Certification & Compliance Officer

As a Certification & Compliance Officer specializing in FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation) compliance, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability and traceability of our latex processing operations and smallholder supplier networks for international market access. Your primary responsibilities will revolve around overseeing certification processes, maintaining traceability systems, conducting internal audits, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Your tasks will include leading and managing all documentation, systems, and policies related to FSC and EUDR compliance. This involves coordinating third-party audits, preparing for field verifications, and implementing corrective actions as necessary. You will also act as the main point of contact for Certification Bodies such as INDOCERT, Control Union, PBN, and SCS Global. In addition, you will be responsible for implementing and maintaining traceability systems to track latex from smallholder suppliers to processing units as required under EUDR. This includes monitoring and updating group member registers, risk assessments, traceability logs, and internal audit schedules. Furthermore, you will be involved in training smallholder farmers, collection agents, and internal staff on FSC and EUDR compliance. You will conduct internal audits, farmer visits, and inspections to ensure adherence to standards. Your role will also entail preparing reports and submissions for regulatory authorities and certification bodies. You will be expected to track, report, and address any non-compliances in collaboration with field teams and farmer networks. To qualify for this position, you should hold a Bachelors or Masters degree in Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Science, Rural Development, or a related field. A minimum of 3 years of experience in certification, audit, or sustainability roles is preferred, particularly with FSC, PBN, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, or EUDR-related projects. Proficiency in FSC Standards, EUDR traceability requirements, MS Excel, document management, and field audit tools is essential. Strong communication skills in English and Malayalam are required, along with a willingness to travel to plantation sites and farmer clusters. Preferred qualifications include FSC or organic certification training certificates, experience in agroforestry or rubber plantation operations, and knowledge of GIS/mapping tools for farm boundary marking. This is a full-time position based in Kerala, involving a combination of on-site fieldwork and office tasks.,