Sustainability Assurance and Regulations Manager

Role Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Assurance & Regulations Manager to join us and work in a truly global environment. The position will lead the governance and management of Volcafe’s regulatory compliance and assurance programmes, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations, customer requirements, and sustainability standards across global coffee sourcing and trading operations, while establishing scalable processes for supplier evidence, audits, certifications, and assurance systems.

Volcafe Ltd is one of the world’s leading international green coffee trading companies, operating in over 20 countries globally. Our expertise spans green coffee procurement and preparation, sustainability, blending, quality control, risk management and export as well as importing and distribution. We supply the world’s major coffee roasters and retail distributors with their green coffee requirements, with significant strategic growth ambitions for the future.

Volcafe works across the whole green coffee supply chain to make coffee business better, together with our partners and employees. We have built and operate sustainable coffee supply chains across all our origins, addressing key economic, social and environmental issues in coffee farming communities. Our Volcafe Way farmer support programme engages with thousands of coffee farmers and provides a holistic response to the challenges they face.

We are part of Hartree Partners, LP a leading global merchant commodities firm facilitating the flow of energy, metals, agriculture, and environmental products across the full commodity supply chain, connecting producers and consumers. Hartree was founded in 1997, is jointly owned by senior management and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, LP, and employs around 5,000 individuals worldwide.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the end-to-end implementation and ongoing management of global regulatory compliance programmes, including EUDR, PPWR, BPA and food-contact material requirements, PFAS and emerging EU environmental regulations.
• Translate regulatory requirements into practical implementation roadmaps, policies, procedures and controls, working closely with Origin Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Legal, Sustainability and Commercial teams to ensure effective operational execution.
• Monitor evolving regulatory requirements and assess their implications for Volcafe’s sourcing, trading and market access activities, ensuring timely identification of risks, requirements and necessary actions.
• Establish robust governance, controls, monitoring procedures and audit trails to ensure regulatory compliance, customer requirements and sustainability standards are consistently applied across relevant entities, functions and jurisdictions.
• Own and coordinate customer compliance audits, sustainability assessments and third-party assurance programmes, including SMETA, customer-specific assessments and supplier compliance audits, acting as the primary point of contact for auditors and assessment teams.
• Lead the global supplier compliance and evidence programme, developing due diligence systems, evidence repositories, compliance databases and onboarding processes to ensure timely, complete and reliable supplier documentation.
• Develop and enhance compliance systems, portals and supplier relationship management processes, supporting the operationalisation of EUDR, PPWR and other regulatory requirements through scalable, sustainable and fit-for-purpose solutions.
• Develop dashboards, KPIs and management reporting to provide clear visibility of compliance performance, supplier coverage, audit outcomes, regulatory risks and key areas requiring management attention.
• Act as the central point of contact for regulatory compliance and assurance matters across Volcafe, providing subject matter expertise and practical guidance to regional and functional teams and ensuring consistent application of compliance requirements.
• Coordinate closely with Sustainability, Supply Chain, Quality, HSEQ/QFS, IT, Legal, Procurement, Operations and Commercial stakeholders to drive effective implementation, resolve compliance issues and ensure timely completion of required actions.
• Manage customer sustainability, regulatory and compliance requests, supporting due diligence questionnaires, key customer audits and compliance reviews that are critical to maintaining market access and commercial relationships.
• Lead corrective action plans and continuous improvement initiatives arising from audits, assessments and compliance reviews, driving improvements in supplier compliance coverage, audit readiness, data quality and operational efficiency.
• Build strong relationships with customers, certification bodies, auditors, consultants and regulatory authorities, while delivering training and awareness programmes and communicating complex regulatory and assurance requirements clearly to stakeholders across the organisation.

Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience within a global organisation, with significant exposure to regulatory compliance, sustainability assurance, supply chain compliance, regulatory affairs or a related discipline.
• Strong practical expertise in regulatory compliance and assurance, with proven experience implementing and managing compliance programmes across multiple entities, jurisdictions and operational environments.
• Strong understanding of sustainability, environmental, supply chain, packaging, food-sector and due diligence regulations, with experience assessing regulatory requirements and translating them into practical business processes.
• Proven experience implementing regulatory compliance frameworks, policies, controls and due diligence systems within complex international organisations, with the ability to embed requirements into day-to-day operational processes.
• Strong experience leading internal and external audits, including customer compliance audits, third-party certification audits, sustainability assessments, SMETA or ethical trade audits, and associated corrective action programmes.
• Experience managing supplier compliance programmes, including supplier onboarding, due diligence, evidence collection, verification processes and compliance monitoring across complex international supply chains.
• Experience with EUDR implementation and due diligence systems is highly desirable, with exposure to PPWR, packaging compliance, food-contact materials, PFAS or related environmental regulations beneficial.
• Experience delivering compliance transformation, process improvement, systems implementation or automation initiatives, with exposure to digital compliance tools, supplier platforms, data analytics or AI-enabled solutions beneficial.
• Strong project management and programme implementation skills, with a hands-on, execution-oriented approach and the ability to drive initiatives from regulatory interpretation through to operational delivery.
• Highly analytical and solution-oriented, with strong problem-solving capabilities and the ability to assess complex regulatory requirements, identify risks and develop practical, scalable solutions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders across Sustainability, Supply Chain, Quality, HSEQ/QFS, Legal, IT, Procurement, Operations and Commercial functions.
• Comfortable working in a complex, international and matrix organisation, coordinating multiple stakeholders across cultures and geographies, with additional language skills in Spanish, French or Portuguese considered an advantage.

We recognise that talent comes in many forms, and we value potential just as much as experience. If this role excites you but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.

Our Offer

We provide a fast-paced, stimulating and truly global environment, which will stretch your abilities and channel your talents. We also offer competitive salary and benefits combined with outstanding career development opportunities in one of the global leaders in soft commodity trading.

Our Values

Respect, Integrity, Meritocracy, Client Focus, Entrepreneurship

Volcafe shares the values of our parent company, ED&F Man Commodities. Our values define who we are. They are the fundamental beliefs that determine our actions and guide our behaviour. They influence the way we communicate and collaborate, and define the way we engage with our clients, partners, and communities.

Our Commitment

We are committed to maintaining a work environment where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. We provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, sex, gender, age, religion, ethnic or national origin, marital or civil partner status, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

To apply you must have the right to work for the provided location.