Company Profile

Ethical Apparel Africa is a sourcing company that provides international apparel brands with ethical, cost competitive and quality manufacturing solutions in West Africa. Our vision is to demonstrate that ethical manufacturing can and should be done at scale, not just associated with luxury or expensive product. Based in Ghana and Benin, EAA has a dynamic team bringing decades of experience from around the world in social impact, product development, quality assurance, account management, operations and finance.

EAA is working to unlock the tremendous potential of the West Africa apparel industry, supporting African-owned factories to grow exports to the US, UK, and Europe. EAA focuses on developing factories in a lean, sustainable, and ethical way that sets the standard for garment manufacturing in a West African context. We work closely with government and development agencies to develop an ecosystem for industrial growth -- including the launch of a Center of Excellence for local skill development and efforts to catalyze investment in an integrated cotton value chain. By 2023 we aim to create 2,500 worthwhile jobs in the apparel sector in West Africa. This is an exciting time to join EAA.

Job Description

We have a great opportunity for someone wanting to broaden and challenge their skills by helping to boost the development of an ethical apparel industry in West Africa. The Social Impact Manager would join a dynamic, fast-growing team bringing diverse experience from around the world.

EAA’s social impact strategy is wide-reaching but focuses on three phases of development in partner factories: 

1. Establishing factory compliance with international standards on working environment and pay; 

2. Supporting factories to ensure workers continuous training on health & safety as well as on workers’ rights;

3. Identifying and implementing social impact, living wage and empowerment programs in a participative process that solicits and prioritizes worker voices.

The Social Impact Manager will be based in Accra and will report to the Director of Social Impact based in France. This person will also receive guidance from the Accounts Director and the Technical Director based in Ghana for factories social compliance related projects. The Social Impact Manager will be accountable for the following initial project areas and will have the opportunity to steadily take on more responsibility as they grow in the role:

Social compliance and factory capacity building

• Assess partner factories’ continuous progress towards social and environmental compliance (against EAA social compliance tool) and agree on corrective action plans with factory managers.
• Support factories in building management systems and measurement tools for social, health & safety and environmental best practices & compliance accordingly.
• Conduct follow up visits to verify progress against corrective action plan including the collection of workers feedback via focus group discussions. 
• In collaboration with the factory managers, develop training programs on compliance with a focus on health & safety / workers’ rights.
• Work with external training providers to facilitate training to improve soft skill levels from operators to middle management and raise awareness (including living wage, anti modern slavery).
• Support factory in the process of becoming internationally certified (e.g. WRAP, SA8000 certification).
• Ensure in-depth ongoing research on international standards and local law requirements to ensure systematic sustainable compliance for Ghana and Benin.

Impact projects development and workers empowerment

• Facilitate the preparation of partner brands’ visits at the factory to highlight progress and vision on impact, with the goal of developing engaged / sustained brand partnerships.
• Develop partnerships with relevant stakeholders - such as local businesses (CSR efforts) or local or international NGOs - willing to engage in impact projects (social and environmental).
• Assess worker needs and profiles via baseline surveys and contribute to the design of innovative social and environmental programs within factories.
• Conduct research thought leaders and market role models to bring the best in social compliance thinking to the EAA agenda.
• Complete Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework for each benefit programme and make recommendations for future programmes.

Report and Communication

• Complete monthly reports on factory progress, risk analysis and next priorities.
• Develop marketing material on factory social impact to share with partner brands.
• Actively communicate with the Technical and Accounts teams to align strategies for factory development.
• Research and apply for relevant grants to support empowerment work. 

Required Skills or Experience

• Bachelor's or Master’s in Economics, Social Sciences, Project Management or specialized training/certification in monitoring and evaluation
• Minimum 3 years’ experience within social compliance, ethical trading, human rights and/or auditing 
• Understanding of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework and experience in data collection and analysis as well as report writing 
• Demonstrated leadership capacity including ability to create fruitful and inspiring partnership 
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills across cultures
• High level of proficiency with MS Office 
• Understanding and interest for apparel industry human & labour rights practices 
• Dynamic energy with a passion for working in an enterprise with a social mission
• Ambitious big picture thinker who is solution driven, able to think critically to identify improvement areas and solutions, and drive to independently own and execute on deliverables
• Evidence of the following characteristics: Pro-activity, self awareness; resilient and adaptable; persistent and resourceful; able to work under pressure and respect deadlines, apt at both strengthening relationships and resolving problems, poised, active listener; fun to work with; full of integrity; ability to multi-task and thrive in a fast-paced environment 
• Fluent in English and Twi