INTRODUCTION
Solidaridad strives to be an organization that understands the signs of modern times, seeking to be a Society Organization (CSO) with its own place and role in society, while simultaneously interacting with Governments and markets. The organization envisions a world in which all we produce, and all we 33consume can sustain us while respecting the planet, and the next generations. Solidaridad embraces the public-private and people partnerships (PPPP) in order to test innovations, speeding up change and taking success to scale. Globally, Solidaridad works around coffee and other 12 commodities / sectors (http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org).
TO CERTIFICATION AND BEYOND PROJECT
This is a market access focused project that seeks to promote sustainable coffee, horticulture and tea sectors in Tanzania. Funded by the European Union, the project reaches 21,000 farmers in Zanzibar (Horticulture), Mbeya, Njombe (Horticulture and Tea) Ruvuma and Songwe (Coffee). The initiative’s sustainability objectives include poverty reduction, use of natural resources sustainably and protecting ecosystems, opening local and international export markets, lowering potential hurdles to development and averting the costs of sustainability compliance.
The project considers Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) key in achieving these sustainability objectives. Public and private initiatives including VSS providers are engaged both at standard-setting and implementation stages which are achieved through the promotion of proactive and strategic dialogue in sensitizing and creating awareness to smallholder farmers on sustainable production of high quality agricultural commodities, food safety, benefits of VSS mechanisms and eventual integration of sustainability practices in their business-as-usual model.
The project outcomes include increased knowledge and compliance on Voluntary Sustainability Standards among producers and value chain actors, cost effective and sustainable models of transitioning to compliance for actors along the value chain, particularly for smallholder farmers, and improved access of market niche opportunities for Tanzanian “branded” sustainable tea, coffee and horticulture products.
The overall objective for this project is to address issues surrounding effective use of certification schemes and use of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) to improve and drive market opportunities for Tanzanian “branded” sustainable tea, coffee and horticulture products.
THE TRAINING SCOPE
Tanzania like many other African countries lack enough accredited VSS auditors, which means the auditors who are supposed to audit farmers/ cooperatives/ factories come from western countries and neighboring countries and this contributes to high cost for certification. Solidaridad therefore, has planned to conduct certification training and support accreditation on different certification labels of 15 local auditors in the Coffee, tea and horticulture (Fruits and vegetable sectors) sub- sectors. This pool of independent local auditors will then be entrusted in providing and maintaining consistent and high quality certification services in the country, linked to local certification agencies which will potentially reduce the cost of carrying out inspections and verifications towards certification.
Solidaridad is therefore inviting applications from individuals who have worked or have knowledge of fruits and vegetable or tea or coffee value chains to be trained and accredited on certification labels. The training will be conducted in phases based on the requirements of different certification labels.
The major categories that will be covered are:
- Technical Auditor Training and accreditation
- APSCA Associate Social Compliance Auditor (APSCA-ASCA)
- APSCA Certified Social Compliance Auditor (APSCA-CSCA)
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Auditor Technical Pre-requisites
i. A minimum of a 4-year college degree in agriculture, natural resources, environmental sciences, social science, rural development, or similar and a minimum of 40 hours of witnessing audit processes.
ii. 2 years’ experience post education and 3 years working overall experience in the agricultural industry or
iii. A post high school diploma and a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a food related discipline
iv. 4 years industry experience in the relevant scope of certification.
v. Practical auditing experience in management systems (e.g., ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 22000, OSHAS 18000), BRC Food, IFS Food, GLOBALG.A. P) including as internal auditor.
vi. Working language skills (Kiswahili and English)
vii. Training in HACCP principles.
viii. Food hygiene training.
ix. Plant protection, fertilizer and IPM training (including as part of degree training)
APSCA Associate Social Compliance Auditor (APSCA-ASCA)
i. Holds a university-level degree in the subject related field (sociology, HR, legal etc)
ii. At least 3 years’ industry experience in relevant social compliance field (gender, labour organization or unionization, health and safety etc)
iii. Minimum of 1 year experience in social auditing, including as inspector, verifier or interna auditor.
APSCA Certified Social Compliance Auditor (APSCA-CSCA)
i. Has obtained the level of ASCA above
Has either:
ii. A minimum of 1 year experience and 100+ social compliance audit days or,
iii. A minimum of 2 years’ experience in any other type of auditing and 50+ social compliance audit days and 100 other type of audit days which include management system, health and safety, labour inspections, investigations, audit components or,
iv. 5+ years in social audit compliance or subject related industry experience in various positions and a minimum 35 social compliance audit days with additional experience in training, managerial/supervisory experience, parallel experience like implementing social compliance programs, and audit review or,
v. A minimum of 90 days social compliance industry experience and a minimum of 20 social audit compliance audit days.
How to apply
If you feel you are the right match for the above qualifications please send your CV and application letter explaining your suitability and motivation to
Human Resources Manager
with subject line “VSS Auditor Training and Accreditation”.
The application deadline is 22nd April 2021. The hard copies(optional) should be submitted at Solidaridad Tanzania Country office – Arusha Attention to Country Manager. P.O BOX 544 ARUSHA. The training cost will be covered by Solidaridad. The application is open for Tanzania nationals only. Only successful candidates will contacted