NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEER

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEER

Applications:

To apply please visit http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/What-is-Fairtrade/Work-for-us/Volunteer-with-us/New-Business-Development-Volunteer and send a CV and completed Volunteer Application Form to volunteering@fairtrade.org.uk by Monday, 2nd October 2017.

The Fairtrade Foundation is a passionate and ambitious development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade. We are best known as the independent, not-for-profit body behind the FAIRTRADE Mark, a product label assuring consumers that their purchase helps disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries secure a better deal. The FAIRTRADE Mark is the best known and most trusted ethical mark amongst UK consumers.
Headed by the Commercial Director, the Commercial team is responsible for managing all the business relationships involved in buying and selling of Fairtrade products. Covering food and non-food products, the team is responsible for getting businesses engaged in Fairtrade. They do this by working to deepen existing business commitments to Fairtrade, by building prospective relationships with businesses new to Fairtrade and by ensuring that consumers see the FAIRTRADE Mark.
The team comprises two distinct but complementary parts – Commercial Partnerships and Innovation & Business Services Team.
The Commercial Partnerships team is responsible for developing and managing relationships with businesses that sell Fairtrade products directly to consumers. This team works with a wide variety of organisations such as major high-street retailers and global brand companies.
Sourcing new business is an important function of the Commercial Partnerships team and through driving increased sales of Fairtrade products, contributes to the Fairtrade Foundation’s objectives of Focusing on Impact, Making Fairtrade Personal, Improving and Innovating and Strengthening the Organisation.
As a part of the Offer to Business, Fairtrade’s work capitalises on market trends and the growing supply chain sustainability agenda. As a partner, Fairtrade offers unique expertise and experience within the sustainable trade sector and can help deliver increased effectiveness of programmes, access to a valuable producer network and strong evidence of impact.

Volunteer Role Title: New Business Development Volunteer
Reports to: Partnerships Manager
Role description: Volunteering in the Commercial Partnerships team to support the team’s business development strategy and through improving and innovating, partnering with key businesses.
Commitment: To be discussed. Ideally we would like to have a volunteer for 2-3 days per week for at least 3 months.
This arrangement is not intended to be legally binding or to create a contract.

Tasks include:

- Researching potential Fairtrade partnership opportunities and business sustainability strategies and producing briefings
- Supporting the activities of the marketing team for Fairtrade Fortnight to include producing specialised content for commercial partners
- Developing tailored pitch materials for meetings with prospective business partners
- Disseminate learning documents and share best practice regarding research and business development
- Preparing complex information in simple, practical formats
- Preparing responses for support to business contacts, including FMCG companies and large retailers
- Sharing information and queries as needed with the Partnership Manager

Skills required:
- An interest in developing new solutions and exploring new ways of working
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Good research skills
- An ability to consider various stakeholder perspectives, interests and objectives
- A creative mind, with the ability to think outside of the box and share innovative ideas
- Competence in IT and general office skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work independently as well as within a small team
- An understanding of (and sympathy with) the aims and objectives of Fairtrade and of the Foundation’s operating environment as an NGO working with companies

Desirable (not essential):
- Experience of working with FMCG businesses and/or knowledge of the FMCG industry
- Previous research experience
- Knowledge and experience of developing and executing business strategies

What will you have learned / achieved by the end of this assignment?
- An understanding of how Fairtrade communicates to operators
- Knowledge of the charity sector and commercial offerings provided to business
- An understanding of how charities partner with business and Fairtrade’s approach
- An appreciation of corporate partnership building between NGOs and private companies
- An understanding of how companies market their ethical credentials
- Experience of researching and communicating with companies and operators within the charity sector
- Strengthened research skills
- Experience of working within a cross-functional team, co-ordinating work across multiple areas
- Impact on a core work stream for a UK-wide charity organisation and influencing a long term strategy

What are the hours?
Flexible, but normally 10.30am-4.00pm Monday to Friday

Location
Unless otherwise stated, positions are based at the Fairtrade Foundation's offices in Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London, EC3N 1DY.

Do I get expenses?
We refund travel expenses (maximum £15 per day, preferably off peak) on production of a receipt or ticket and actual expenses incurred for lunch to the value of £5 on production of receipts, if volunteering for more than four hours a day or over the lunch period.

We regret that we are unable to assist non-UK residents who are planning to volunteer during a short stay in the UK with visa applications, finding accommodation etc.

The Fairtrade Foundation is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Applications:

Please send a CV and completed Volunteer Application Form to volunteering@fairtrade.org.uk by Monday, 2nd October 2017.