Starting Date: As soon as possible 

Contract type: Full-time and open-ended 

Salary: £31,950 commensurate with skills and experience 

Location: London, United Kingdom 

Application closing date: 17/01/2025 

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 a Talent Acquisition Specialist and contribute to the growth of 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. 

We are looking for a skilled Recruitment Professional to join our People & Culture team, someone who works well in a fast-paced not-for-profit setting. You will be responsible for coordinating the end-to-end recruitment process for internal positions, arranging interviews, and supporting hiring managers to fill open positions efficiently and effectively. Your primary goal will be to find the right talent that matches Better Cotton’s needs and culture while making Better Cotton a better place to work. While experience in non-profit hiring is a plus, we welcome candidates with strong recruitment expertise and a passion for sustainability and mission-driven work. 

If you are passionate about recruitment and would like to play a key role in engaging and retaining top talent, give us a chance to meet you.  

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.  

As our Recruiter, you will be responsible for finding mission-aligned talent, drawing from diverse industries and backgrounds to contribute to Better Cotton’s strategy.  

What you will be doing 

In this role, reporting to the Talent Acquisition Lead, you will be responsible for : 

• Working closely with hiring managers to understand the specific skills and requirements needed for the current vacancies. 
• Offer support and guidance to define the recruitment guidelines according to Better Cotton’s global recruitment guidelines. 
• Conduct job analysis, prepare job descriptions, and strategically share adverts in targeted talent pools, including international markets, to attract diverse and qualified candidates for niche and globally distributed roles. 
• Proactively source and engage candidates for hard-to-fill and niche roles, utilizing innovative sourcing techniques and building a strong pipeline of talent. 
• Manage the screening process, and schedule and coordinate interviews, while enforcing compliance with HR best practices along the entire recruitment process. 
• Support hiring managers in extending job offers to successful candidates, conducting reference checks, and coordinating with the People & Culture team for employment contracts. 
• Manage candidate relationships, communicate status updates, and provide timely feedback to candidates throughout the recruitment process. 
• Contribute to Better Cotton’s employer brand by ensuring a positive candidate experience. 
• Manage candidate data through our HRMS, keeping track of all recruitments and being able to generate reports on hiring activities. 
• Partner with the People & Culture Global Team to design, refine, and implement innovative recruitment strategies. 
• Stay up to date with recruitment trends. 

We are looking for someone who has 

the following skills, knowledge, and experience: 

 
Essential 

• Proven experience in recruitment or human resources, with a demonstrated ability to fill niche roles and manage international recruitment processes. 
• Solid ability to conduct different types of interviews (structured, competency-based, etc.). 
• Excellent communication and decision-making skills 
• Knowledge of database management and familiarity with job boards and HR systems. 
• Ability to work independently and to perform effectively in high-pressure situations. 
• Outstanding time management and organizational capabilities. 
• Proactive, approachable, with a team player attitude and able to work in a fast-paced international environment. 
• Service-oriented attitude and good interpersonal skills enabling effective relationships with hiring managers and candidates. 
• Proficiency in English, working language of Better Cotton. 

Desirable 

• Problem-solving aptitude. 
• Experience with Rippling HRMS. 
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or relevant field. 
• Strong ethics and reliability. 
• Experience in recruitment within a non-profit organization or familiarity with the unique challenges of hiring for purpose-driven organizations. 
• Interest in and commitment to sustainability. 
• Experience of working in a small to medium size not for profit organization. 
• A good sense of humour, positive attitude, committed to continuous improvement. 

What we offer 

• Competitive salary 
• Hybrid working – Minimum one day/week in the London office. 
• The opportunity to work from anywhere in the world for up to one month per year 
• Flexible working, with core hours from 10 am to 4 pm local time 
• Continuous learning and development 
• Pension scheme 
• 25 days paid annual leave, plus 8-9 Bank Holidays and a further discretionary 3 days off over Christmas 
• 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 London. Better Cotton offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm. 

Apply now 

Send us your CV (two pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (one-page maximum) by or before 17.01.2025 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.