Country Manager, Turkey

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector's future. 

BCI works with a diverse range of stakeholders to promote measurable and continuing improvements for the environment, farming communities and the economies of cotton-producing areas. BCI aims to transform cotton production worldwide by developing better cotton as a sustainable mainstream commodity.

We have developed 4 specific aims: 

• Reduce the environmental impact of cotton production
• Improve livelihoods and economic development in cotton producing areas
• Improve commitment to and flow of Better Cotton throughout supply chain
• Ensure the credibility and sustainability of the Better Cotton Initiative 

Position Overview:

The Country Manager in Turkey is responsible for leading the BCI-TR Association (to be established), ensuring its financial health and legal compliance. This position will provide strategic direction to delivering Better Cotton production and traceability in Turkey.

S/he will work closely with local implementing partners and national stakeholders to ensure that Better Cotton is embedded nationally, and that there is an increasing volume of Better Cotton available from Turkey, creating positive economic, environmental and social benefits in a credible way. 

An initial 1 year contract will be offered to the Country Manager, who will report to the Chair of the BCITR Association. The location of the position is flexible within Turkey, depending on the candidate, and is full time at 40 hours per week.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Accountability 

• To develop, implement and monitor mid and long-term Implementation Plans, with support from the BCI-TR Association Council, to enable delivery of credible Better Cotton in Turkey.
• To deliver, in cooperation with BCI-TR Association Council, a national embedding strategy that ensures financial viability of Better Cotton in /Turkey.
• To strengthen the network and capacity of local partners within Turkey, with support from involved local partners, to ensure partners meet their obligations and are recognised for their success.  

Programme Management 

• To provide fiscal and legal oversight of BCI-TR as a legal entity within Turkey to ensure credibility in line with BCI-Global requirements.
• To ensure the efficacy and integrity of BCI and Better Cotton in Turkey through /partner and farm monitoring and licensing, collection of results and impact data, and communication of stories of best practice. 
• To select, train, and monitor Better Cotton gins, for the use of the Better Cotton Traceability System, engaging with both mills and retailers and brands in-country with a clear view to increasing the pull through of Better Cotton to retailer level. 
• To take responsibility for sharing knowledge from Turkey's work with BCI Global and with the key strategic partners in order to build on best practice and modify implementation plans as required. 

Communications

• To communicate frequently and effectively with Turkish stakeholders and with the BCI Headquarters.
• To represent the ethos of what BCI is to ensure consistent messaging with all Turkish and global stakeholders.
• To lead on national policy engagement in order to embed Better Cotton and develop a sound longterm strategy for its continued growth in-country.
• To contribute written materials, video messages and other front-line communication pieces in order to build BCI and Better Cotton into a well-know/n and respected brand within and beyond the sustainable cotton sector. 

Financial and Legal Accountability 

• To oversee the legal accountability of BCI-TR to ensure full compliance with legislation and fiscal requirements. 
• To oversee income, expenditure, and associated reporting on BCI-TR Association budget, ensuring efficient and effective use of financial resourc//es. 
• To oversee as required, monitoring of projects costs by Implementing Partners in line with requirements and expectations of investors. 

Beyond these specific responsibilities the BCI-TR Manager is expected to collaborate on activities as agreed with their supervisor to support the delivery of the Turkey Implementation Plan. 

Qualifications:

Business Acumen

• Good understanding of how to manage, analyse and report performance against budget.
• Good analytic/al and problem solving skills, with a proactive approach to finding and proposing solutions to challenges within clearly defined boundaries. 

Results Orientation 

• Solutions focused.
• Focused on successfully building Better Cotton in Turkey and globally.
• Can create solutions from differing opinions. 

Leadership 

• Good understanding of how to lead negotiations within complex situations, with several different stakeholders to deliver a desirable outcome.
• Ability to externally represent BCI accurately and inspire commitment towards a wide range of stakeholders, in particular senior officials within Experience:government and potential funder organisations.
• Ability to interpret global strategies and guidelines for national implementation. 

Relationship Builder

• Works and plays well with others.
• Excellent collaborations skills across cultures and levels of seniority.Experience:
• Can work across a matrix organisation and get work done.
• Can influence where they have no direct power.
• Excellent ability to nurture and guide partnerships to high performance with high levels of trust.

Skills & knowledge:

Essential 

• Excellent English writing, public speaking, influencing and presentation skills.
• Fluency in Turkish.Experience:
• University degree, or equivalent higher education qualification, in a relevant field.
• Proven interest in sustainability, international development and the agricultural production sector.
• Excellent knowledge of the Turkish cotton sector, and good knowledge of the global cotton sector.
• IT literacy, to include: Word; PowerPoint; Excel; Outlook
  Willingness to travel frequently (circa 25%) and to carry out administrative tasks.Experience:

Desirable 

• National of country.
• Trained facilitator of professional relationships and/or groups.

Experience:

Essential 

• At least 5 years' experience in either the sustainable agriculture or the textile sector within Turkey, ideally both.
• At least 3 years' experience working in multi-cultural environments, including different working styles and approaches to relationships, preferably gained through work with or for an international organisation.
• At least 3 years' in a management position with responsibility for external relationship development.
• At least 2 years' experience taking responsibility for organisational income and expenditure, alongside more detailed budget management.
• Experience of project management, monitoring and evaluation. 

Desirable 

• Experience of leading or coordinating collaborative programmes involving multiple partners.
• Existing network of contacts within Turkey especially in the textile and agricultural production sector.
• Experience of working in both not-for-profit and profit-making organisations./
• Experience of fundraising in an international and national context from institutional donors and/or foundations.
• Experience of taking ownership for an organisations' external representation including lobbying and negotiation with key stakeholders.
• Experience of strategic planning and execution working in a matrix-style organisational design. 

To Apply:

Please click below: "Apply Now Online!" to submit, in English, a 2 page CV and a brief motivation letter (1 page maximum).

Application Deadline: March 17th, 2013