Agriculture Lead

Are you an experienced agriculture certification professional ready to lead service delivery and client engagement across India and South Asia? Do you enjoy combining hands-on auditing with business development and building strong client relationships? If so, this role could be the right fit for you.

What you can expect:

Preferred by Nature is looking for an Agriculture Lead, South Asia to oversee and coordinate the delivery of agriculture services across India and South Asia, ensuring quality, consistency, client satisfaction and alignment with Preferred by Nature’s strategic objectives. The role also includes marketing and sales of PbN services in the region, including client presentations, service proposal preparation, and general support to PbN’s client portfolio. As a key representative of Preferred by Nature, you will coordinate operational delivery, manage service portfolios, and support the development and implementation of regional agriculture service strategies, contributing to strengthening the organisation’s reputation as a market leader among clients.

Working with us is never routine, so in your first year you can expect the following areas to be central to your work.

• Achieve and maintain qualifications as auditor, quality reviewer, and task manager across Preferred by Nature’s agriculture certifications and verifications, including Rainforest Alliance, UEBT, GlobalG.A.P., SRP, and RSPO.

• Oversee and coordinate certification and verification processes, including audit budgeting, planning, scheduling, and client support.

• Manage and oversee the certification and verification portfolio of assigned clients across India and South Asia.

• Lead and coordinate audit activities including on-site visits or remote planning, evaluation, and report writing.

• Manage sales processes as sales task manager, providing service proposals to potential clients.

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned clients and key stakeholders, ensuring effective engagement and service delivery.

• Lead regional business development, client engagement, and market development initiatives for agriculture certification services.

• Provide functional guidance and subject-matter leadership to colleagues, contractors, and auditors involved in agriculture certification activities.

Your first year with us:

Within three months, you will:

• Develop a strong understanding of Preferred by Nature’s agriculture certification services, client portfolio, and internal systems and protocols.

• Begin conducting audits within your existing qualification scope and start building relationships with assigned clients and regional stakeholders.

• Coordinate with the Regional Director–South Asia, Country Representative–Sri Lanka, and the Asia Pacific team to understand current client priorities.

Within six months, you will:

• Independently manage a portfolio of certification and verification clients, ensuring quality, timeliness, and consistency across audits.

• Actively contribute to business development and market development activities, including client presentations and service proposals.

• Progress towards additional lead auditor qualifications relevant to the regional portfolio, such as RSPO or SRP.

Within twelve months, you will:

• Independently manage a consistent client portfolio across India and South Asia, with strong quality and client satisfaction.

• Have contributed to at least one new business opportunity or client relationship that strengthens Preferred by Nature’s regional market position.

• Provide regular progress updates and recommendations to your Line Manager on operational performance.

Important that you:

• Hold a graduate or postgraduate degree in Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Science, Rural Development, or a similar field.

• Hold a qualification as lead auditor for Rainforest Alliance (Farm and Supply Chain).

• Are fluent in English and Hindi.

• Have good communication, client management, and interpersonal skills.

• Are proficient in MS Office applications, including MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint, and other work-related software.

Would also be great, but not necessary, if you:

• Hold a qualification as lead auditor for RSPO, SRP, or other agriculture certification and verification schemes.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

What Sets Us Apart:

• Global work culture

• High degree of flexibility - remote work, work from home.

• An in-depth onboarding and professional training that prepares you with the right skills and knowledge to thrive in this role.

• Excellent opportunities for growth and professional development

• Potential future international travel opportunities

• A friendly, international team of colleagues, with a pleasant work environment

• Start with 20 days of vacation leave per year

Preferred by Nature

Preferred by Nature is a non-profit, mission driven organisation that works for sustainable land management and climate-friendly solutions. With 350+ employees and a network of local experts, we develop practical solutions to drive positive impacts in production landscapes and supply chains in 100+ countries. We focus on forest and climate impact commodities and related sectors.

How to apply:

If you feel you meet the requirements of the role, please submit your application, including salary expectations, via the application form below. Application pre-screening will be conducted during the application period. Preferred by Nature wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.