Assurance Manager

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a global, non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of responsible management of the world’s forests. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Bonn, Germany, FSC operates through a unique multi-stakeholder model that brings together environmental, social and economic interests to define what it means to manage forests responsibly.

FSC’s certification system is one of the most widely recognised and respected in the world, covering forest management and supply chain activities across more than 100 countries. Today, over 70,000 certificate holders work with a network of more than 50 independent certification bodies, all operating under the FSC accreditation and assurance framework. FSC’s standards are anchored in internationally recognised ISO frameworks and are subject to ongoing engagement with national accreditation bodies across Europe and beyond.

As a mission-driven organisation with a global community of over 400 forest stewards, FSC combines rigorous technical governance with a deeply collaborative culture. Working at FSC means contributing to one of the world’s most consequential sustainability frameworks — one that shapes how forests are managed for both people and nature, today and for generations to come.

About the role

The Assurance Manager plays a pivotal role within FSC’s Policy & Performance unit, leading two strategically significant and interconnected workstreams. This is a strategically important position supporting FSC’s system acceptance process and development of normative requirements within the accreditation and assurance framework - operating at the intersection of EU accreditation law, sustainability scheme governance, and normative process development.

Workstream 1: System Acceptance & Accreditation Strategy

Manage FSC’s application for system review with national accreditation bodies across Europe, coordinating with relevant FSC teams and ASI, FSC’s assurance services provider.

Support FSC in the analysis, coordination and resolution of findings arising from scheme reviews — including managing existing scheme review process by the German national accreditation body (DAkkS) in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Manage the ongoing compliance of the FSC certification system with relevant accreditation and assurance legislation across different national contexts.

Coordinate with relevant FSC teams and ASI to ensure alignment of FSC requirements with ISO standards, primarily ISO/IEC17065 and ISO/IEC 17067.

Develop and implement structured approaches for informing and consulting national accreditation bodies and relevant accreditation fora on changes to the FSC Normative Framework. Support internal analysis of engagement approaches across national accreditation bodies, where relevant.

Prepare board papers, risk assessments and strategic memos to enable informed senior-level decision-making on accreditation strategy.

Workstream 2: Normative Requirements for Assurance Provider (ASI)

Lead the development and maintenance of normative requirements for ASI in accordance with FSC’s standard-setting procedure (FSC-PRO-01-001).

Design and manage the requirements development process, including stakeholder consultations and expert working groups.

Draft and revise requirements governing ASI’s assessment processes, reporting to FSC, and performance monitoring.

Ensure that requirements are clear, proportionate, and suitable for implementation across multiple accreditation contexts.

Manage the FSC–ASI relationship throughout the normative process in a transparent and constructive manner.

Key dimensions of the role

Reporting & Structure

Reports directly to the System Performance Programme Manager within the Policy & Performance unit.

Works on a two-week sprint cycle, cross-functionally with directors, legal teams, and board-level stakeholders.

Interfaces extensively with external parties: national accreditation bodies, ASI, international accreditation fora, and expert working groups.

Scope & Seniority

The role is accountable for the quality of analysis, drafting of clear and auditable requirements, and effective management of structured processes. Accreditation outcomes are institutional responsibilities and not attributable to a single individual. The position includes preparing materials for board review, conducting structured risk analysis, and formulating well-reasoned recommendations to support decision-making in complex contexts.

Skills and experience

Education

MSc or equivalent from a university or technical college in a relevant field such as quality management, international relations, social sciences, or business administration.

Professional Experience

At least 5 years of experience in one or more of the following: certification (standard development, auditing), quality management, or assurance.

Background in certification bodies, scheme owner organisations, standard-setting bodies, or national accreditation bodies is strongly preferred.

Knowledge of and experience with EU accreditation frameworks, including ISO 17065 and ISO 17067.

Experience working with, or in the context of, national accreditation bodies and international accreditation fora within the EU.

Proven end-to-end project management experience, ideally involving multi-year, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

Experience in drafting normative or regulatory requirements is a strong asset.

Technical Skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to synthesise complex regulatory, legal and technical information.

Familiarity with EU accreditation law (EC Regulation 765/2008) and sustainability scheme governance models.

Excellent written communication: ability to produce clear, accurate board papers, memos and consultation documents.

Proficiency in standard MS Office software.

Personal Attributes

Persistence and resilience — ability to maintain momentum under sustained stakeholder pressure and in the face of slow-moving processes.

Comfort with ambiguity — able to operate effectively in evolving, non-harmonised regulatory environments without guaranteed outcomes.

Strong stakeholder management and diplomacy — capable of engaging diverse and competing interests constructively and transparently.

Flexibility — readiness to adapt strategy rapidly when regulatory conditions or organisational priorities shift.

Collaborative working style — oriented towards team cohesiveness and cross-functional coordination.

Proactiveness and diligence — a self-starter with a strong sense of accuracy in written outputs and analytical work.

Languages

Excellent English, spoken and written (essential).

German and/or Spanish language skills are a strong asset.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Research shows that individuals from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every listed qualification. At Millar Cameron, we are committed to supporting our clients in building diverse and inclusive teams. If you’re enthusiastic about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply - you could be exactly what our client is looking for, either for this position or another.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are only able to respond to candidates who are shortlisted for the next stage of the process. We sincerely appreciate your interest and the time taken to apply.

Since 2007 Millar Cameron has specialised in sourcing leadership and keyperson talent across a number of industries, including agribusiness, international development, industrial, consumer, financial and professional services, private equity, and technology, media and telecommunications. Our mission and purpose is to positively contribute to the development of Africa, and other emerging markets, through the provision of people.