Senior Associate, Business Development

Position Summary:

The Department of State and Rainforest Alliance join forces to protect forests, empower communities, and promote sustainable agriculture in Guatemala. We work to create more prosperous and resilient landscapes through the implementation of policies, market development, landscape restoration, and emissions reduction. Through the implementation of three strategic approaches, we hope to contribute to the country's reduction of more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. By implementing key actions in Petén, Quiché, Totonicapán, Huehuetenango, and San Marcos and bordering municipalities between Guatemala and Mexico borders, we hope to impact more than 1.8 million hectares, in which we will promote sustainable forest management, the prevention of forest fires, while implementing productive restoration practices on degraded lands. To achieve all this, it is essential to provoke behavioral changes in producers and their organizations.

The Senior Associate, Business Development will be responsible for supporting the business landscape connectivity strategy, which will operate in two ways: one, to meet the supply of timber, non-timber, crops from agroforestry systems and value chains broad PRL regions; two, creation and organization of buyers (demand). The Senior Associate will provide technical assistance in market linkages, be responsible for relationships and partnership building with key private sector actors to ensure business opportunities for Nature Based Enterprises (NBE) and value chains. The Senior Associate will maintain a close relationship and coordination with the COP, project specialists, regional managers and even other project managers to align efforts to achieve project objectives.  Using the Farm Management Planning methodology, this person will be responsible for developing a portfolio of products and a pipeline of potential buyer companies for timber and non-timber products from the regions where this strategy will be implemented. The Senior Associate will be responsible for preparing a road map to engage incentive programs from forest services and government institutions such as MARN (Environment and Natural Resources Ministry), INAB (Instituto Nacional de Bosques) as well as CONAP (Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas). The Senior Associate together with the CoP will supervise direct communications between stakeholders and partners to establish commercial relationships to consolidate RA´s Sustainable Market Alliance. The Senior Associate will work in actions across all three PRL strategic approaches supporting field teams. 

Responsibilities: 

Market Development and Linkages

• Supply and Demand Strategy: Design and implement strategies to bridge the supply of timber, non-timber and services and products) with buyer demand. Develop and maintain an up-to-date portfolio of producers and buyers in targeted regions.
• Buyer engagement: Conduct outreach to potential buyer companies, presenting a comprehensive portfolio of products and market-ready offerings.
• Field technical assistance: Provide technical assistance to producers to enhance market readiness and access and to support direct linkages with buyers.

Partnership and relationship building

• Stakeholder coordination: Serve as a liaison between producers, private sector actors, and project partners. Maintain strong partnerships with key private sector entities to foster sustainable market opportunities.
• Inter-project collaboration: Work closely with the COP and train project specialists, regional managers, and other project managers to ensure project goals are aligned and supported across initiatives.
• Sustainable market alliance: Coordinate with MARN, INAB, and CONAP to leverage national forest incentive programs (such as PRE and PROBOSQUE) and related networks to strengthen market integration efforts.

Methodology and Strategy Implementation

• Farm Management Planning: Apply the Farm Management Planning methodology to support and enhance economic connectivity and commercialization efforts.
• Field Support: Collaborate across all Strategic Areas to support field teams in implementing connectivity strategies, ensuring alignment with the project's broader goals.
• Landscape Action Planning: Support design and of landscape action plans by providing guidance to local stakeholders to set up development targets and implementation roadmaps.

Portfolio and Communication Management

• Portfolio Development: Develop and manage a comprehensive portfolio of products and buyers for timber and non-timber forest products from designated prioritized regions.
• Direct Communication: Supervise communications between buyers and producers to facilitate seamless commercial relations, from initial engagement to contract development.

Quaifications:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in agroforestry, forestry, Business Development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in low/reduction emission market development, value chain integration, or partnership building within the environmental, forestry, or agricultural sectors.
• Strong knowledge of value chains, agricultural products, and sustainable market development.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships with private sector actors, NGOs, and government partners.
• Experience working with smallholder producers or community-based organizations is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and interpersonal skills.
• Speak, write, understand English fluently.

Level: 4A

Deadline: 12 December 2025

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Notes: Only candidates legally authorized to work in Guatemala will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department:

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability and any other protected group.