PROJECT MANAGER- Promoting bio-businesses in the Amazon
PROJECT MANAGER
Promoting bio-businesses in the Amazon
The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. To achieve our mission, we partner with diverse allies around the world to drive positive change across global supply chains and in many of our most critically important natural landscapes.
Our alliance spans 70 countries and includes farmers and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals. Together we work to protect forests and biodiversity, take action on climate, and promote the rights and improve the livelihoods of rural people.
As an international nonprofit organization with 35 years of experience in sustainability transformation, we understand that the social and economic well-being of rural communities is tightly connected to ecosystem health. This knowledge has shaped our rigorous programs to advance sustainable land-use and commodity production.
Our four main areas of work are all interconnected and have been designed to drive sustainability in the sectors and landscapes where we believe we can make the biggest difference for people and nature:
Certification program: an evolved certification program based on the principles of shared responsibility and that sustainability is a journey of continuous, data-informed improvement.
Landscape management: long-term conservation and community development programs in a number of critically important tropical landscapes where commodity production threatens ecosystem health and the well-being of rural communities.
Supply chain services: customized support to help companies define and achieve their sustainability commitments within certification and beyond.
Advocacy: advancing far-reaching policies that support rural producers who make significant investments of time, resources, and labor in sustainability transformation.
Project background and justification
Rural producer communities in the Amazon experience high rates of deforestation and resulting loss of natural capital, coupled with limited opportunities for sustainable development of their bio-businesses and access to markets, which keeps them disempowered and in conditions of poverty. Additional challenges Amazon bio-businesses face include:
· Unsustainable production of key commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and tropical fruits lead to low productivity and reduced natural capital overall.
· Low business management competencies and low level of maturity of Amazonian bio-businesses.
· Lack of access to credit and financial investments in the development of bio-businesses.
· Limited access to market opportunities for sustainable products.
· Limited leadership of women and youth in business model execution and market development.
The vastness of natural resources available in the region, however, represents and enormous potential for sustainable production, land use, and bio-business development, to incentivize Amazon communities to conserve biodiversity and protect their natural capital over the long term. In fact, a crucial strategy to achieving international climate, biodiversity, and social development goals—particularly in regions such as the Amazon—is to propel natural resource-based economies in which communities, governments, and companies who source from these regions are leading innovative market-driven solutions to restore and regenerate tropical forestland while internalizing the value of nature and people into key market dynamics.
The activities of this project will generate the conditions for more and better connections between sustainable Amazon bio-businesses and national and international markets. This will be accomplished through an integral program with a vision for a net-positive future that gets bio-businesses on the pathway toward more sustainable and profitable production systems. Activities are focused on stakeholder engagement, capacity building, improving productivity and biodiversity outcomes linked with social and environmental standards, and boosting access to markets, finance, and investment.
Component 1: Market Analysis.
Applying its vast market expertise and tapping into extensive networks of producers and local organizations in the region, the Rainforest Alliance will carry out a comprehensive market analysis, facilitating donor and project partners’ understanding of the business environment, supply and demand, existing stakeholders and initiatives, resources and capacities in the region, Amazon products information, potential buyers, and the business development and training needs of bio-businesses. The market analysis will serve to create an initial database of strategic information, contributing to the design of the ABM and to the program’s preparatory, training, and market development activities.
Component 2: Identification, Verification or Certification.
Support bio-businesses to strengthen their production systems, in preparation for increased access to differentiated markets and finance opportunities. In line with recognized environmental and social sustainability standards and norms, bio-businesses will be provided with technical assistance to assess their productive and business operations and determine investments needed to improve sustainable production and productivity, land management practices, transformation and waste management processes, access inputs, among other areas. With support from the Rainforest Alliance, bio-businesses will develop an actionable plan outlining their sustainability goals and will receive training to improve their business acumen and begin to connect with new and diverse market actors. Non-certified bio-businesses will have an opportunity to undertake certification or verification if desired and will receive preparatory support and training to do so. Though only a subset of bio-businesses may choose to advance toward certification, all will have improved understanding of the benefits of certification or verification and will have enhanced their organizational, business, and productive capacities to implement more sustainable practices.
Objective of the consultancy
Ensure compliance with projects’ objectives, the implementation of actions proposed and the achievement of expected results.
Specific objectives
Coordinate the implementation of the project activities related to component 2 in Colombia and Ecuador.
Implement action plan to increase the connection of bio businesses to markets.
Key activities
Prepare and submit all documents, technical and financial reports, as well as project deliverables to Rainforest Alliance and the donor in a timely manner.
Coordinate training activities with consultants on the field, providing support and ensuring and effective implementation of the component 2 of the project.
Lead the verification / audit process conducted by external auditors to selected bio businesses in Colombia and Ecuador.
Coordinate the execution of the investment plan and follow up on the activities of the implementing partner in Colombia and Ecuador
Provide evidence such as photos, meeting minutes, presentations, attendance lists, videos and voice recordings of the activities developed.
Upload all reports and evidences to the project management platform (PMP) on a monthly basis.
Align work to the project´s results matrix and procurement plan.
Coordinate meetings and events with key allies and counterparts of the governments of Colombia and Ecuador.
Maintain effective communication and participate in meetings with RA, stakeholders, and the donor.
Ensure compliance with RA and donor work criteria.
Coordinate actions with the Communications department to ensure visibility and disseminations of the different events and activities carried out within the program.
Expected deliverables
General terms and conditions for request for proposal
Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by the Rainforest Alliance.
Incomplete proposals may be rejected by Rainforest Alliance at its discretion.
The Rainforest Alliance reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the procurement process.
Rainforest Alliance is at liberty to make multiple or no selections as part of the proposal process. RA also reserves the right to cancel the procurement.
All proposal costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by Rainforest Alliance.
Final selection of consultant is subject to donor’s approval.
Selection Criteria and qualifications
The consultant should comply with the following minimum qualifications:
Skills
Education: Bachelor’s in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, or similar studies. Desired: Postgraduate and / or master’s degrees in similar areas.
Experience: Proven professional experience of at least ten (10) years related to sustainable markets, bio economy, project management, monitoring and evaluation, commercial management. Working experience in the Colombian and Ecuadorian Amazon regions a strong asset.
Core and Technical Competencies
Minimum work experience of 10 years managing projects and initiatives, troubleshooting and coordinating with technical and management teams.
Proven experience in agricultural or forest sectors and in the management of partnerships with donors, local organizations and strategic contacts.
Proficient command of the English language, both spoken and written.
Desired: experience working with indigenous peoples and knowledge of environmental issues, conservation of biodiversity as well as implementation and strengthening of bio businesses.
Experience developing business plans.
Highly developed communication skills, including the preparation of high-quality reports and the delivery of presentations.
Ability to work under pressure, and to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of outputs.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion when dealing with sensitive information.
Cultural awareness and sensitivity to country-specific issues.
Selection of the consultant or consultant firm is based on the following criteria:
Technical proposal
Methodology
Previous experience
Financial proposal / budget
Availability
Eligibility to work in Colombia
Proposal process and format
Interested consultants should submit their proposal including the following:
Cover letter detailing list of previous engagements that address the skills and competencies desired.
Current CV
Technical proposal
Economic proposal in Colombian pesos (including all taxes and costs)
The deadline for submission of proposals is February 4th, 2025.
Contact person for questions: Nicolas Mendoza nmendoza@ra.org
Call for proposals open to qualified individual consultants based in Colombia only.