Job Opportunity for Climate Change & Natural Resource Management Coordinator at Better Cotton Initiative in New Delhi

Starting Date: As soon as possible, latest by 1 December 2022

Contract type: Full-time, open-ended contract

Location: New Delhi, India (with flexible work-from-home options for suitable candidate)

Salary: Competitive salary commensurate with experience

Application closing date: 06.11.2022

Background

Better Cotton is the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world. In under 12 years, we and our Partners have supported 3 million farmers in 23 countries in adopting more sustainable agricultural practices. Thanks to these efforts, Better Cotton accounts for around 21% of global cotton production. We are truly a joint effort, encompassing stakeholders from farms to fashion brands and civil society organisations, driving the cotton sector towards sustainability. Our mission is to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment; and we are currently about to embark upon our next strategic phase until 2030, when our focus will be on deepening impact across our programmes.

About this role

Reporting to the Better Cotton Capacity Building Manager based in India, the Coordinator will work very closely with the Better Cotton Programme Team, Climate Change Manager, Knowledge Partners and Programme Partners based in India.

Key Responsibilities

Research, Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Be the technical focal point for Climate Change and Natural Resource Management for Better Cotton India Programme
• Conduct/coordinate action-oriented technical research to understand climate related risks and vulnerabilities in project areas, and help Better Cotton Programme Partners identify measures to mitigate those and integrate them in their programmes
• Support Better Cotton Programme Partners in climate change adaptation and mitigation planning
• Develop and institute courses for key project staff to build their theoretical understanding of climate change, and equip them with relevant tools, guidelines and procedures to identify appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures.
• Support Programme Partners in developing effective and impactful training modules on climate change to be used for training farmers and other cotton communities
• Identify appropriate and context relevant climate-smart agriculture and NRM technologies and techniques, and support Partners identify and implement their practical applications.
• Identify possibilities to build institutional capacity to increase adaptive capacities of cotton communities
• Support the development of advocacy, communication and outreach strategies related to climate change and identify possibilities to influence policy on climate action in the context of sustainable agriculture and NRM, and effectively engage with relevant stakeholders
• Identify potential areas for collaboration with relevant stakeholders on climate action and natural resource management.
• Provide technical support to Partners, or identify and effectively work together with relevant stakeholders capable of providing technical support to Programme Partners on natural resource management to equip better adaption to climate change, through participatory and inclusive approaches.

Resource Mobilisation:

• Identify opportunities for resource mobilisation to support climate action and natural resource management at the field level
• Develop fundraising proposals in consultation with Programme Partners and relevant Better Cotton teams and mobilise resources to support new and ongoing interventions.
• Explore possibilities of Payment for Ecosystem Services for Better Cotton farmers, and lead on executing relevant innovative projects

Data Management and Communication

• Prepare appropriate reporting tools to systematically collect, collate and analyse climate related data from projects; and contribute to internal and external communication on climate risks to cotton production
• In collaboration with Better Cotton Partners, monitor outcomes and impact related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and support Better Cotton communicate those internally and externally

Others

• Support to ensure synergies with other Better Cotton Impact areas pesticide reduction, soil health, smallholder livelihoods, women empowerment, in order accelerate positive changes at the field-level.
• Support Better Cotton Partners to continuously improve the delivery of their capacity building programmes with respect to climate action and NRM; identify barriers to adoption of key sustainable practices faced by farmers, and support them find and implement solutions
• Support Better Cotton Partners identify meaningful and effective ways to engage communities in villages where Better Cotton Programme is implemented, and contribute to their social and economic development
• Conduct licensing assessments of Better Cotton Producer Units
• Develop and contribute to materials to communicate about the India programme and achievements
• Support preparing of Capacity Building country-level budget; contract technical service providers and undertake other related administrative operations
• Coordinate with other teams and functions as necessary
• Undertake other duties as determined by the Line Manager and the India Country Director which are compatible with the role and job description

Profile

The selected candidate will have the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Master’s degree in any relevant field such as Climate Change, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Soil Science
• Familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research techniques
• At least six years’ work experience in a related sector, with at least 3 years’ managing/assisting action-oriented research among rural communities
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate different projects involving multiple external stakeholders and internal teams
• Excellent skills to communicate with diverse set of stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to identify best practices, cross-fertilise ideas and support learning among different stakeholders
• Ability to identify stakeholders, build relationships with them and manage those relationships
• Fluent in English – ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both written and verbal
• Fluency in Hindi – ability to communicate clearly in Hindi.
• Proven ability to work productively in a fast-paced multi-cultural environment with minimal supervision
• Strong problem-solving skills, and demonstrated ability to understand behaviour change, and ability to influence change
• Proven interest in climate action and climate justice, sustainable agriculture and natural resource management
• Excellent IT Skills including MS Office
• Willingness to travel – up to 40% of time
• Demonstrated experience writing fund raising proposals

Desirable

• Fluency in one of the following Indian languages – Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
• Experience working with international non-profit organisations
• Familiarity with Carbon accounting Systems
• Prior experience working in the cotton sector
• Experience working on livelihood programmes
• Understanding of the legal and policy framework governing agriculture in India
• Experience with Standard Systems and Assurance
• Experience working with remote teams

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in New Delhi. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10am – 4pm and the option to work from home part of the time, if desired.

Applications

Interested applicants with the required attributes are requested to apply via this link. Please note that you will need to upload a detailed CV (2 pages maximum) and a motivational letter (1 page maximum), in English via the above link. Please note that we will not process any applications which are not submitted via the link above; but if you face any difficulty in accessing the above link, please reach out by email recruitment.india@bettercotton.org with subject line: “Application for the position of Coordinator – Climate Change and Natural Resource Management, India”.

Application deadline: 06. 11. 2022

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates short-listed for a written test will be contacted. Better Cotton is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

Better Cotton has a zero tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution.