USA Country Manager

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~ The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a non-profit organisation stewarding the global standards for Better Cotton, and bringing together cotton's complex supply chain, from the farmers to the retailers. 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. ~

Cotton is one of the world's most important natural fibres. It's used by nearly everyone on Earth every day, and supports 300 million people's livelihoods. It's a renewable natural resource, but only if we manage it responsibly. In 2005, a group of visionary organisations came together to figure out what could be done to safeguard the future of cotton. "There has to be a better way", they said. It turns out there is. It's called Better Cotton. 

Position Overview

The consultant
assigned the role of BCI Country Manager is responsible for developing and
overseeing the implementation of the BCI USA Country Plan that will lead to a
strong recognition of Better Cotton amongst national stakeholders and a
significant scale-up in the volume of Better Cotton produced, and pulled
through the supply chain.

This will involve implementing a Pilot Project in the
first year with farmers and producer groups, and increasing the number of
farmers BCI works with via the development of innovative partnerships. The Country
Manager will work closely with the head office Partnership Team in the
coordination and delivery of a Country Plan that supports the BCI 2013-2015
Strategic Plan.

Working Arrangements 

• The consultant appointed to this role will report to the Partnership Director.
• The consultancy role is estimated to require approximately 40 hours per week, and will be home-based in the USA. The consultancy contract will be for an initial one year term, with a conditional renewability clause, and include a 3 month initial trial period.
• The consultant may have other clients, provided that they do not interfere with completion of assigned tasks.
• The consultant is expected to attend special events, some of which may occur in the evenings or weekends. Frequent travel will be required.
• Annual fee (paid monthly) $70,000-$85,000 dependent on skills and experience.
• All reasonable, business-related expenses will be reimbursed by BCI (subject to BCI guidelines).  

Responsibilities

Strategic
Accountability 

• Lead on the development and implementation of
  the USA Country Plan, in collaboration with other BCI Managers and the BCI
  leadership team, to enable delivery of BCI’s global strategy and goals.
• Establish and deliver, in cooperation with the
  Partnership Director and key strategic partners, a national embedding strategy
  that ensures national ownership of Better Cotton and the financial viability of
  BCI in the USA.
• Develop, oversee and strengthen a network of
  Implementing Partners within the USA, with support from the Partnership Team, and
  ensure partners meet their obligations and are recognised for their success.
• Oversee and manage delivery of core programme
  activities, in close cooperation with the Partnership Team, to ensure all
  parties have the capacity and capabilities to deliver on programme objectives.
• Ensure appropriate escalation to the
  Partnership Director, of important risks to credibility of operations
  in-country.
• Collaborate closely with the Program Director and
  the Membership Team on the engagement with brands and retailers to increase the
  demand for Better Cotton. 

BCI
Team 

• Ensure the efficacy and integrity of BCI and
  Better Cotton in the USA through sound recruitment, induction, management and
  coaching of partners, including oversight of farm monitoring and licensing
  processes, collection of results and impact data, communication of stories of
  best practice, and provision of membership services and training.
• Oversee, in particular, the selection,
  training, and monitoring of Better Cotton gins and other  suppliers and manufacturers, on the use of the
  Better Cotton Traceability System. 
• Take responsibility for sharing knowledge from
  the USA program to build on best practice and facilitate the transfer of USA
  farming know-how to other BCI country partners around the globe.
• Contribute as required to the development of
  the global programme team, by providing ideas to improve ways of working,
  sharing knowledge and building the reputation of the BCI as a leading
  organisation in both the textile and sustainable agriculture sectors. 

External
Representation 

• Represent BCI in high-level national fora and
  ensure that BCI maintains a credible status and a solid reputation across the
  cotton sector.
• Lead on national policy engagement in order to
  embed Better Cotton and develop a sound long-term strategy for its continued
  growth in-country.
• Contribute written materials, video messages
  and other front-line communication pieces in order to build BCI and Better
  Cotton into a well-known and respected brand within and beyond the sustainable
  cotton sector. 

