Assurance Manager (Maternity Cover)

Contract type: 80% - 100%, 12 months fixed term contract (maternity cover)

Salary: £58,594 per annum (commensurate with relevant experience and skills)

Location: London

About the Job

Better Cotton is now seeking a motivated and organised Assurance Manager to play a key role in implementing the new Principle and Criteria monitoring and certification requirements and support the Assurance team in the transition of Better Cotton to becoming a certification scheme. The ideal candidate will have experience in designing assurance, audit, or certification systems, and will be a strategic thinker with a pragmatic attitude to getting things done. In this role, you will help Better Cotton ensure a consistent implementation of the new programme across a variety of countries and set up the new 2nd party farm level monitoring programme. This role reports to the Senior Assurance Manager and works closely with the other members of the Standard Systems Integrity team. This exciting role offers excellent opportunities for personal and professional development, together with a competitive benefits package.

The Challenge

In the Standard Systems Integrity team we have recently launched our new Principle and Criteria v3.1 and the new P&C monitoring and certification requirements.

As an Assurance Manager, you will be responsible for projects contributing to the smooth transition of the assurance programme to certification providing support to the overall global Assurance team.

Responsibilities

The main areas of responsibility for the Assurance Manager will include:

Manage the development and operationalisation of the Better Cotton monitoring programme:

1. Finalise and publish the Better Cotton 2nd party monitoring approach at farm level, including a risk-based approach to sampling.
2. Set up a system to plan and track Better Cotton monitoring activities as well Producers risk categorisation.
3. Develop the required templates and ensure learnings from the monitoring are shared appropriately and used to inform other assurance and certification activities.

Manage the assurance side of the PU rescoping pilot project:

1. Participate in project meetings.
2. Oversee the implementation of the Assurance approach in the India and Pakistan pilots.
3. Review pilot learnings.
4. Lead on the required steps to include the PU rescoping approach into the Better Cotton farm certification model.

Lead on Quality management system in the Assurance team:

1. Manage document control including updating, sharing, publishing and translating.
2. Maintain the central list of all documents needed for the assurance programme.
3. Coordinate the work between the responsible document owners where updates are needed.
4. Communicate the updates and versions to the document users.

Ensure consistent, high-quality assurance implementation at a global level:

1. Support implementation of the new monitoring and certification requirements by developing any required guidance or providing training to country teams on new processes.
2. With support from the Senior Assurance Manager, feed into the annual planning and budgeting for assurance functions at headquarters level and support country-teams in planning/ budgeting process.
3. Provide internal updates and communications as relevant to their areas of work.
4. Support specific countries if and when needed.

Other areas of responsibility (as relevant):

1. Work closely with other Better Cotton functions and departments (e.g., Programme teams, MEL, Standards etc) to collaborate on cross-functional initiatives as required.
2. Support the work around maintaining compliance with the ISEAL Assurance Code of Good Practice, including supporting the team in periodic reviews against the code and implementing any recommended improvements.
3. Support fundraising proposals and donor-funded project implementation.
4. Support any other projects as they arise.
5. Respond to queries internally and externally about the assurance programme.

We are looking for someone who has

The following skills, knowledge, and experience:

1. University degree, or equivalent higher education qualification, in a relevant field.
2. Work experience with a substantial timeframe in relevant field (standards and certification, auditing, sustainable development, etc.).
3. Fluent in English with very strong written and verbal communication skills.
4. Experience of project management in an international context.
5. Excellent understanding assurance in the context of global commodity value chains.
6. Strong understanding of basic auditing approaches and principles.
7. Balance of strategic thinking with attention to detail.
8. Able to appraise arguments critically and logically, organise ideas in a clear manner, and draw conclusions and formulate arguments.
9. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to finding and proposing well-balanced and thoughtful solutions.
10. Excellent organisational abilities – proven capacity to handle competing priorities and manage multiple projects running in parallel.
11. Proven ability to collaborate effectively across different teams and cultures; strong relationship building skills and service-oriented attitude.
12. Good communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely for wide-ranging audiences.
13. Proven ability to work autonomously with a high level of personal effectiveness and ability to adapt to changing priorities.
14. Excellent computer and IT skills, including: Word; PowerPoint; Excel, Outlook (Microsoft Suite).
15. Academic background in rural/agricultural development and sustainability.
16. Direct experience working with farmers or farming communities.
17. Advanced numerical skills and experience in analysing large data sets. Experience with Sharepoint, PowerBI (Microsoft Suite), and/or Salesforce.
18. Competency in languages most relevant to Better Cotton countries, such as Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, French, Portuguese and Turkish. Experience working on fundraising proposals and projects.

What we offer

1. Hybrid working – One day per week in the offices central London.
2. The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year.
3. Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time.
4. Continuous learning and development.
5. 25 days paid annual leave, plus 8-9 Bank Holidays and a further 3 discretionary days off over Christmas/year end period.
6. Enhanced parental benefits.
7. A warm, positive working environment where everyone is valued.
8. The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.

Working arrangements

The position is part-time (32 - 40 hours per week) and will be based in London. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. The candidate will be required to go to the office one day per week. The position may require limited travel depending on needs.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 25.04.2025 via this link.

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening:

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicants. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews:

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment and Testing:

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks:

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton

Better Cotton is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:

1. Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible)
2. As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic)
3. Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic)
4. Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic)
5. Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)

Better Cotton is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.