Head of Coffee, Business Development

About Fair Trade USA

Fair Trade USA, a four-time winner of Fast Company’s Social Capitalist of the Year award, is an internationally-acclaimed social enterprise that promotes sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. Founded in 1998, our mission is to harness the power of the market to improve lives and protect the environment. We achieve this mission by developing rigorous standards and certifying products that meet those standards. Today, we are the leading independent third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in North America.

Fair Trade USA has developed a unique model of ethical sourcing and sustainability that makes global supply chains more transparent and responsible. The impact is extraordinary: in 2023, we served and supported over 1 million farmers and workers in 52 countries around the world who enjoy better working conditions, incomes, and living standards as a result of Fair Trade certification. We achieved this impact by partnering with 1,700 leading brands and retailers across dozens of product categories who are developing stronger supply chains, reputations, and consumer loyalty as a result of their participation in Fair Trade. Over 62% of U.S. consumers now recognize our trusted Fair Trade Certified™ label.

Since inception, Fair Trade USA has channeled over $1.1 billion in additional income to hardworking families and communities around the world. More importantly, our market leverage for impact is remarkable: for every $1 that we invest in building the Fair Trade market and movement, we have created $4 in increased income for farmers and workers. This 4x1 “social return on investment” is unparalleled in the international development community today.

Notably, coffee is our largest and most successful product, accounting for more than 200 million pounds in 2023, or roughly 6% of total U.S. coffee imports. Fair Trade USA has developed deep partnerships with Keurig Green Mountain, Nespresso, Death Wish, and other leading coffee brands, as well as high-impact private label partnerships with Sam’s Club, Costco, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, and other retailers. Fair Trade USA is active in the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, the Global Coffee Platform, and other major coffee industry initiatives, helping improve the lives of millions of coffee families around the world.

The Role and the Opportunity

Fair Trade USA is investing significant capital in transformation and scalability, and we are well positioned for our next phase of growth, impacting the lives of millions of families. We seek an outstanding coffee leader to join our management team and help lead the organization’s extraordinary journey to impact at scale.

Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, and a member of the Wider Leadership Team, the Head of Coffee, Business Development is charged with driving the organization’s ambitious plans to scale our coffee program by overseeing the development and execution of all business development, sales, and expansion strategies and programs. The HoC will build and lead a talented coffee business development team. The HoC will also be a key partner across multiple functions in the innovation and modernization of our coffee program for impact at scale.

The HoC is ultimately responsible for growing the market for Fair Trade Certified coffee in the U.S. and beyond, driving both impact for producers around the world and revenue for Fair Trade USA. The HoC must lead the achievement of ambitious business development and sales targets within the context of a new 3-year strategic growth plan that is launching in 2024. The HoC has the advantages of working closely with an energetic and visionary Founder & CEO, an ambitious, entrepreneurial team, and one of the best-known brands in the world of sustainable coffee. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished coffee leader to shape the trajectory of a mission-focused social enterprise and help take its extraordinary impact to scale.

Key Responsibilities

Working in collaboration with other product category leaders, the Chief Growth Officer, the Vice President of Marketing, and the Founder & CEO, the Development Director, and other functional leaders within the organization, the HoC’s key priorities include:

Strategy Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of business development strategies for coffee, including long term planning, annual operating plans, budgets and revenue forecasts, and quarterly targets for coffee business development team.
• Develop strategy and support execution for key accounts growth.
• Collaborate with the Head of Philanthropy in the development and implementation of fundraising pipeline strategies that generate philanthropic funding to support innovation and strategic initiatives in coffee.
• Evaluate market opportunities for expansion, innovation, and new coffee initiatives.
• Join the Wider Leadership Team and collaborate with other organizational leaders to develop the organization’s strategies, policies, and key initiatives.

 Category Growth & Revenue

• Work with the coffee team to strengthen sales management processes to meet growth targets with efficiency, scalability, and profitability.
• Review and analyze sales performance to help the team drive revenue and identify opportunities.
• Support sales, negotiations, and successful landing of strategic accounts.
• Support key account management and cultivate strategic account relationships.
• Partner with Retail and Marketing teams to develop strategies and plans that generate demand for and increase the distribution and share of Fair Trade Certified products.
• Represent Fair Trade USA and promote our mission and the coffee category through media, trade shows, and industry engagements.

