Chief Commercial Officer at Rainforest Alliance

POSITION SUMMARY:

• The Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) is a vital role within The Rainforest Alliance's global executive leadership team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. This role is created to (i) drive the organization's commercial strategy and delivery to ensure long-term financial sustainability, (ii) identify market opportunities and build the organization's brand through strategic marketing and communications, and (iii) foster relationships with key stakeholders across a broad spectrum of sources.
• Rainforest Alliance aims to substantially grow our impact through scalable and repeatable products, with a core focus on agricultural certification. The CCO will lead teams in marketing, corporate affairs, advocacy, sales & relationship management, and consultancy services. This executive will work closely with the Chief Product Officer to ensure product development aligns with current and future revenue opportunities while advancing the organization's vision and mission.
• We are looking for an experienced executive leader, with confirmed commercial expertise and strategic insight. An enterprise leader who is a team player and brings market-driven thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, and a collaborative approach to the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with the executive leadership team to ensure the organization is delivering against its strategic goals
• Represent Rainforest Alliance at high-level external events, conferences, and meetings to enhance its profile
• Develop, implement and align comprehensive commercial strategies to achieve the organization's mission and financial goals
• Focus attention on the core offer of certification of agricultural practices in tropical regions
• Identify new market opportunities for growth and expansion
• Lead and manage the sales and marketing teams to drive growth and increase brand visibility
• Build and strengthen existing stakeholder relationships while cultivating new prospective partnerships
• Grow the Rainforest Alliance brand in established, new, and emerging markets
• Lead internal and external communications teams to ensure consistent and effective messaging
• Oversee media management, risk mitigation, and reputation management
• Develop and implement communication strategies including press, PR, and event management
• Lead the advocacy team working on both European and global policy changes
• Develop advocacy strategies to influence policy and drive positive change in key areas of interest
• Work closely with the Chief Product Officer to create new offerings and solutions
• Align product development with commercial opportunities and strategic priorities
• Engage effectively with corporate partners, industry groups, and other relevant organizations
• Represent the organization's commercial interests in multi-stakeholder initiatives
• Monitor and manage the organization's commercial financial performance
• Support financial teams in budgeting, forecasting, and reporting
• Drive revenue growth and cost optimization across commercial operations
• Lead, mentor, and develop a significant team within the organization
• Foster strong leadership, delivery ethos, creative thinking, and entrepreneurial mindset
• Create a collaborative environment that drives innovation and results
• Cultivate a high-performance culture aligned with organizational values
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges
• Improve commercial performance, particularly in consultancy services and relationship management
• Translate market intelligence into actionable commercial strategies

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated ability (15+ years' proven experience) with a progressive career including 5 years of senior leadership experience in commercial roles, preferably within both the corporate and NGO sectors
• Track record of successfully developing and implementing commercial strategies that drive organizational growth and sustainability
• Deep understanding of sustainability markets, preferably with knowledge of agricultural certification systems
• Experience leading marketing, communications, sales, and advocacy functions in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Strong financial acumen with experience in revenue generation, budget management, and financial planning
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders across global supply chains
• Experience with international organizations as well as a multi-office, multi-national environment
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills with direct experience working with and presenting to boards
• Collaborative management and working style with a diverse workforce
• Strong leadership and managerial skills with ability to delegate, train, coach and motivate staff
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and problem solve in a dynamic, growing organization
• Excellence in cross-functional collaboration and strong team player
• Ability to influence, empower and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field; Master's degree or MBA preferred
• Passion for sustainability, a strong leader with a results-oriented mindset
• Commitment to the Rainforest Alliance's mission and values