours: Full time 35 hours, Permanent

Fairtrade Foundation are recruiting for a Senior Technical and Programme Unit Lead

to manage an ambitious development programme. The role will encompass leading the technical design and direction of the programme, managing a programme management unit, stakeholder management (including multiple donors), driving new programme investment and conducting industry thought leadership. The programme is located in Cote DIvorie and aims to drive living incomes for cocoa farmers via a range of pilots including access to finance, income diversification, pruning and support services, as well as cash transfers. Were looking for creativity, technical and programme management rigor, innovation and an ability to think outside the box. Exceptional relationship and partnership building skills, including at a senior government and corporate level, is a must.

Youll need to be an energetic leader and team player with experience and a strong understanding of how to drive collaborative, systematic change process within global supply chains. We are looking for someone with an excellent track record of generating the financial resources needed to underpin programming, including proven success in securing institutional and commercial partner funding. Experience in food systems, sustainable livelihoods, agricultural value chain development, is advantageous. Experience in delivering cash transfer models would be advantageous.

Fairtrade changes the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers around the world.

Globally, across all Fairtrade members, we share a vision of a world in which all farmers and workers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their future. To achieve this we connect disadvantaged farmers and workers with consumers, promote fairer trading conditions, and empower farmers and workers to combat poverty, strengthen their position and take more control of their lives.

Fairtrade is a global movement with a strong and active presence in the UK, represented by the Fairtrade Foundation. Farmers and workers have a strong voice at every level of Fairtrade, from how they invest in and run their local organisations to having an equal say in Fairtrades global decision-making.

We are seeking passionate and enthusiastic candidates who share our vision for a better world, if that sounds like you, then come and join our movement for change.

At Fairtrade we are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children & vulnerable adults in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work within this environment are recruited to work for us. Therefore for this specific role a Basic DBS check will be needed as part of an offer of employment.

The Fairtrade Foundation is an equal opportunities employer, offers flexible working and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates with ethnically diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ candidates and from candidates with disabilities, because we would like to increase the representation of these groups at this level. We want to do this because we know greater diversity will lead to greater results for producers and farmers around the world.

Closing date: 10am Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Interviews will take place week of the 27 of January 2025

Contract: Permanent, Full time

Role Purpose

The Fairtrade Foundation is at an exciting point as it looks to expand its global programmes portfolio and explore new ways to drive impact and tackle urgent challenges facing farmers and workers in the Fairtrade Producer Networks. Fairtrade is looking to hire a Senior Technical and Programme Unit Lead to manage an ambitious development programme. The role will encompass leading the technical design and direction of the programme, managing a programme management unit, stakeholder management (including multiple donors), driving new programme investment and conducting industry thought leadership. New business development (leveraging programme investment) will be a core purpose of this role. The programme is located in Cote DIvorie and aims to drive living incomes for cocoa farmers via a range of pilots including access to finance, income diversification, pruning and support services, as well as cash transfers. This role will be located our London, UK offices, with scope for work from home balance. The role will involve international travel.

This role is within the Programmes and Partnerships team which is housed in the Commercial Directorate. This team is responsible for building programmes and expertise solutions for partners (commercial and donor) across several core thematic areas including Living Income, Living Wage, Climate and Gender. All programmatic and expertise work is geared towards tackling systemic issues and building farmer and worker resilience. We also manage a portfolio of programmes for a variety of partners including donors , brands, and retailers .

Key Responsibilities And Accountabilities

Management

• Lead a Programme Management Unit in partnership with Fairtrade Africa, comprising of technical and operational staff divided between the UK and CDI, in combination with subcontractors and consultants to support specific pieces of work..
• Manage, coordinate and supervise staff within your team in accordance with the Head of Programme Partnerships and the Fairtrade Foundations needs, policies and procedures. This will include induction, training and support of team members, and staff appraisals and performance reviews as appropriate.
• Lead the Programme Management Unit through day-to-day problem solving, showing resilience and promoting new ways of working and innovation as required.
  
