Regional Coordinator – Job Announcement www.bettercotton.org

Background and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) The BCI exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. Cotton is one of the most important and widely grown crops in the world. It is estimated that nearly 35 million hectares are under cotton cultivation, representing about 2.5% of the world’s arable land. About 80 countries produce cotton on a commercial scale and more than 90% of cotton farmers live in developing countries on farms of less than 2 hectares. Nearly everywhere it is grown cotton represents an important cash crop for farmers and an economically valuable part of the total national economy. Cotton is for millions of people, in some of the world’s poorest countries, a vital and unique link to the global economy. The International Cotton Advisory Committee estimates that there are about 300 million people who work in the wider cotton industry each year. There are various negative social and environmental impacts associated with cotton cultivation worldwide that undermine its . Attention is needed at the farm level where serious impacts on people and the environment can occur. Achieving improvements in the social and environmental conditions of cotton production is essential for human and environmental health, the livelihood of millions of people world-wide, and the future of the commodity. The negative effects of using agricultural soils and water resources for cotton production need to be significantly reduced, and production methods need to respect the principles of long-term sustainability. From a social point of view, farmers and workers need to be able to earn their living from growing cotton, without having to take unacceptable risks. To respond to the impacts of cotton cultivation the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has been established. BCI aims to promote measurable improvements in the key environmental and social impacts of cotton cultivation worldwide to make it more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. BCI is working with organisations from across the cotton supply chain and interested stakeholders to facilitate a solution for the mainstream cotton sector. The BCI's approach is to develop a market for a mainstream commodity - Better Cotton - which will focus on reducing globally significant environmental, social and economic impacts to bring long-term benefits for farmers, farm workers, cotton farming communities and the environment.BCI’s long term objectives are: 1. To demonstrate the inherent benefits of Better Cotton production, particularly the financial profitability for farmers 2. To reduce the impact of water and pesticide use on human and environmental health 3. To improve soil health and biodiversity 4. To promote Decent Work for farming communities and cotton farm workers 5. To facilitate global knowledge exchange on more sustainable cotton production 6. To increase the traceability along the cotton supply chain Membership The BCI is a not-for-profit Swiss membership association with principles of participation and 5 categories of membership. The current members of BCI can be found at: http://www.bettercotton.org/index/188/bci_members.html The Better Cotton System To achieve these long-term objectives BCI has developed the Better Cotton System, comprising of Production Principles and Criteria, including Minimum Production Criteria; Farmer Support through globally and locally promoted Enabling Mechanisms; Farm Assessment; Supply Chain; Monitoring Evaluation and Learning, and Tools. Supporting and promoting improved practices, creating a 100 % Better Cotton bale and measuring impact are critical issues addressed by the Better Cotton System. Please see http://www.bettercotton.org/index/140/better_cotton_system.html for further details. BCI in China In 2010 research and 2 multi-stakeholder workshops in China about BCI were delivered by BCI Member and Implementing Partner - Solidaridad. This represented the completion of the BCI Identification Stage for consulting on how to set up BCI in a country. Major stakeholders were consulted from which stakeholders concluded that BCI could play an important role in addressing some of the described challenges in the Chinese cotton sector. Additional support from the member brands of BCI and actively engaging the Chinese spinners which are a powerful factor in the Chinese textile industry will also be important for the adoption of or a preference for BCI in the future. Job Advert_BCI Regional Coordinator China_Final Better Cotton Initiative September 2011 Page 1 of 4

Regional Coordinator – China Job Announcement www.bettercotton.org

Based on workshops outcomes, expert advice and experience of stakeholders involved, five areas were recommended for formulation and implementation of future BCI projects. Two of these projects would be situated in the Yellow River area, one in Yangtze River area and two in . In 2011, 3 pilot projects were started up by Solidaridad in the Xinjiang region, with training delivered to local partners on the BCI Production Principles and the BCI system; training of farmers and workers has also started. Alongside this, Solidaridad has actively engaged with many stakeholders in China about the BCI, developing a strong network of relationships for BCI to build on. This work is currently supported by the Better Cotton Fast Track Programme.

Building on the success of the first pilot projects, BCI is now planning to significantly expand its activities in China by setting up an office in Beijing and recruiting a local team in order to increase its outreach and involve more Chinese cotton actors in the initiative.

The full Identification Stage Report is available online, and describes the sustainability challenges of the projects, the possible partners, approach and benefits to farmers: http://www.bettercotton.org/files/Regions/China/BCI_Solidaridad_Scoping_Study_China_final.pdf