Team Leadership

• Build, develop, mentor, and lead a strong coffee business development team. Foster a collaborative, motivating, and inclusive working environment, and demonstrate a commitment to our organizational values and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) principles.

Innovation & Expansion Strategies

• Engage with the Coffee Innovation Advisory Board and the Consejo Consultivo de Café (CCC) to amplify the impact and reach of our coffee program.
• Provide expertise related to the overall coffee program enhancements (services, custom partnerships, insights, go-to-market approach) and work cross-functionally to bring innovations to market.

The Ideal Candidate

Fair Trade USA is seeking an outstanding, accomplished coffee business development and sales leader who can help significantly grow the organization’s revenue and impact over the next 3 to 5 years.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in leading high-performing B2B business development,sales teams management, and supply chain expertise in the coffee sector, and will have deep experience implementing successful growth strategies in organizations that are looking to rapidly scale.  The HoC will be both a capable strategist and an outstanding operational leader that is eager to roll up their sleeves and do the work. This includes having stellar sales and negotiation, as well as exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. As a mission-driven organization, we seek candidates with deep private sector experience who are passionate about our mission and inspired to apply their business skills to an organization that creates profound, measurable impact for farming and working families around the world.

The HoC will be a natural relationship builder, coach, and mentor for staff. This position will lead a dedicated, knowledgeable, and hardworking team. The HoC must have outstanding people management skills, including the ability to identify talent, support professional development, and build high-performance teams.

Fair Trade USA is a fast-paced, dynamic environment driven by a passion for doing good in the world. We value integrity, innovation, idealism, and impact. The HoC must thrive in this highly entrepreneurial and results-focused culture, bringing bias to action and curiosity to learn and iterate. The HoC must also bring the analytical strength to help the organization prioritize opportunities and focus in order to execute successfully.

The HoC will be joining Fair Trade USA at one of the most pivotal moments since our founding in 1998. The HoC role is a legacy-building opportunity for an accomplished market builder who is inspired to take Fair Trade coffee and its impact to the next level. At the same time, the HoC will be excited by the opportunity to build and directly manage a portfolio of key accounts and relationships at the highest levels with some of the world’s leading coffee brands and retailers.

Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates must have a minimum of 10 years of relevant sales and/or partnership development leadership experience with a proven track record of success in growing sales, profitability, and market share. At least 3 of those years should be as a sales leader specifically within the Coffee industry.
• Experience selling to coffee roasters, brands, and/or retailers is strongly preferred.
• Experience selling socially responsible and sustainable coffee products or services highly desirable.
• The position is fully remote (based in the US) and requires some domestic and international travel.
• Strong financial acumen, knowledge of client relationships (CRM), and Microsoft Office Suite
  

Our Workplace

At Fair Trade USA, we are a mission-driven organization and are deeply committed to fostering an environment that is built on the principles of JEDI; a just, equitable, diverse and inclusive community for all. We are committed to upholding an inclusive workplace where all people feel equally respected and valued, and where we can all thrive. We are a proud equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from every educational background, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, national origin and ancestry, veteran status, marital or family status and disability.

We believe in empowering our teams to choose to do their best work and grow at Fair Trade USA. We offer a comprehensive compensation approach including salary, performance-based bonus and employee recognition awards, and a generous and thoughtful approach to employee benefits which include:

• Fully Remote & Flexible Workplace with monthly Final Friday half-days
• Incentive compensation and Bonus awards
• Generous Health, Dental and Vision insurance
• Up to 5% Employer 401k Match
• Excellent PTO including 13+ Holidays / 20+ Vacations / 9 Sick Leave days annually
• Annual Winter Break Week with Office Closure from 25th December through New Year
• Six Weeks Sabbatical Leave after 7 years’ service
• Parental Leave and Caregiver Programs
• Mental Health and Wellbeing programs
• Employee Recognition Awards
• Employee Perks and Discount programs with Fair Trade Certified partners