Are you a coffee expert with a passion for smallholder farmers and sustainable supply chains? Do you have experience in corporate engagement and the development of public- private partnerships? Solidaridad offers you a rewarding and meaningful job in an inspiring and international setting with the opportunity to make a real difference in the world.

We are looking for a:

Senior Corporate Engagement and Partnerships Manager: Coffee

to join our European Corporate Engagement and Partnerships team, based in the Netherlands or Germany.

In today’s interconnected global economy,  we are highly dependent on international trade and resilient supply chains to meet operational and consumer demands. Where would we be without the people who produce products like coffee? Our daily well being depends on the hard work of millions of smallholder farmers outside of Europe. Current production and trade in global supply chains are often not profitable for producers, nor are they socially responsible or environmentally sound. At Solidaridad we believe in an economy that works for all, and that is why we work directly with private sector partners towards inclusive and sustainable sourcing and trading practices. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

As Senior Corporate Engagement & Partnership Manager for coffee, you will:

  • Engage and influence the private sector
    Leverage your market insights and business acumen to engage companies in sustainable sourcing solutions, influence corporate sustainability agendas, and create positive environmental and social impact across global coffee supply chains.
  • Build and strengthen strategic partnerships
    Deepen relationships with existing partners and cultivate new ones—particularly in the coffee sector—bringing Solidaridad’s unique value proposition to leading market actors.
  • Co-create impactful programmes and secure funding
    Collaborate with corporate partners to develop high-impact programmes, co-design alternative funding mechanisms, and secure financial commitments, including through public-private partnerships and carbon credit programmes.
  • Drive innovation in sustainable supply chains
    Develop and promote propositions for decarbonization and climate-smart solutions—such as regenerative agriculture, insetting/offsetting, and integrated soil management—together with technical colleagues.
  • Manage key accounts and project portfolios
    Serve as account manager for strategic corporate partnerships, oversee programme implementation, track KPIs and budgets, and ensure effective communication across Solidaridad’s global network.
  • Represent Solidaridad externally
    Act as a visible and credible representative of Solidaridad in dialogues with external stakeholders, presenting our work at events and forums to strengthen our profile and partnerships.
  • Collaborate across teams to maximize impact
    Work closely with colleagues in communications, policy, knowledge management, and regional teams to align efforts and amplify results for both partners and producers.
  • Contribute to team strategy and learning
    Play an active role in shaping the strategy of the Corporate Engagement and Partnerships team, and support learning by capturing and sharing best practices that drive sector-wide transformation.

PROFILE

You have a strong background and track record in coffee trade, from a perspective of business development, private sector engagement and/or development of compelling sector transition initiatives. You like to combine strategy and business development with hands-on account management, networking and project management. You are ambitious and entrepreneurial; you are a networker and connect with others easily. You take initiative and are a fast thinker as well as a result-oriented doer. You set the bar high and work closely together with other colleagues and thematic experts within the organization. 

What you bring to the role:

1. Education and experience

  • A relevant higher education degree and an academic working and thinking level.
  • At least 7 years of experience working with or within the private sector in an international context, particularly in sustainable sourcing strategies related to the coffee sector.
  • Hands-on experience in or with low- and middle-income country contexts in Africa, Asia, and/or Latin America.

2. Corporate engagement and business development

  • A proven track record in corporate engagement, fundraising, and business development: identifying market opportunities, acting on them, co-creating partnerships, and successfully managing key corporate accounts.
  • A strong, relevant corporate network in Europe and excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and inspire collaboration around Solidaridad’s mission.

3. Communication and Languages

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to gather insights, synthesize information, and craft compelling proposals, reports, and presentations.
  • Good command of German and/or Dutch language is an asset
  • Additional language skills—particularly Spanish—are very welcome

4. Personal Fit and Commitment

  • A genuine interest in and commitment to Solidaridad’s mission to make global supply chains more inclusive and sustainable.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to work effectively across cultures and teams.
  • Eligibility to work in the European Union (the Netherlands and/or Germany).

OUR OFFER

  • A unique and rewarding job within an inspiring and international setting, starting as soon as possible; 
  • You will join Solidaridad Europe’s Corporate Engagement and Partnerships team, and will have the opportunity to work with an innovative and dedicated network of professionals in Europe and across the world;
  • Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands, or Freiburg or Hamburg, Cologne/ Bonn (remote), Germany, with national and international travel required; 
  •  A 1-2 years contract with the possibility of extension, 36-40 hours/week; 
  • Gross monthly salary between EUR 4,024 and EUR 6,907 depending on relevant experience, (salary scale 11 or 12); an additional holiday and end of year allowance will be paid to the employee in case based in The Netherlands, or an equivalent compensation will be paid out monthly as part of the monthly salary when based in Germany; 
  • Solidaridad offers a private pension plan/ non-contributory pension plan depending on the location based;
  • Contribution to moving expenses (if applicable); 

At Solidaridad, diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our collective mission, vision and values.

We aim for Solidaridad to be an inclusive place where all people feel heard, seen, and valued for their diverse identities, experiences, perspectives and skills.

We are therefore committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment by treating everyone with dignity and respect, enabling and empowering us to be ourselves and achieving our full potential as individuals and our collective mission as an organization.

NEXT STEPS

Does this position appeal to you? Then please submit your one-page motivation letter and resume in English to hr-europe@solidaridadnetwork.org and state “Application: Senior CEP manager- Coffee” in the subject header. The closing date for this vacancy is 25 May 2025 whereby we review and evaluate applications on an ongoing basis and conduct interviews with suitable candidates before the end of the application period if necessary. 

Questions can be addressed to hr-europe@solidaridadnetwork.org or by phone to Myrtille Danse, Head Corporate Engagement and Partnerships: +31622323494 or Melanie Rutten-Sülz , Country Manager Solidaridad Germany , (+49 178 8458548). A reference check, VOG (certificate

of good conduct) or equivalent depending on the country of residence, and an assessment will be part of the selection procedure.  Work permit restrictions may apply. 

No agencies please.

Any personal data submitted in an application is treated confidentially and processed for the sole purpose of filling a vacancy, and compliant to the GDPR directive. After the selection process has been completed (upon the date of filled vacancy), all personal data of applicants who have not been selected will be destroyed immediately, unless we have your explicit approval to store your personal data for a period of maximum a year.   

BACKGROUND

Solidaridad envisions a world in which all we produce and all we consume can sustain us, while respecting the planet, each other and the next generations. We enable farmers and workers to earn a living income, shape their own future, and produce in balance with nature by working throughout the whole supply chain to make sustainability the norm. 

Solidaridad is an international network organization consisting of seven regional expertise centers located around the world (Asia, Southern Africa, East and Central Africa, West Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe), each with their own specific expertise and focus. Globally, Solidaridad works in over 50 countries.

In Europe, Solidaridad focuses on market development, policy influencing, communications, knowledge management and donor relations. We seek to inspire the private sector, governments, civil society organizations, research institutes and consumers to contribute to inclusive and sustainable international value chains.

For more information please refer to: www.solidaridadnetwork.org, www.solidaridad.nl or www.solidaridad.de.