  

Programme Delivery

• Lead the successful implementation of a multi-million dollar living income programme, ensuring that the high standards on international best practice on programme design and delivery are maintained.
• Manage the programme reporting structure, presenting to the programme steering committee and governance structure on a regular basis, as well as writing programme reports to those funding the programme.
• Design, input into and provide quality assurance of technical work carried out under the programme.
• Responsible for overseeing the financial management of the programme, managing programme finance staff and reporting internally and externally on programme expenditure.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining appropriate risk management mechanisms.
• Lead on creating safeguarding pathways in the programme, with an understanding and commitment to safeguarding practices.
• Contribute, build contacts among and manage a wide range of consultants with the appropriate skillsets to deliver on high impact pieces of work.
• Support the Head of Programme Partnerships in building a culture where it is safe to challenge by seeking and listening to feedback to assure the quality of our programming work.
• Ensure that your team maintains up-to-date contacts and engagement tracking in CRM database to monitor progress.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of our internal systems, policies and procedures to meet GDPR and international standards of accountability and best practice
  
  

Stakeholder Management, Partnership Building, and Influence

• Take a lead in building the high-leverage partnerships and relationships with international organisations (commercial partners and/or institutional donors) that will be critical to successful delivery of the programme.
• Manage relationships internally and externally to the Fairtrade Foundation, including reporting into internal governance structures, managing relationships with key implementing partners on the programme, and holding lines of communication with producer networks.
• Work closely and in partnership with Fairtrade Africa, supporting with intervention/activity planning and delivery, risk management and monitoring and evaluation.
• Represent the Fairtrade Foundation and our work at the highest levels, including relevant national and international conferences, seminars, and meetings.
  
  

Leveraging Additional Investment

• Lead on securing additional investment for targeted programmes through pursuing a range of business development activities, including donor stewardship and proposal development.
• Lead and hold key donor relationships on behalf of Fairtrade Foundation.
  
  

Person specification

Essential:

Experience & Qualifications

• Experience in complex stakeholder relationship management
• Master's degree or higher in relevant field (international development, economics, management, sustainability)
• Significant experience in economic development
• Applicant should be able to demonstrate at least 5 years of programme management experience, including managing a team
• Applicant must have previous experience of financial oversight of programmes worth over $1 million
• Experience in delivering programmes according to contractual requirements including reporting
• Experience in managing risk management mechanisms for programmes
• Experience leading technical business development work for donors such as FCDO, GIZ and the private sector?
  
  

Desired:

• Experience in delivering cash transfer models, preferably in a supply chain context.
  
  

Working with teams in different geographical locations.

Essential:

Knowledge & Skills

• Good understanding of development economics, complex adaptive systems and market systems approaches
• Able to design and oversee market analysis
• Fluency in French oral and written.
• Knowledge of best practice in project management and familiar with all aspects of project cycle
• Knowledge of programme financial management and reporting
• Good grasp of social challenges relevant to the programme
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience of presenting programme results in reports and in meetings
• Familiar with Fairtrades mission and values and support for its strategy on making trade fair and seeing producers and workers receive a Living Income and Living Wage
• Good working knowledge of MS Office
  
  

Desired:

• Familiar with the global cocoa supply chain and cocoa productive systems
• Good understanding of safeguarding and developing safeguarding mechanisms for programmes
  
  

Fairtrade Values

We want everyone to be ambassadors for the organisation and encourage staff & volunteers to speak at events which on occasion might be during evenings and weekends, to promote diversity, equality and inclusion in everything we do, and champion our values.

Fairtrades global values are: Accountability, Integrity, Respect and Partnership . These values should be embedded in your work and behaviour, and any associated policies and processes adopted consistently.

At Fairtrade we are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children & vulnerable adults in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to work within this environment are recruited to work for us.

Review Arrangements

The details contained in the Job Description reflect the content of the job at the date the job description was prepared. It should be remembered, however, that it is inevitable that over time the nature of individual jobs will change; existing duties may be lost, and other duties may be gained without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Consequently, the Fairtrade Foundation will expect to revise this job description from time to time and will consult with the post holder as appropriate.