Starting Date: ASAP

Contract type: Full-time and open-ended

Salary: as per respective grade and to commensurate with relevant experience and skills

Location: Lahore

Application closing date: 12 02 2025

About the Job 

Are you purpose-led and ready to embark on a journey to shape the future of sustainable cotton? Join us at Better Cotton as IT Services Officer and support a global team responsible for delivering high impact communications for the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative – we support more sustainable farming practices and farm livelihoods for nearly 3 million farmers in the Better Cotton network in 23 countries around the world.

As an IT Services Officer, you will play a vital role in empowering our workforce with effective and secure solutions. You will use your skills to support users and manage systems, creating innovation and improving productivity for our diverse teams.

Reporting to the Finance & Operations Manager and IT & Security Coordinator, you will be part of the wider IT & Data Function. Together we aim to ensure Better Cotton staff are empowered to succeed in their roles supporting global cotton communities through optimised and secure systems.

This challenging role offers excellent opportunities for personal and professional development, together with a competitive benefits package.

The Challenge

Looking ahead to 2030, we are targeting reducing GHG emissions from cotton production by half, big cuts in synthetic pesticide use, improve soil health across our network, improve farm income and support women’s empowerment among farmers and farm workers. 

Areas that play to your strengths

We are seeking a motivated IT Services Officer to join our IT team. In this role, you will be responsible for:

• System Administration: Manage user accounts, access permissions, and system configurations on our Microsoft 365 tenant. Your attention to detail will ensure smooth operations and data integrity.

• User-Centric Support: Assist our globally dispersed workforce by providing expert guidance on tool adoption, troubleshooting, and configurations. You will empower colleagues to harness technology effectively.

• Process Optimisation: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to help develop, document, and refine key IT processes. Your insights will streamline workflows and create organizational efficiencies.

• Project Delivery: Contribute to IT projects, automating processes and enhancing productivity. Your impact will be felt across the organisation.

• Reliable IT Support: Lead the charge in delivering fast, reliable IT services to our internal staff. Your responsiveness keeps our operations running smoothly.

• System Insights: Provide recommendations for continuous improvement of our M365 architecture and policies.

• Local Equipment Management: Work closely with the local procurement team and global IT to ensure the equipment we use is purchased and set up in compliance with our policies

We are looking for someone who has

the following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Essential

• A four year’s Bachelors Degree in Computer Science / Information Technology.

• Minimum of 3-4 years of progressive experience, preferably in the non-profit, sustainability, or agriculture sectors

• Advanced computer skills and IT literacy, including the Microsoft 365 suite (M365 Admin, Power Platforms, etc)

• Experience in providing IT troubleshooting support, especially for users physically based elsewhere

• Demonstrable analytical and problem-solving skills

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across different teams and cultures, strong relationship-building skills and service-oriented attitude

• Fluency in English, both written and spoken, with attentive listening abilities and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely

• Self-starter able to work autonomously and adapt to changing priorities

Desirable

Experience with identifying and managing information risk, including implementation of risk controls

• Interest in contributing to a more sustainable world

• Experience working with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Autopilot

• Experience working with Entra ID (Azure AD)

• Experience working with PowerShell commands and scripts

What we offer

- Competitive salary

- Hybrid working – Two to three days/week in the office (depend on role requirement and prevailing country office policy)

- Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time

- Continuous learning and development

- Medical and life insurances plus terminal benefit of gratuity

- 25 days paid annual leave, plus 8-9 Bank Holidays and a further 3 days off

- Enhanced parental benefits

- A warm, positive working environment where everyone is valued

- The opportunity to make your mark and make a difference.

Working arrangements

The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and will be based in Lahore. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm.  

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 12.02.2025 via this link. 

In your cover letter, please include an explanation of why your experience is specifically relevant to this role at Better Cotton. We want to see your personal style – what makes you tick and why you think your next opportunity is here with us.

Our hiring process

Initial Screening:

Applicant screening is a crucial step in our recruitment process. This stage may involve a brief phone interview or video call to evaluate your suitability for the position. During this screening, we review resumes and cover letters, and may conduct initial background checks to narrow down the pool of applicant. Internal candidates are encouraged to inform their line manager about their application to promote transparency and help facilitate a smooth transition if selected.

Interviews:

If you successfully pass the initial screening, you will be invited for interviews. The interview process at Better Cotton may include one or more rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, such as the hiring manager, team members, and potentially senior management. As an internal candidate, you may have discussions regarding your current responsibilities and how they will transition to the new position.

Assessment and Testing: 

Depending on the role, you might be required to complete assessments, technical tests, or skills evaluations to gauge your competency and suitability for the position. Internal candidates may have the option to demonstrate their existing skills through current job performance or past project outcomes.

Reference Checks: 

Once you progress further in the process, reference checks are conducted to validate your work history, skills, and qualifications, and for some roles, your education and criminal history. Internal candidates may be asked for references from current or previous supervisors within Better Cotton to provide insights into their performance and capabilities.

Offer stage:

After completing interviews, assessments, and reference checks, the hiring team evaluates your performance and fit for the role. If you are selected and your references are relevant and satisfactory, you will receive a formal job offer letter outlining the terms of employment, compensation, benefits, and any other relevant details. For internal candidates, the offer process may include a discussion about how your transition to the new role will be managed and any support needed for a smooth handover.

About Better Cotton

Better Cotton is a global not-for-profit organisation supporting the production of more equitable and sustainable cotton at farm level. We exist to catalyse the cotton farming community with partners, governments and others to continuously drive positive impact by setting standards and facilitating the supply and demand of more sustainable cotton from farm to brand. In just 15 years we have aligned more than a fifth of the world’s cotton with our standard and helped farmers and farming communities thrive. Join us in building a better, more sustainable future for cotton worldwide.

About our Values

The post holder will be expected to operate in line with our workplace values which are:  

• Trustworthy (including honest, transparent, credible) 
• As having Integrity (including responsible, authentic) 
• Positive (including problem-solving, pragmatic) 
• Engaging (including adaptable, inclusive, holistic) 
• Daring (including courageous, innovative, game-changing)  

Being you @ Better Cotton

Better Cotton is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human, and financial resources.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to any attitudes or behaviours that put children or adults at risk of harm. Safeguarding incidents are acts of serious misconduct and are grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including, dismissal and referral to relevant authorities for criminal prosecution. Therefore, all offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.