Flexible/remote: North America, Canada, preferred locations – Eastern & Central Time zones

About the Sustainable Apparel Coalition

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is an industry-wide group of more than 250 leading apparel, footwear and textile brands, retailers, suppliers, service providers, industry/trade associations, nonprofits, (non)governmental organizations and academic institutions working to reduce environmental impact and promote social justice throughout the global value chain. Leveraging the Higg Index suite of tools for the standardized measurement of value chain sustainability, the SAC is working to transform business for exponential impact. The SAC was incorporated as a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization and launched the groundbreaking Higg Index suite of tools in 2011. In May 2019, the SAC spun-off the Higg Index technology platform to Higg, which delivers tools and services that help consumer goods businesses accelerate transformation for a more sustainable future.

The Opportunity

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is seeking a highly respected professional to serve as Manager, Global Membership Development. The successful candidate will support the SAC to further expand and further build our corporate membership base to the next level. The Manager, Global Membership Development is a crucial role to the organization. A radical change of the industry can only happen if all actors, private and public, work together to make the apparel and footwear industry truly sustainable, and if civil society identifies SAC solutions as robust, credible, and trusted. The Manager, Global Membership Development will develop and foster proactive engagement with target industries, educating and convincing non-member companies of the value of membership and its associated benefits, so that they join and further strengthen our coalition. Ultimately, the goal of this position is to grow the SAC’s corporate member base to meet both income and impact targets. But this is much more than a straight-forward sales role. We’re looking for someone who can see the bigger picture; developing and implementing a membership development plan which enables the SAC to identify which organizations it needs amongst its membership in order to have the leverage we need to deliver on our vision. They’ll utilize industry contacts to optimize opportunities, and once secured, will give a thorough handoff to ensure those new members’ success. This position is key in supporting the SAC to articulate and demonstrate the business benefits of membership and its associated services. The successful candidate will utilize their deep understanding of the corporate landscape and individual business needs and operations to show how joining the SAC generates value.  

Key Responsibilities

SAC seeks a candidate who:

• Is motivated by the mission of the organization and knows that success comes through teamwork and strong relationships with coworkers and members.
• Thinks ahead and proactively seeks to understand the implications of their actions.
• Contributes to the increased professionalism of the organization by working collaboratively with teammates and stakeholders to ensure that processes and systems are robust and executed while honoring SAC’s cultures of innovation.
• Understands the nuances of growing an organization’s membership base in the sustainability industry and the broader global context, preferably with experience in the apparel or footwear industry.
• Can ruthlessly prioritize work, acting on the projects that will drive the greatest impact and influence.
• Is a self-starter and has an excellent ability to proactively identify opportunities to pursue, and challenges to overcome, putting in place action plans accordingly.

  The Manager, Global Membership Development will take the lead in the following areas:

1. Membership pipeline development
   1. Utilize and optimize Salesforce
      • Record all material interactions with leads, prospects and members in Salesforce and complete all required fields prior to the hand-off to member manager
   2. Inbound and outbound outreach
      • Successfully convert inbound leads by demonstrating the value of membership and efficiently answering queries
      • Collaborate with SAC’s MarComms team on outreach campaigns
      • Direct approach to target companies
      • Support in Prospective planning
   3. Adjacent product / industry research and development
      • compile, identify and analyze potential new adjacent markets
      • Internal and external landscape mapping
   4. Educate prospective members on membership requirements
      • Ensure a smooth and successful transition to membership
   5. Financial forecasting
      • Provide accurate forecasts in support of SAC’s financial operations
2. Represent the SAC in public outreach
   1. Seek opportunities to represent the SAC at the right public events to meet our strategic objectives in member growth
   2. Deliver polished presentations which effectively demonstrate the value of membership
3. Support the Senior Manager, Global Membership Development in the development and implementation of membership development plan and strategy
   1. Develop plan
      • Undertake research and analysis identifying opportunities for growth and diversification
      • Gain a wide range of perspectives and inputs, internal and external
      • Draw conclusions and in collaboration with Director, Membership Development, finalize into a written, communicable plan
   2. Implement plan
      • Socialize amongst staff and relevant members, gaining buy in and support
   3. Operationalise plan
      • By means of execution, systems, workflow records and handbooks
4. Support the development of the SAC value proposition
   1. Quantify the business case for Higg Index use through case studies and best practice guides derived from membership
5. Generate and maintain relevant business development tools
   1. Deck & brochure
   2. Legal contracts, logos and documents
   3. Membership Marcomms benefits materials and toolkits
6. Staff communication and training
   1. Ensure staff are aware of and well versed in relevant tools and key messages to grow the pool of staff who are able to engage in new membership conversations

 

Qualifications, Experiences, and Attributes

The ideal candidate is / has:

• Commensurate experience of significant accomplishments in business development or a related field
• Deep operational knowledge and understanding of Salesforce or other CRM systems, and how they are used to manage pipelines and provide organizational data
• Successful track record of managing, developing and growing a pipeline of prospective clients
• Knowledge of and contacts within the apparel and footwear industry, or in adjacent industries such as homeware (home furnishings), sporting goods and accessories
• Experience and confidence in networking, with an ability to leverage contacts to meet targets
• Proven experience of developing strategies to meet organizational goals
• Ability to negotiate in a highly challenging and fast-paced environment
• Clear thinking and a focus on problem solving
• Excellent social skills to interact and engage with the variety of SAC staff, members and stakeholders
• Track record for working in a team-based, fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, with the ability to multitask and handle changing priorities
• Excellent communication skills: experience working across multiple levels, functions and regions; able to deliver messages effectively verbally and in writing
• Experience in manufacturing countries is a big advantage
• Fluent English skills (speaking and writing) –additional language is a plus
• Ability to work collaboratively with other parts of the SAC organization, to treat others with respect and care, and a willingness to work as part of a global, multicultural organization

 

Reporting Structure and Timeline

This is a full-time role, reporting directly to Senior Manager, Global Membership Development and joins part of the globally based Membership team.  