Job Description The BCI Regional Coordinators are the local representative for BCI and the first point of contact in that country for any partner enquiries. They prepare Implementing Partners to work with the Better Cotton System, advise on and monitor their activities during implementation. They facilitate the relationship with ginners and learning between different partners; coordinate the National Stakeholder Council and support BCI membership growth in that country. Responsibilities Representation and engagement 1. To support BCI’s stakeholder engagement in China with cotton producers (both large and small-scale cotton farming), cotton farm workers, civil society, trade & industry (especially gins, traders and retailers), government and other organisations, to enable BCI to operate inclusively and transparently and to support BCI membership application processes. 2. To maintain effective and accurate communication with BCI members and Implementing Partners in China to ensure that the BCI and the Better Cotton System are well understood. 3. To keep up to date with and report on complementary activities and projects, as well as significant issues arising relevant to the cotton sector, and the Better Cotton System, within the region. Implementation of the Better Cotton System 4. Supporting the development of, and managing the implementation of the whole Better Cotton System in China, from initial implementation programs to expansion. The main components include: a. Production Principles and Criteria: Support needs assessments and gap analyses in implementation areas and look to identify national long term needs to meet all Production Principles. Support may include the management of consultant contracts, sharing of best practice and existing knowledge, and carrying out the gap analyses between existing practices and the Production Principles and Criteria. b. Enabling Mechanisms: Support the implementation of the BCI Enabling Mechanisms, designed to support farmers grow Better Cotton. Support may include the management of consultants, coordination of meetings and facilitation of relationships. c. Farm Assessment: Provide support to farmers and Implementing Partners in the gathering and exchange of information. Carry out 2nd Party Credibility Checks in the project areas; facilitate 3rd Party Verification, and decide on the compliance of producers with the BCI Production Criteria. d. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning: Support the collection of social, environmental and economic results indicators and manage the collection of other relevant Monitoring and Evaluation data e. Supply Chain: Support the implementation of the Supply Chain for Better Cotton, and in particular facilitate the relationships with, and activities of, ginners;

Job Advert_BCI Regional Coordinator China_Final Better Cotton Initiative September 2011 Page 2 of 4

Regional Coordinator – China Job Announcement www.bettercotton.org

f. Information Sharing: facilitate the development of appropriate regional information on specific ways available to farmers to address the Production Principles and Criteria: (i) identify material that already exists on best practices used in the region; (ii) identify gaps that need to be filled; (iii) work with Implementing Partners to ensure that each criteria has sufficient and appropriate information available; (iv) share the information developed or obtained by Implementing Partners with BCI. 5. To establish, coordinate and facilitate meetings of the National Stakeholder Council in China in order to ensure that the successes and challenges of implementing the Better Cotton System are understood by the decision makers and influencers on cotton in the region, and support is gathered for scaling up strategies. Management 6. To recruit and manage a local team, in line with the BCI HR Manual and Regional Coordinator Terms of Reference, to ensure BCI China staff effectively deliver their annual objectives and represent BCI in a way that upholds its reputation. 7. To develop discrete budgets and manage their expenditure, in line with BCI HR and financial policies, to ensure efficient and effective use of financial resources in the region. 8. To provide regular summarised reporting within a set framework as agreed with the line manager, in order to keep the management team aware of the activities, challenges, successes, and support needed for BCI to operate effectively in the region. Data gathering and Partner Monitoring 9. To contribute to the formulation of Implementing Partners’ project proposals/applications for funding to implement the Better Cotton System in China. 10. To coordinate the recruitment, screening, training and monitoring of BCI Implementing Partners in China, to ensure that the credibility of BCI is maintained through strong integrity in partnerships with implementing agencies. 11. To manage data collection on the project parameters and ginners engagement with Better Cotton through online systems, to ensure that BCI reports accurate and meaningful data to its stakeholders.

Beyond these specific responsibilities the Regional Coordinator is expected to collaborate on activities as agreed with their line manager to support the delivery of the Strategic Plan.

Working Arrangements The successful candidate will report to the Programme Manager for China for their work programme, activities and outputs. The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Beijing, with the exact location dependent on the location of a suitable office, and accessibility to the project areas and partners. The successful candidate will receive a fixed-term contract for a three-year period, with a 6-month initial trial period.

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Regional Coordinator – China Job Announcement www.bettercotton.org

Profile To be successful, candidates for the Regional Coordinator position will have the following attributes: Required: 1. University degree, or equivalent higher education qualification , coupled with at least 5 years work experience 2. Knowledge and experience of the cotton sector in China , in particular regarding applicable standards in agriculture and the cotton supply chain 3. Experience in delivering trainin g and presentations to a varied audience 4. Experience, knowledge or a proven keen interest in the issues of sustainability 5. Ability to resolve problems creatively and logically; synthesize; readily grasp issues and the means to address them; and translate ideas into action with a strong results orientation. 6. Experience working with global / international organisations and/ or for a multi -stakeholder initiative 7. Demonstrated strength in relationship management; able to work with diverse groups of people in a multicultural, team oriented environment 8. Proven IT skills, particularly with excel, powerpoint, and databases 9. Fluency in Chinese and English, both written and spoken, with attentive listening abilities 10. Ability to work independently, to take initiative and engage others 11. Willingness and ability to travel frequently within China and internationally 12. Enjoy learning, innovating , and taking on a challenge Preferred: 1. Experience of budget management and reporting 2. Experience of HR management including hiring and HR procedures development 3. Experience of public relations and organization of conferences and events 4. Experience of project/programme management; monitoring and evaluation 5. Experience of social and environmental certification/verification processes 6. National of China

Applications Interested applicants with the required attributes are asked to send, in English, a detailed CV and a brief covering letter (2 pages maximum) to the address [email protected] Application deadline: 17 October 2011 Start Date: 1 December 2011 or as soon as possible after this date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates short-listed for a telephone interview will be contacted.

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