Senior Programme Officer Capacity Building

Starting Date: ASAP

Contract type: Full-time and open-ended

Salary: Pakistan 4,528,512/- PKR (Per Annum), commensurate with relevant experience and skills

Location: Lahore (Hybrid)

Application closing date: 17.04.2026

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 Initiative Senior Programme Officer – Capacity Building and lead 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 1.6 million farmers in the BCI network in 15 countries around the world.

The Senior Programme Officer – Capacity Building will facilitate capacity building, partnership management and continuous improvement of the large farms and programme partners for sustainable practices at the farm level in Pakistan and Tajikistan. The SPO will design and conduct training activities targeted towards adoption of sustainable practices at farm level and manage strategic relationships with partners in Pakistan and Tajikistan according to the Better Cotton Standard System and Better Cotton’s 2030 strategy.

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. 

Responsibilities

We are seeking a motivated Senior Programme Officer – Capacity Building to join our Programmes Team. In this role, you will be responsible for:

Capacity Building and Large Farms Management (~35%)

• Assess and mitigate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of large-scale cotton farming in Pakistan and Central Asia, ensuring compliance with sustainability standards.
• Support Tajikistan partner(s) in designing programme implementation strategies, certification, capacity building, M&E and knowledge exchange activities.
• Execute strategies to identify, endorse and onboard large farms to conduct advisory activities for strengthening the farming practices.
• Ensure effective implementation of programmatic activities, including facilitation to SSI third-party certification for large farms & Tajikistan project(s) and compliance requirements, ensuring timely delivery of verification reports, and contributing to capacity building activities.

Crop Protection/Natural Resource Management focal point in Pakistan & Central Asia (~25%)

• Assume technical and capacity building leadership of at least one agronomic area (crop protection, soil, water and/or biodiversity) to design and deliver trainings and guidance materials for programme partners and large farms across the cotton season.
• Work in close collaboration with Senior Programme Coordinator (Capacity Building) on all environmental areas and assist in identifying knowledge partners and other strategic partners to enhance adoption of associated sustainable production practices in the field. 
• Support development and execute strategy to reduce pesticide use and strengthen IPM practices to achieve 50 % reduction of pesticide use.

Climate change support in Pakistan and Central Asia (~15%)

• Support implementation of strategies to adopt sustainable practices and mitigate climate risks in Large Farms in Pakistan and farmers in Tajikistan.
• Support development of capacity-building materials for partners and farmers to adopt sustainable practices for climate mitigation and adaptation.

Information and Knowledge Management (~15%)

• Work closely with the Programmes team to ensure that partner progress and potential of scale up is well monitored and communicated.
• Provide required support in managing databases from programme partners according to the needs of the Better Cotton Standard System (BCSS) by ensuring the data is used for quality analysis of relevant indicators.
• Support large farms and programme partners on Better Cotton reporting tools and processes to ensure that deadlines are followed to ensure the continuous improvement of Better Cotton systems.

Cross Functional Working (~10%)

• Assist the global grants team in developing proposals for other funding opportunities.
• Develop close liaison with SSI, Demand and Engagement, global Programmes teams to understand the programme's needs in Pakistan.

Expereince

The following skills, knowledge, and experience:

Education and Experience

• Develop close liaison with SSI, Demand and Engagement, global Programmes teams to understand the programme's needs in Pakistan.
• Master’s degree, or equivalent higher education qualification, in a relevant field. Academic training in agronomy or a related field, public administration/public policy/development studies, business administration, Sustainable Development/Climate Change may be given preference.
• Minimum of 4-5 years of relevant work experience; at least 3 - 4 years’ experience of identification and maintenance of partnerships and large-scale projects/grants, agricultural portfolios, etc.
• Experience of working with multi-sector stakeholders will be given preference i.e., government, public and private institutes.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation and/or auditing and/or capacity building is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in sustainability and international development, including responsibility partnership management, stakeholders' collaboration, stakeholder capacity building, crop protection, natural resource management and/or climate change with Understanding of Field dynamics of Pakistan, especially Sindh and Punjab.
• Experience of working in international, multicultural, or mission-driven environments is an asset.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong track record in designing and implementing development projects, particularly in rural settings demonstrating the ability to build and sustain strategic multi-sector partnerships across government, public, and private institutions.
• Exhibit critical thinking and analytical skills for effective monitoring, evaluation, and capacity-building, supported by a high level of proficiency in data analysis.
• Strong communication skills are essential to clearly convey sustainability goals and project outcomes to diverse stakeholders, along with a deep understanding of agricultural dynamics, particularly in cotton farming.
• Collaborative Working: Partners across functions and geographies to deliver results.

Technical Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, along with the ability to work independently, proactively, and in a collaborative manner within and across teams.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Uses different tools to track performance and drive decisions.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Urdu (spoken and written) is required.
• Strong preference for communication in Sindhi, followed by Punjabi/Saraiki

What we offer

- Competitive salary

- Hybrid working – Two to three days/week in the Lahore 

- 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

- 25 days paid annual leave, plus 9 Bank Holidays

- 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 Initiative offers flexible working, with core hours being 10 am – 4 pm.  The position will require frequent travel to cotton-growing regions will be required. Some international travel will be required.

Apply now

Send us your CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief cover letter (1-page maximum) by or before 17.04.2026 via the application link. 

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

Better Cotton Initiative does not use artificial intelligence or automated screening tools in its hiring process. Every application is reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team and relevant hiring managers to ensure a fair and human-led assessment experience.

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 Initiative 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 Initiative 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 Initiative

Better Cotton Initiative 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 Initiative

Better Cotton Initiative 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.