Key Account Manager (DACH & UK, Cocoa)

POSITION SUMMARY:
At the Rainforest Alliance we are looking for an experienced Corporate Engagement Manager to ensure the Rainforest Alliance continues to be the alliance partner of choice for companies to invest in net-positive impact in their supply chains. This role will maintain and activate relationships with existing and new corporate partners in Germany and the UK in the cocoa sector with pro-active outreach and responding to customer needs.

Rainforest Alliance has recently set its ambitious 2023-2030 strategy to further strengthen our organizational impact. We want to activate market push/pull, producer impact, investment mobilization and citizen activation to create value with speed and scale and accelerate our mission. As a critical part of implementing this strategy, the Corporate Engagement and Partnership department will strengthen our position as a trusted and highly valued partner for key corporate partners.

The Key Account Management team is led by the Lead, Key Account Management, reporting into the Senior Director Corporate Engagement & Partnerships. Corporate Engagement & Partnerships is part of the broader Marketing and Communications department portfolio.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage engagement with key accounts and prospects in the cocoa industry in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH) as well as UK market. Create and implement go-to-market strategies and look for, and secure, opportunities for growth;
• In coordination with the Team Lead Key Account Management, set and work towards growth strategy for assigned key accounts and prospects, developing account plans, developing a prospect portfolio and seeking opportunities to advance the accounts commitments with RA;
• Act as RA representative for account queries and resolve these using internal expertise;
• Develop trusted relationships as single point of contact for selected portfolio of key accounts as well as prospects;
• In coordination with the Team Lead Key Account Management, nurture partnership opportunities ranging from certified purchasing to farm-level projects in origin, and coordinate finalization of contractual terms, working closely with internal teams such as legal, compliance, origin and thematic leads;
• Responsible to track implementation of Rainforest Alliance offerings to ensure customer needs are met and use feedback from customers and internal processes to continuously improve account management, offerings and internal processes;
• Help build comms & marketing campaigns to bring new products or services to accounts that best meet the customer's needs;
• Act as subject matter expert (“SME”) of accounts in the cocoa industry in the DACH and UK market. Individual has established personal network and authority internally/externally within those markets. Activities include representing the organization at market specific events; supporting the media, marketing and advocacy teams in the markets, being point of contact for other teams on subject matter;
• Work collaboratively within the Corporate Engagement and Business Development Teams, the DACH-market team, as well as other departments (e.g. global programs, marketing & comms) to best serve our customers;
• Follow policies and procedures, e.g. customer relationship management system;
• Adapt to changing market conditions, customer needs, and competitive threats;
Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven experience (6-7 years) with market development, corporate engagement, sales, marketing or corporate affairs at mid-senior level;
• Master or Bachelor’s degree in natural science, communication, economy, or another relevant discipline;
• Consistent track record in nurturing and developing corporate partnerships, stakeholder management and representing an organization in a multi-stakeholder environment;
• Knowledge and understanding of voluntary certification programs;
• Deep knowledge and subject matter expertise of cocoa industry in the DACH and UK markets.
• Key competencies: business acumen, strong interpersonal skills, persuasion, adaptability, critical and reflective thinking, public speaking, resourcefulness, relationship builder based on trust, empathy and openness, and strong organizational skills to lead multiple priorities in a time critical manner;
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills, written and verbal proficiency in English and German and is required;
• Ability to travel.

Job level: 3A

Deadline: 29 March 2024

Notes: Only candidates authorized to work in Germany or the Netherlands will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: recruitment@ra.org

WHO WE ARE:

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. To achieve our mission, we partner with diverse allies around the world to drive positive change across global supply chains and in many of our most critically important natural landscapes.

Our alliance spans 70 countries and includes farmers and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals. Together we work to protect forests and biodiversity, take action on climate, and promote the rights and improve the livelihoods of rural people.

As an international nonprofit organization with more than 30 years of experience in sustainability transformation, we understand that the social and economic well-being of rural communities is tightly connected to ecosystem health. This knowledge has shaped our rigorous programs to advance sustainable land-use and commodity production.

At the Rainforest Alliance we combat climate change, protect forests and biodiversity, promote human rights, and improve livelihoods. The enormity of the social and environmental challenges we are facing requires working together in a broad alliance. This is why we bring farmers, forest communities, companies, and consumers together to change the way the world produces, sources, and consumes.

Why
To protect nature and improve lives it’s becoming increasingly urgent that we approach the way we use our land and produce food and other products in more sustainable ways. For this to succeed we need to fundamentally change the way that businesses operate and source, and the choices we all make as consumers.

How
Our growing global alliance aims to transform our relationship with our natural resources and each other, to create a better future for people and nature together.

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability, and any other protected group.