Financial
Accountability 

• Oversee income, expenditure, and associated
  reporting, ensuring efficient and effective use of financial resources
  nationally.
• Oversee, as required, monitoring of project costs
  by Implementing Partners.

 Global
Interface 

• Facilitate and support matrix management
  within the BCI organisation across different global units to ensure coherent
  and effective international delivery of membership services, income generation,
  communications and partnerships to maintain the credibility and integrity of
  Better Cotton. 

Note: Beyond these specific
responsibilities the consultant USA Country Manager is expected to collaborate
on activities as agreed with the Partnership Director to support the delivery
of the USA Country Plan and the overall BCI Strategic Plan.

Qualifications

To be successful, candidates for the USA Country Manager (Consultant) role will have the following attributes and core competencies:

Business Acumen

• Solid understanding of how to manage, analyse and report performance against budget.
• Strong analytical 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 the USA and globally.
• Can create solutions from differing opinions.

Leadership

• Good understanding of how to lead negotiations within a complex context, with multiple stakeholders and yet deliver a desirable outcome.
• Presence and outgoing personality to externally represent BCI and inspire commitment from a wide range of stakeholders, including senior officials within government and potential funder organisations.
• Ability to interpret global strategies and guidelines for national implementation.
• Well-developed personal strategies for time and complex process management.

Relationship builder

• Works and plays well with others.
• Excellent collaboration skills across cultures and levels of seniority.
• Can work across a matrix organisation and achieve results.
• Can influence with impact where they have no direct power.
• Excellent ability to nurture and guide partnerships to high performance with high levels of trust.

Essential Skills & Knowledge 

• Excellent English writing, public speaking, influencing and presentation skills.
• Proven knowledge of national agriculture (esp. cotton) landscape with a good existing network.
• University degree, or equivalent higher education qualification, in a field relevant to the agriculture or textile sector.
• Proven interest in sustainability in the agricultural production sector.
• Deep understanding of policy making and influencing within the USA context, including the role of partnership with business.
• IT literacy, to include: Word; PowerPoint; Excel; Outlook.
• Willingness to travel frequently (circa 30%) and to carry out administrative tasks. 

Desirable Skills & Knowledge

• Trained facilitator of professional relationships and / or groups.
• Knowledge, or a proven keen interest, in cotton production and processing.

Essential Experience 

• At least 5 years' experience in either the agriculture or the cotton / textile sector within the USA, ideally both.
• Prior experience in developing and leading a major, complex project including planning, implementation and reporting.
• Proof of achieving tangible results in an independent operating context, with only minimal direct assistance.
• Prior experience in overseeing and reporting against a budget.
• Proof of substantial public speaking experience to inform and persuade audiences to adopt a new initiative.
• Proven ability to partner effectively internally to ensure successful completion of a programme / project.
• Experience of strategic planning and execution working in a matrix-style organisational design.
• Experience of leading or coordinating collaborative programmes involving multiple partners.
• Proven experience in negotiating partnership / collaboration agreements with suppliers, customers and government agencies. 

Desirable Experience 

• Experience of working within the agricultural side of the cotton sector.
• Existing network of contacts within US/state government organizations regarding the agriculture and/or textile production sector.
• Experience in working with farmers.
• Experience of working in sustainability in relation to responsible business practices, in either a not-for-profit or profit-making organization.
• Familiar with data-gathering and analysis techniques.
• Good understanding of partnership theory and practice as well as knowledge of the key enablers and barriers to effective and efficient account management.  

To Apply

Interested applicants with the required
attributes are asked to use the email address bellow, to send, in English, a detailed CV and a brief motivation
letter (2 pages maximum) to BCI. 

• We thank all applicants for their interest;
  however, only candidates short-listed for a telephone interview will be
  contacted.
• Note: Application deadline is March 14, 2014 at 08.00 GMT. 

~ BCI is an equal
opportunities employer, and is committed to good practice and transparency in
the management of natural, human and financial resources. ~