We are looking for an individual who is dedicated to addressing exploitation in the local textile, clothing and footwear industry by driving growth in the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation program. The successful candidate will need to have excellent communication, customer service and stakeholder engagement skills.

The Accreditation Program Advisor manages the administrative function of the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation program. They will provide excellent customer service to support businesses through the accreditation cycle, including providing information about the accreditation program to businesses interested in Ethical Clothing Australia Accreditation and, should a business move forward with accreditation, support the business in the application and each subsequent yearly renewal process. This involves liaising with businesses about their application or renewal, confirming the information provided about their operations and supply chain is correct in the relevant forms, raising invoices, working with the compliance team throughout the audit, providing confirmation certificates and facilitating engagement and connection with the Ethical Clothing Australia marketing team. The Accreditation Program Advisor will also be responsible for organising site visits with businesses and members of the Ethical Clothing Australia team.

The auditing process of the accreditation program is undertaken by the Compliance Officers from the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union (TCF Union) under Ethical Clothing Australia’s Service Level Agreement. Accreditation Program Advisors are not involved in the audit process and are not provided information about a business’s level of compliance beyond compliant or non-compliant; however, they will work closely with Compliance Officersthroughout the process to ensure there is consistency with information.

The Accreditation Program Advisor will support businesses to use the Ethical Clothing Australia trademark correctly, and will liaise with accredited businesses to rectify any non-compliance with the use of the trade-mark. They will ensure Ethical Clothing Australia’s information and systems are up-to-date, and ensure there is clear communications with the marketing team regarding the removal of any non-compliant or non-renewing businesses from our outward facing communications and platforms.

The successful candidate will need to manage the detailed administrative work associated with the accreditation program outlined above and must have a keen eye for detail.

In addition to managing the existing accredited businesses, the Accreditation Program Advisor will play a critical part in growing the number of accredited businesses under the program. They will build strong relationships with manufacturers and brands across the Textile, Clothing and Footwear industry in Australia. They will research and identify new businesses who fit the scope of the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation program, and approach these businesses about becoming Ethical Clothing Australia accredited. They will work with other members of the organisation to organise and deliver events and awareness raising activities to build the profile of Ethical Clothing Australia in New South Wales and awareness of the accreditation program with eligible businesses and other stakeholders, such as educational institutions and retailers.

They will work with the Accreditation Team to continually improve our growth strategy, as well as support the work to retain accredited businesses.

This person will support the work to continually develop, strengthen and streamline the processes associated with the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation program, with a particular focus on our growth strategy.

This person will be part of a committed but small team nationally. Ultimately their work will ensure the rights of people working in the TCF industry in Australia are upheld.

Key responsibilities

• You will develop and maintain strong connections with Ethical Clothing Australia-accredited businesses in the local textile, clothing and footwear industry. You will provide expert advice on the administrative function of the accreditation program and provide outstanding customer support to them during their renewal process and any other queries they may have.
• You will be proactive in engaging with local textile, clothing and footwear businesses who are not accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia, and build their awareness of the accreditation program and why they should become accredited and provide administration support during application.
• You will deliver awareness raising initiatives to a range of stakeholders to build the profile of Ethical Clothing Australia in Queensland and awareness of the accreditation program.
• You will continually work with the accreditation team to further develop our growth and retention strategies.
• You will work closely with the Compliance Officers from the TCF Union as part of the accreditation process to ensure all milestones are met and all relevant documentation and information on supply chains are maintained.
• You will assist in protecting the integrity of Ethical Clothing Australia’s trademark by ensuring that it is being used in line with the organisation’s licence agreement and the associated rules.
• You will assist in developing information and resources that can be utilised by accredited businesses to aid understanding of the relevant laws and legal obligations, and oversee the dissemination of this information.
• You will provide telephone, email and face-to-face information and support on the accreditation program. You will manage queries about local manufacturing and accredited businesses.
• You will always be looking for ways to strengthen, improve and streamline processes, and update the relevant resources and manuals with any changes.
• You will assist in collating data, developing reports and briefing papers for a variety of audiences, including government funders and for the Homeworker Code Committee.
• You will report progress or any concerns related to the accreditation program to the Team leader.
• From time to time you will be required to engage with business and industry representatives and various stakeholders as part of Ethical Clothing Australia activities or events.
• From time to time, as requested by the National Manager you provide input and assistance with strategic or national projects.

Selection Criteria

Required:

• Previous experience in a customer focused role in sales or retail or similar environment with the ability to communicate with influence to support the growth of the program in both getting more businesses accredited and retaining existing accredited businesses.
• You are driven and energetic, with highly developed interpersonal skills with an ability to liaise in-person and over the phone with a diverse range of stakeholders including businesses in the TCF Industry encompassing manufacturers, brands and value-adders; the union and government agencies.
• You have strong attention to detail and you have the capacity to understand programmatic work and processes, and identify areas for continuous improvement.
• You have excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor your communications to diverse stakeholders.
• You are familiar with relevant office suite program (word and excel) and have experience is using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, internal information management databases and/or systems.
• You think strategically, always considering the long-term impact of your decisions and actions to contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the program.
• You share a commitment to the values and objectives of Ethical Clothing Australia.
• You can work positively within a small but dedicated team and are always working towards the organisation’s overarching goals.