Compensation, and Location

SAC offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Salary bands are based on the country of location. If this role is hired in the US, the starting salary band is $75,000 – $78,000. SAC is a global organization, and as such, SAC staff sometimes work early or late hours. This position is a full-time flexible/remote position, based in North-America or Canada. Local and international travel will be required to meet prospects, execute / attend events and participate in team meetings.  

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Sustainable Apparel Coalition “SAC” is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.  

To Apply 

To be considered for this position, please apply here.

Full-time position, flexible/remote  

Position Description

The Finance Manager will be required to have a proven record of success to support the day-to-day aspects of accounting for a global industry association with operations in the US, Europe, and Asia. The Finance Manager is responsible for accounts receivable, grant management as well as various financial reporting; and supports accounts payable, audits and other accounting processes across the organization as needed. The SAC is an independent and impact-creating organization that aims to lead the industry toward a shared vision of sustainability based upon a joint approach for measuring, evaluating, and improving performance. As a non-profit organization, it has members from across the apparel, footwear and textile sector, but exists independently outside any one company so that it can drive progress. The SAC’s collective action efforts bring more than 280 global brands, retailers, manufacturers, NGOs, academics and industry associations together. They represent about half of the apparel and footwear industry along the whole supply chain – from sustainability pioneers to organizations just getting started.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

Accounts Receivable

• Create and issue, or manage the creation and issue of invoices to members and stakeholders in accordance with GAAP and internal policies and procedures. Record all member and stakeholder payments, ensuring timely and accurate accounting of all payables processing in accordance with GAAP and internal policies and procedures.
• Maintain and update, or manage the maintenance and updating of member and stakeholder files, including name or address changes, mergers, or mailing attentions. This includes updating tools such as Salesforce and QuickBooks Online.
• Maintain, copy, file, and retrieve materials for accounts receivable as needed.
• Draft correspondence for standard past-due accounts and collections, identify delinquent accounts by reviewing files, and contact delinquent account holders to request payment.
• Investigating and resolving any irregularities or enquiries.
• Create monthly financial reports regarding the current status of member and stakeholder accounts as requested, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with agreement terms.
• Update monthly budget vs. actual reports for roll-up and monthly reconciliation.
• Reconcile revenue/accounts receivable on a periodic (at least monthly) basis.
• Assist with month end close, including ownership of specific tasks and at times leading the overall process.

Grant Management 

• Oversee grant management, including, compliance, and the need for budget modifications and/or extensions. Develop and maintain a comprehensive grant management system to track deadlines, requirements, and progress.
• Oversee the financial aspects of the grant management process, including (but not limited to): working closely with grant project staff to monitor income and expenses; creating periodic grant-related financial reports for submission to grantors, ensuring timely submission of all required reports and compliance with grantor guidelines and regulations; and collaborate with finance and program teams to ensure proper allocation and expenditure of grant funds.
• Act as a point of contact for stakeholders (including grantors) in relation to all finance-related inquiries. Participate as required in grantor meetings as related to financial matters.
• Develop and manage project budgets in collaboration with program managers as needed.
• Monitor and report on the financial performance of grant-funded projects.
• Stay up-to-date with regulations and compliance requirements related to grants.
• Prepare and submit accurate, transparent and timely financial and programmatic reports as required by grantors.

General

• Assist with SAC’s budgetary planning and reporting process.
• Assist in general financial management and analysis  as needed.
• Assist with the finance-related elements of new employee onboarding and offboarding as needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, including covering colleagues responsibilities temporarily (over vacations, illness etc.).

  Qualifications and Experience The successful candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in finance and grant management in a non-profit organization.
• Excellent understanding of GAAP accounting, including revenue recognition and audit requirements;
• Proficiency in financial software (e.g., QBO, Salesforce, Google Sheets, Excel, etc.).
• Required expertise in computer and business software, including platforms such as Excel, QuickBooks Online, Salesforce and G Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) applications.
• Preferred experience with financial software such as Bill.com, Salesforce.com, Navan.com (formerly TripActions.com).

 

SAC seeks a candidate who is: 

• Mission-driven: Is motivated by sustainability and the mission of the organization.
• Team player: Has team-oriented experience and approach.
• Tech-savvy: Has the ability to understand and manage a variety of technology and software platforms to support the organization.
• Organized and detail-oriented: Is able to effectively manage many different moving parts (information, projects, software) to help keep the organization running smoothly.
• Excellent communicator: Is able to interact with people of all levels in a confident, professional manner.

 

Reporting Structure

This is a full-time role, reporting directly to the Director, Global Operations & Finance.  

Compensation and Location

This position is a full-time flexible/remote position, based in the US. he starting salary band is $75,000 – $78,000. Please note, SAC is a global organization, and as such, SAC staff sometimes work early or late hours.  

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Inc. is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

To Apply

Interested? Please submit your resume and a brief motivation letter here.