Relationship Manager, Strategic Portfolio

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

At the Rainforest Alliance we are looking for a highly motivated, results-driven Relationship Manager Strategic Portfolio, to help to ensure the Rainforest Alliance is the strategic long-term partner of choice for companies to invest in net-positive impact in their supply chains. This role will take a consultative selling approach at executive level to engage companies in innovative value creation, addressing both supply and demand levers.

This position will be part of a group of Strategic CE&P Relationship Managers, to develop and implement sales strategy to specific, existing major accounts and high potential prospects were growing relationships and identifying opportunities are critical. This will require full knowledge of the Rainforest Alliance’s value proposition and its applications, along with a strong understanding of the client’s objectives and challenges. This team supports the Regional CE&P Leads and Relationship Managers to deepen and broaden the engagement with corporate partners, to elevate them into strategic partnerships through RA’s integrated value proposition.

Rainforest Alliance has recently set its ambitious 2023-2030 strategy to further strengthen our organizational impact. We want to activate market push/pull, producer impact, investment mobilization and citizen activation to create value with speed and scale and accelerate our mission. The Strategic Corporate Engagement and Partnership Lead will play a pivotal role in making our strategy a reality by strengthening our position as a trusted and highly valued partner for our strategic and key accounts to work with us on a comprehensive sustainability agenda.

The Relationship Manager Strategic Portfolio is a new position within the Corporate Engagement & Partnerships team, reporting into the Strategic Corporate Engagement and Partnership Lead.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

• Support the Strategic CE&P Lead in 3 key cross-cutting areas within the Corporate Engagement & Partnerships team:
  • Strategic account portfolio management and development
  • Corporate consortiums & alliances management
  • Corporate global project management
• Responsible for a high value portfolio of strategic accounts, including development of strategic account plans deploying RA’s integrated value proposition;
• Support Regional Leads and CE&P Relationship Managers to develop strategic account plans that outline strategy and tactics to build key relationships with relevant decision makers and influencers and grow our impact;
• Manage long-term strategic partnership (>3 years) development process and deployment for high value partners;
• Shape our unified value proposition and storytelling to sell a (complex) product and services solution in the account context;
• Negotiate contractual terms and close deals that meet the customer’s mid-to long-term needs, working closely with legal and compliance;
• Ensure quality service and organizational growth of these strategic accounts;
• Manage and build multi-stakeholder strategic engagement and initiatives that require involvement with 2 or more corporates under the CE&P global portfolio;
• Support the prospecting, co-design and incubation process for corporate project development in close collaboration with relationship managers, ensuring quality of the process and an integrated design in line with the value proposition.
• Liaises with support and admin functions (finance, GIC, legal, etc.) for smooth proposal development and approval process for corporate projects, ensuring effective handover to internal teams for execution.
• Works collaboratively with other departments (e.g. global programs, products, technology, finance, legal, marketing & comms) and leadership management to best serve accounts, corporate consortiums and projects;
• Responsible for tracking implementation of offering at customer to ensure needs are met and use feedback from customers, offerings and internal processes to continuously improve our account management program and internal processes;
• Establish performance metrics and regularly measure progress against them. Use feedback from customers and internal processes to continuously improve our account management program;
• Work with Revenue Operations to (give input for) prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports and forecasts for the account portfolio;
• Support other relationship managers on project development with corporates;
• Follow policies and procedures, e.g. customer relationship system;
• Adapt to changing market conditions, customer needs, and competitive threats;
• Other duties as assigned.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Master’s degree in business administration, economy, or another relevant international development discipline;
• At least 7 years of experience with complex sales in B2B environment at senior level, relationship building, corporate affairs or marketing;
• Consistent track record in developing and leading go-to-market strategies that generate revenue and profitability, external engagement, high-level stakeholder management and representing an organization in a multi-stakeholder environment;
• Experience in project management and proposal development;
• Strong interpersonal skills with track record of achieving results through influencing without authority;
• Extensive knowledge of the corporate ESG investment space;
• Knowledge and understanding of voluntary certification programs;
• Deep knowledge in at least one key crop (Coffee, Cocoa, Tea, Bananas). Proven track record of authority in the subject matter (published articles; speaking at events etc.)
• Key competencies: strategy, consultative selling, business acumen, negotiation, persuasion, adaptability, critical and reflective thinking, public speaking, resourcefulness, collaborative, problem solving, relationship builder based on trust, empathy and openness, and strong organizational skills to lead multiple priorities in a time critical manner;
• Experience with CRM software and account management systems;
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills, written and verbal proficiency in English is required;
• Ability to travel.

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT THE RAINFOREST ALLIANCE:

• Be a part of a global organization with a strong mission and a collaborative, respectful, and accountable culture.
• Enjoy opportunities for professional growth and career development.
• Benefit from remote working flexibility and flexible hybrid working environment.
• Receive a competitive salary package.
• A favourable time‑off policy, including annual leave and Resilience Days, to help you recharge and balance life outside of work.
• Prioritize your wellbeing. We have numerous ways to promote work-life balance, so you get the chance to take some time off, recharge, and remain at your best. This includes:
  • Resilience and personal leave days
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Wellbeing activities
  • Sabbatical opportunities.

Apply now and let’s grow together. We look forward to hearing from you and exploring how your skills can help us advance our mission.

Level: 3

Deadline: 30 January 2026

Salary: For USA based candidates only:

• National Salary range (Excluding NY and DC) - $64,260 - $91,770
• New York Salary Range - $76,323 - $109,033
• Washington DC Salary Range - $73,875 - $105,035

Notes: Only candidates legally authorized to work in locations where the Rainforest Alliance is registered will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: recruitment@ra.org

About the Organization

Our Mission: Our mission is to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Companies, cooperatives and landowners that participate in our programs meet rigorous standards that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods. Our approach: At the Rainforest Alliance, we believe that the key to ensuring long and healthy lives for people, for wildlife and for the planet is by establishing sustainable ways of working the land. In over 50 countries around the world, we are collaborating with farmers, workers, business leaders, NGO's, governments, scientists and local communities to develop and implement standards that are socially and environmentally responsible, as well as economically viable. By creatively and systematically helping to overhaul the way that crops and timber are produced and the way tourism is managed, the Rainforest Alliance, its partners and the consumers they serve are ensuring that the resources we depend on today will be here far into the future. How we do it: By connecting conservation to your life! The Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval makes it easy for consumers to know they are buying a product that has been grown or made sustainably. The companies who sell these products also make sure their customers know they are good neighbors in their communities, and that they take care of their workers and protect the environment. Through collaborative partnerships with businesses, nonprofit groups that work regionally, and international development organizations.