Sustainability Specialist

Do you have a background in agriculture or forestry and a passion for sustainability certification? Are you fluent in Japanese and English and looking for a role where you can build lasting client relationships, conduct meaningful audits, and help producers across Japan make the shift to more responsible practices? If so, this role could be a great fit for you.

What you can expect:

Preferred by Nature is looking for a Sustainability Specialist to manage and deliver agriculture and forestry certification and verification services in Japan and across East Asia. Covering a broad portfolio of internationally recognised standards including Rainforest Alliance, UEBT, GlobalG.A.P., SRP, RSPO, FSC CoC, FSC FM, PEFC, and SBP, you will conduct audits, manage client relationships, and support sales and market development in the region. This is a client-facing, field-active role with equal weight on agriculture and forestry services, and real opportunity to grow your technical expertise across multiple standards while representing Preferred by Nature as a trusted partner in the Japanese market.

Working with us is never routine, so in your first year you can expect the following areas to be central to your work:

• Conduct agriculture and forestry certification and verification audits for assigned clients in Japan and East Asia, including on-site visits and remote assessments.

• Manage a portfolio of client engagements as task manager, covering audit planning, scheduling, budgeting, and client correspondence.

• Work towards and maintain qualifications as auditor, quality reviewer, and task manager across a range of agriculture and forestry standards.

• Prepare and submit audit reports and certification documentation to the required quality standards and within agreed timeframes.

• Support sales and market development efforts in Japan, including client presentations, service proposals, and follow-up with prospective clients.

• Coordinate with the Asia Pacific team to ensure seamless client service and alignment with PbN’s operational and certification protocols.

Your first year with us:

Within three months, you will:

• Complete onboarding and develop a solid understanding of PbN’s certification and verification services, internal systems, and the Japan client portfolio.

• Begin conducting audits under supervision and work towards your initial auditor qualifications for assigned standards.

• Build effective working relationships with the Asia Pacific team and key client contacts in Japan.

Within six months, you will:

• Conduct independent audits across agriculture and forestry standards and begin managing your own client portfolio as task manager.

• Handle client correspondence, audit scheduling, and report submission with consistency and quality.

• Actively support sales efforts by preparing service proposals and participating in client presentations in Japan.

Within twelve months, you will:

• Independently manage a consistent portfolio of agriculture and forestry clients across multiple certification standards, with strong quality and client satisfaction.

• Achieve or progress substantially towards quality reviewer qualifications for key standards in your portfolio.

• Contribute actively to market development in Japan, including identifying and following up on new business opportunities.

Important that you:

• Are fluent in Japanese and English, both written and spoken.

• Have a background in agriculture, forestry, environmental management, or a related field, with familiarity with sustainability certification or verification schemes.

• Possess strong attention to detail and report-writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, well-structured audit documentation.

• Have good communication and client management skills, with the ability to build and maintain professional relationships.

• Are proficient in MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Are comfortable travelling domestically and internationally as a regular part of the role.

• Are self-motivated, reliable, and able to manage your own workload with a high degree of professional integrity.

Would also be great, but not necessary, if you:

• Hold existing auditor qualifications under one or more of the following standards: Rainforest Alliance, UEBT, GlobalG.A.P., SRP, RSPO, FSC CoC, FSC FM, PEFC, or SBP.

• Have experience in sales, client prospecting, or business development within a certification or consulting environment.

• Have experience working in or with Japanese agriculture or forestry supply chains.

• Speak additional East Asian languages such as Chinese or Korean.

If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!

What Sets Us Apart:

• Global work culture

• High degree of flexibility - remote work, work from home.

• An in-depth onboarding and professional training that prepares you with the right skills and knowledge to thrive in this role.

• Excellent opportunities for growth and professional development

• Potential future international travel opportunities

• A friendly, international team of colleagues, with a pleasant work environment

• 20 days of vacation leave per year

Preferred by Nature

Preferred by Nature is a non-profit, mission driven organisation that works for sustainable land management and climate-friendly solutions. With 350+ employees and a network of local experts, we develop practical solutions to drive positive impacts in production landscapes and supply chains in 100+ countries. We focus on forest and climate impact commodities and related sectors.

How to apply:

If you feel you meet the requirements of the role, please submit your application, including salary expectations, via the application form below.

Application pre-screening will be conducted during the application period.

Preferred by Nature wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.