Forestry Associate, Mexico -- RA-Cert Division
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
RA-Cert, a division of the Rainforest Alliance, supports the organization’s mission by delivering sustainability auditing, verification, validation and certification services based on the best available global standards. RACERT conducts its work with the highest integrity, transparency and quality in order to generate positive economic, ecological and social benefits for our clients and worldwide.
The Forestry Associate will be responsible for supporting the market development of RA-Cert services being offered in Mexico. S/he will provide services to existing and potential clients in the region, and will help to facilitate training events for consultant auditors in charge of forest management and chain of custody audits.
- Serve as the representative for RA-Cert with government, industry, and NGOs in the region;
- Serve as task manager for the assigned jobs, and act as quality-control for RA-Cert reports prior to final submission;
- Conduct pre-assessments, main assessments, and annual audits for FSC forest management and chain-of-custody certification, serving as the audit team leader when needed;
- Write, review, and finalize certification audit reports, as needed;
- Provide assistance to the RA-Cert country Coordinator and to the Manager, Mesoamerica for managing certification scopings, assessments and audits, including the preparation of job budgeting, service contracts, team identification and contracts, arranging logistical support to consultants, report review, liaison with clients in assessment and report review, peer review identification and contract, finalizing assessment reports to be sent to final reviewer;
- Ensure FSC annual audits calendars are up to date for clients in Mexico, and ensure compliance with the internal timing policies;
- Ensure the implementation of required certification protocols in jobs directly under his/her responsibility;
- Provide customer service to current and interested clients in the region, to include but not limited to, information about certification, market linkages, and guidance on certification process, logo use, marketing, etc.;
- At the request of the RA-Cert country Coordinator and/or the Manager, Mesoamerica, prepare the first formal response to false certification claims in the region;
- Support the RA-Cert country Coordinator in the development and meeting of the sales and business targets for the region;
- Directly market RA-Cert services to potential commercial, and community forestry and wood products industry clients;
- Follow the regional guidance for the implementation of policies and technical improvements of the certification systems;
- Assist in the organization and facilitation of training courses for regional specialists in forest assessment, chain-of-custody assessment and audits, as well as the RA-Cert administration requirements;
- Liaise between RA-Cert offices and other organizations, NGOs and stakeholders in region to assist in identifying new alliances as needed and develop RA-Cert network capacity;
- In coordination with the RA-Cert management, develop, analyze, review, and implement certification policies, national standards, as well as any other information required to meet the quality of certification;
- Develop and deliver formal presentations on behalf of RA-Cert, representing the country Coordinator and/or the Manager, Mesoamerica when asked;
- Collaborate with the Rainforest Alliance TREES program in proposals’ development; and
- Other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s Degree in related field; a Master’s Degree a plus;
- 3-5 years of field experience in forestry or rural natural resources management and/or economic development;
- The knowledge of RA-Cert and/or FSC certification protocols is advantageous;
- Must have strong planning, analytical, and project management skills, with ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously while adhering to deadlines;
- Proven experience to effectively market products or services. Experience to effectively market RACERT certification to potential customers;
- Must have strong verbal and written communication skills in Spanish;
- Knowledge of English is advantageous;
- Strong computer skills (i.e. word processing, spreadsheet and presentations); and
- Willingness and ability to travel 80 percent of the time.
Commensurate with experience.
Only candidates authorized to work in Mexico will be considered.
Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 8 Avenida 15-62, zona 10, Ciudad Guatemala, Guatemala 01010. Fax: (502) 2383-5777; Email: guatemalapersonnel@ra.org. If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title of position you are applying for.
The Rainforest Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.