Manager, Stakeholder Engagement (China)

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a not-for-profit, international membership organisation that is working to transform markets to make sustainable palm oil the norm. To do this, we have united stakeholders from all sectors of the palm oil supply chain and civil society to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil production and procurement.

Since its inception in 2004, RSPO has enjoyed rapid growth and today has over 5,200 members from 102 countries, including oil palm producers, processors, traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks, and non-governmental organisations. Thanks to the commitments and actions of these members, nearly 20% of the global supply of palm oil has already been certified as sustainable.

At RSPO, we believe that a not-for-profit organisation is made successful by the passion, skills, and expertise of its members and staff. They are the ones who drive our organisation to new heights and guide us through the next phase of our development. 

The Manager, Stakeholder Engagement (China) is responsible for supporting the engagement of RSPO stakeholders and related communications primarily across China, and in coordination with efforts in the greater Asia Pacific region. The Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing stakeholder engagement activities, and ensuring that engagement work is aligned with the strategy and objectives of the Stakeholder Engagement Unit, and the organisation as a whole. Work will be focused on, but not limited to engagement with NGOs and CSOs, banks and financial institutions, research institutions, intergovernmental organizations and multi-stakeholder platforms and alliances. The purpose of this work will be to create an enabling environment that helps bring in growers, buyers, investors, and partners from China to participate in the sustainable palm oil sector, with the ultimate goal of making sustainable palm oil the norm.

The location of this role is Beijing or Shanghai.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include but will not be limited to the following:

1. Develop and implement strategically relevant stakeholder engagement activities in consultation with the Head of Stakeholder Engagement. Provide regular and detailed input to the Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Division to ensure coordination across both the division and broader geographic region.
2. Coordinate closely with the Head of China and Deputy Director, Market Transformation India and China to ensure that stakeholder engagement work is closely aligned with and directly supports the China country strategy and China Market Transformation strategy.
3. Work with members, multi-stakeholder initiatives, international governmental organisations, and non-governmental organisations to maximise the impact of the efforts of RSPO in China. 
4. Build and maintain governmental, civil society, NGO and industry relationships, to secure formal working partnerships on critical issues.
5. Engage financial institutions to promote the role and value of certification in managing investments and encourage members to support policy development related to sustainable financing.
6. Coordinate and support planning and implementation of stakeholder engagement campaigns to promote awareness of sustainable palm oil, and the uptake of RSPO certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in China and the broader APAC region, among other topics.
7. Support in responding to general enquiries from members, potential members and media in China. Support other teams across the APAC region with relevant communication elements for the organisation of regional roadshows and workshops to strengthen stakeholder engagement, in consultation with the Head of Communications and the Events Manager.
8. Expand and further cultivate influential youth organisations, third party endorsers, advocates & champions for smallholders.
9. Support internal communication requirements to ensure organisational initiatives and projects are successfully communicated to employees and stakeholders.

Apart from the duties stated above, to perform any duty or duties reasonably assigned.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, international development, agronomy, agricultural economics
• Minimum four to six years professional working experience, with sound experience in Corporate Sustainability, Business Development, Multi-stakeholder Platforms, Communications and / or Membership Organisations
• Exceptional organisation and communication skills that reflect an ability to perform and prioritise multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail

TECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE

• Able to work comfortably in a multicultural, multi-stakeholder, international environment
• Able to effectively communicate cross-culturally in a sensitive manner
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and G-Suite applications
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with a variety of different stakeholders
• Professional fluency in English with excellent communication skills 
• Ability to establish cooperation and rapport with internal and external parties of different backgrounds and/or nationalities
• Guided by a strong sense of ethics
• Goal oriented team player
• Self-motivated and self-directed
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines
• Systematic, process-oriented and highly organised

WHAT’S ON OFFER 

Your commitment and passion to drive innovation will be rewarded with an opportunity to work in an international multi-stakeholder organisation, where making a difference to People, Planet and Prosperity is not just a statement, but what we passionately believe in. 

Operating within a dynamic and fast-paced environment, you will enjoy functioning within a role that offers the opportunity to broaden your skill set and develop your capabilities. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Qualified applicants are invited to send in their updated CV giving comprehensive details of educational background, work experience, and related achievements to careers@rspo.org. 

**RSPO is an equal opportunity employer. Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.