DescriptionJOB PURPOSE:
A regional role who partners with our cross-functional team to improve vendors and factories’ compliance performance and to meet 2030 sustainability goals.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:
Social performance
- Project management on human rights due diligence and traceability projects.
- Research and recommend compliance and sustainability best practices within the industry/region to share with factories as well as internally to continuously improve Williams-Sonoma program.
- Build effective relationships with in-country office team to solicit their commitment and support to impact improvements at partner factories
- Manage service providers that are related to due diligence and traceability work
Social impact
- Ensure WSI meets its public worker wellbeing goals of 75% of product purchases coming from vendors with a worker wellbeing program by 2030 and $10M paid in Fair Trade Premiums by 2025
- Work closely with Director/Manager Sustainability to build out Social Impact strategies, create goals (internal + public) and share updates on progress to goals.
- Manage the relationship with all Social Impact nonprofit partners (attend monthly calls, steering committee meetings, summits, conferences, etc.)
- Work closely with in-country Sustainability Managers to ensure successful execution and ongoing operations of each Social Impact initiative (host monthly check in calls, troubleshoot factory challenges, facilitate communications b/w partners + field staff, etc.)
- Oversee and ensure successful launch and communication of programmatic updates to Social Impact initiatives to all WSI brands, such as: launching new factories/ vendors / geographies, program changes (trade standard, premium changes, Fair Trade 2.0), operational streamlining (ex: PLM updates), new program launches, etc.
- Research and pilot new programmatic opportunities
Communication and engagement
- Represent WSI and its interests in multi-stakeholder groups, including external stakeholders, government officials, NGOs etc. as directed by Management
- Escalate potential crisis situations to management, as appropriate
- Manage regular reporting requirements as directed by management
KEY ATTRIBUTES:
- Embodies the highest level of personal and professional integrity and ethics.
- A true passion for Running a business with purpose and achieving positive social and environmental impact
- Maintains a global perspective and is culturally sensitive and aware.
- Influences key members of an organization at all levels.
- Possesses a personally engaging style with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Thrives in a collaborative team environment.
- Demonstrates a creative, energetic and motivated spirit.
COMPETENCIES & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree in Sustainability, Social Studies or a related field;
- 8 years or above experience in the field of social responsibility either at an audit firm or at a retailer (auditing, developing or enforcing remediation)
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- Strong information-seeking skills and a drive to make things happen
- Ability to understand challenges or underlying concerns, share ideas and develop effective responses or elevate to higher management
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively in a diverse group
- Ability to network, influence, and utilize internal and external resources
- Demonstrated leadership capability, including the ability to motivate and mentor others within work group
- Ability to lead initiatives and project teams
- Fluency in written and spoken English
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