Managing Director, Forest Stewardship Council (Bonn, Germany)

Not on the FSC website, although I'm told it will be soon, so here's the job description:

Position Title: Managing Director of FSC Global Development GmbH i.G.
Reports To: Executive Director of FSC A.C.

About FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to help solve the challenges forests face around the world. It provides standard setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry.

FSC’s unique role is to bring together people, organizations and businesses of the Global South and North to develop consensus-based solutions that promote responsible stewardship of the world’s forests.

Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.

FSC has three daughter companies: FSC IC, Accreditation Services International (ASI) and FSC Global Development. FSC IC is the not for profit division of FSC, housing standard setting activities. ASI is a leading international accreditation body that offers international, third party accreditation for voluntary certification schemes. FSC Global Development is responsible for FSC brand management, corporate relations, market development and trademark support.

Position Description
The position of ‘Managing Director of FSC Global Development GmbH’ leads all activities of FSC Global Development (FSC GD), the company in the FSC Group charged with the essential missions of managing the FSC Brand in the global marketplace and protecting the integrity of FSC’s trademarks worldwide.

FSC GD is a for-profit company, based in Bonn, Germany. It was established in 2007 to provide the necessary platform to respond to increasing focus on market development that is driven by the tremendous increase in FSC certification. Given the growing recognition of the importance of brand management within FSC, FSC GD is expected to manage multi-million Euro budgets within the next 5 years.

The Managing Director of FSC GD will facilitate, develop and maintain relationships that are conduits of direct access to billions of Euros of the global trade in forest products. The position will be a key contact between FSC and the top tier executives in some of the foremost brands in the world, like Wal-Mart, Ikea and Home Depot.

The Managing Director supervises directly and/or indirectly all business affairs and all staff of the FSC GD and reports directly to the shareholder of the company as represented by the Executive Director of FSC A.C. The Managing Director of FSC Global Development GmbH is part of the executive management team of the FSC Group.

The Managing Director will be responsible for the main complexes of work outlined below. In managing these areas the Managing Director of FSC GD will collaborate closely with the senior management of other legal entities in the FSC Group and FSC National Initiatives.

A. Strategic and operational development and strengthening of the FSC Brand. This complex of work includes in particular the:

• implementation of marketing programs throughout the FSC Global Network to strengthen the credibility, uptake and legitimacy of the FSC Brand, reinforcing its position as the go to brand for sustainability and forests;
• implementation of brand management programs throughout the FSC Global Network to strengthen the recognition for the FSC Brand as the only acceptable guarantee for responsible forest products;
• management of strategic partnerships with key customers to strengthen FSC’s position as the unique companion brand for the private sector;

B. Strategic and operational management of the FSC trademarks. This complex of work includes in particular the:

• development and management of licensing of the FSC trademarks to certificate holders, market partners and supporters of the FSC;
• support for the development of guidelines for use of the FSC trademarks by third parties, especially certificate holders, market partners and supporters of the FSC;
• follow up on misuse of the FSC trademarks including implementation of appropriate technical and operational systems to identify misuse of the FSC trademarks and take appropriate actions;
• recommendations regarding legal action by FSC AC in relation to the misuse of FSC trademarks whenever appropriate;
• promotion of the use of the FSC trademarks, including projects and campaigns to extend the outreach of and recognition for the FSC trademarks.

C. Managing all matters related to the business of the FSC GD, including operational management, formal records, legal and financial affairs.

Qualifications and Experience
The Managing Director FSC GD will possess senior management experience and be able to demonstrate the following key competencies:

Professional Experience – s/he will have demonstrated professional experience with similar level positions and/or responsibilities, including expertise in brand management, marketing, financial management and administration.

Ability to relate to the FSC’s Values and Approach – s/he will identify with the values and mission of the FSC, relate to the principle mechanisms of the organization and at a general level be familiar with the scope of FSC’s programs of standard setting, accreditation, political dialogue, branding, engaging market forces, trademark management and networking.

Team Membership Skills – s/he will be a member of a multi-cultural, inter-disciplinary, multi-lingual, global team while providing integration in critical areas of development.

Exceptional Interpersonal Communication Skills – s/he will communicate well and convincingly in teams, while possessing active-listening skills, being able to facilitate interactive discussion and maintaining positive interpersonal relations and confidence.

Education and Training – s/he will perform their work in the English language. Proficiency in Spanish, FSC’s other official language, as well as German, would be a bonus but is not essential. The candidate will have successfully completed a university degree in a relevant field.

Personal Conduct – The MD of FSC GD will represent the FSC as a whole with exemplary personal and professional authority and conduct. S/he will conduct their work with uncompromised integrity and loyalty appropriate to the position.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate competence, experience and skills for this position in his/her career development through references of present and past colleagues. The position is based in Bonn, Germany and requires a substantial amount of travel.

For further information please contact the FSC’s executive search consultant Michael Wills of Oxford HR – mwills@oxfordhr.co.uk, tel 00 44 1865 510980 or Skype michael.wills
Closing date – June 22nd 2009