Deputy Director, Responsible Sourcing

We’re seeking an experienced and knowledgeable strategic lead to support our growing portfolio of projects within responsible sourcing. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with deep technical knowledge gained working on responsible sourcing within agricultural supply chains to take on a strategic role where your impact will be felt. This role is suited to someone who is an expert in client relationship management with the passion to nurture and develop teams.  

Who are we? 

Proforest is a mission-driven organisation that provides a consultancy service working throughout agricultural supply chains supporting the production and sourcing of agricultural and forest commodities that deliver positive environmental and social outcomes for People, Nature and Climate. These cover issues such as protecting and restoring forests and natural ecosystems, respecting worker’s rights, advancing gender equality, and engaging with communities and indigenous people. 

What will you do? 

You’ll be part of the growing Responsible Sourcing Team, a team of expert technical consultants who support the implementation of our clients’ responsible sourcing and production commitments. You’ll have the opportunity to work with companies such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, Mars, General Mills and Cargill on commodity supply chains including palm oil, sugar, soy, coconut and cocoa. Our client projects share our mission to deliver positive outcomes for People, Nature and Climate by using and adapting Proforest’s ACRES approach. 

Key responsibilities include: 

1. Strategic Leadership & Project Oversight 

• Oversee a portfolio of clients and projects, ensuring effective planning, resource allocation, and budget management. 

• Lead project delivery, shaping client strategies with expert technical advice and the support of a specialist team. 

• Lead the development of client proposals and design large-scale, multi-country projects 

• Adapt to evolving client needs by re-evaluating priorities and work plans to maintain project effectiveness. 

2. Client Engagement & Relationship Management 

• Develop and nurture long-term client relationships, engaging with senior leadership on strategic priorities. 

• Manage issue escalation and resolution, ensuring seamless client collaboration and satisfaction. 

3. Technical Excellence & Thought Leadership 

• Implement best practices in responsible sourcing, providing thought leadership on People, Nature and Climate. 

• Institutionalize knowledge across the organization, fostering collaboration to maximize impact. 

• Serve as a subject matter expert in one or more environmental and social areas, offering deep technical insight. 

• Collaborate with global teams and external partners to drive innovative, high-impact solutions 

4. Team Development & People Management 

• Provide guidance and oversight to technical teams, ensuring high-quality project execution. 

• Mentor, coach, and support team members' growth, helping them excel in their roles. 

• Line manage team members, supporting career progression and professional development. 

What is your profile?  

You’ll be a strategic thinker with excellent business acumen, expert in environmental and social issues in agricultural supply chains and be able to shape and advise on client’s People, Nature and Climate strategy. You’ll feel comfortable with the institutionalisation of technical knowledge building on client’s work. To be considered for the role you will also have: 

Essential: 

• Substantial experience within responsible sourcing either gained in the private sector or within a consultancy environment  

• In depth knowledge and understanding of social and/or environmental issues in tropical agriculture supply chains such as deforestation, regenerative agriculture, climate change, livelihoods, gender equality and respect for human rights 

• Experience and working knowledge on one or more tropical commodities e.g., Soy, Sugar, Palm oil, Cocoa, Rubber, Coconut  

• Experience working on complex & high value projects with high profile FMCG clients internationally (beyond Europe)  

• Experience of institutionalising and sharing knowledge both internally and externally  

• Team and line management experience with proven ability to motivate and drive performance 

• Experience of building and maintaining deep stakeholder relationships with the ability to influence and persuade stakeholders 

• A flexible approach with the ability and confidence to learn and adapt in a fast-paced sector 

• Strong analytical skills and ability to drive innovation and change  

• Excellent presentation skills with the confidence to present internally and externally  

• Relevant Masters level qualification or equivalent. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of one or more of our other working languages - Spanish, French, Portuguese, Bahasa or Mandarin 

• Experience working with teams in the regions in which Proforest operates  

• On-the-ground fieldwork experience with the commodities we work with. 

Why should you work for us? 

You’ll be part of a global organisation with a shared vision, working in offices across 8 countries with staff from more than 17 countries, speaking more than 40 languages. 

What else does Proforest offer? 

• 25 days plus public holidays (with an extra 2 days the following year should you take your well-earned holiday within the year) 

• We contribute to your pension (up to 8%) 

• We support learning and development with a dedicated team to help you achieve your goals; we provide access to training for knowledge and competency development 

• Life insurance and income protection insurance 

• We organize regular in-person team gatherings, regional and international knowledge exchanges and social events

• Access to the Employee Assistant Programme; offering support 24/7.

Key information 

• Location: Oxford, UK or Leiden, The Netherlands 

• Salary: £62,000 - £70,000 per annum (for the UK) or €70,000 - €80,000 (for the NL) per annum depending on skills and experience. per annum depending on skills and experience.  

• Closing date: 31st March 

• Working hours: Full time  

• Hybrid working: Proforest operates on a hybrid basis. We encourage staff to attend the office regularly to maximise interactions with colleagues and encourage collaboration, but we also appreciate individual circumstances and preferences. We prefer attendance at the office twice a week, if possible, with a minimum of once a week. We’d expect more office attendance at the start of employment to enable a smooth induction. 

We are committed to supporting diversity throughout Proforest globally, ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive and therefore welcome applications from all.