Associate, Agricultural Value Chains

South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.

Our Consultancy & Advisory Services team provides our clients with outstanding technical expertise that enables the successful implementation of complex sustainability projects. Our expertise spans across multiple topics including land and water management, climate strategies, renewable energies, environmental impact assessments, green products, climate policy, carbon pricing, climate finance, and sustainable finance, to name just a few. If you are a smart, ambitious and dynamic sustainability professional with a strong passion to make a real difference in the fight against climate change, the below position may be right for you! 

Job summary:

The goal of the Associate is to support the implementation of international and regional projects, the preparation of proposals and the development of new products for the corporate sector. This includes a variety of tasks such as research, information analysis and writing deliverables and proposals on agriculture supply chain strategies and water stewardship. You will contribute to supporting project teams with medium-sized and large mandates and will also be expected to manage small projects yourself.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• Support with or lead the preparation and completion of proposals/deliverables for the corporate sector on agriculture supply chain strategies and water stewardship, including both technical and administrative requirements, to the level of quality required by South Pole and the client, for our international and regional clients. 
• Manage small projects, including interacting with the client and the project team.
• Ensure assigned tasks/projects are delivered on time and within the available budget. 
• Manage project information and knowledge according to our project management best practices. 
• Support with the development and improvement of specialised skills, tools and knowledge linked to the topics and services offered by South Pole. 
• Support business development activities through desktop research and developing materials to be shared with possible clients and partners. 
• Topics of engagement may include: sustainability and corporate supply chain risks with particular focus on climate, water and forests in agricultural supply chains. 

Requirements:

Essential 

• University degree, ideally in Environmental Sciences, Agronomy, Environmental Engineering or related disciplines Relevant knowledge of environmental sustainability challenges in multinational companies, especially with the integration of sustainability in supply chains and agriculture 
• Entry-level relevant work experience in sustainability consulting or a related field, including specific consultancy experience in sustainability and corporate supply chain risks with particular focus on climate, water and forests in agricultural supply chains. 
• Ability to manage small projects in a multi-stakeholder and multi-geographies context.
• Good writing skills, with the ability to create high-quality written documents (proposals and deliverables). 
• Ability to interact effectively with clients, collaborators or other relevant stakeholders. 
• An autonomous yet collaborative approach to work. 
• Excellent oral and written skills in English.

Desirable  

• Practical experience in monitoring and quantification of environmental impacts along the supply chain on climate, water and forests.
• Sustainable procurement, change management and sustainability strategy development. 
• A Master’s degree will be an advantage. 
• Strong analytical skills and mindset. 
• Good interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Good working knowledge of all Google Suite applications and MS Word. 
• Diligent, reliable and proactive. 
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced international environment. 
• Good prioritisation and time management skills 

What we offer:

At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation. 

We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make; South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.