ESG & Compliance Systems Expert

About Allied Talent Partners

Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace. We focus on solving human capital bottlenecks that slow down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, particularly in Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced professionals with high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development, strengthening local capacity and fueling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements, handling project scoping, talent vetting, matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance.

High-Level Overview: ESG & Compliance Systems Expert

A growth-stage agribusiness in Uganda is seeking an ESG & Compliance Systems Expert to upgrade and operationalize its Environmental & Social Management System (ESMS). This role involves strengthening environmental, social, and governance systems to align with multi-commodity operations and meet international buyer, donor, and impact-investor requirements.

The engagement focuses on diagnosing compliance gaps, upgrading ESG policies and operational tools, embedding systems into day-to-day facility and supply chain operations, and ensuring audit-readiness. The assignment combines structured diagnostics, systems design, field-level operationalization, and hands-on capacity building. Working closely with management and facility teams, the ESG & Compliance Systems Expert will ensure ESG compliance becomes embedded within internal processes and ownership structures.

This engagement is part of a broader Technical Assistance program aimed at strengthening governance, finance systems, operational capacity, and sustainability standards within growth-stage agribusinesses.

Role and Responsibilities

• Phase 1 – ESG Diagnostics & Gap Assessment:
  • Conduct a practical diagnostic of existing ESG systems, policies, procedures, and records.
  • Assess environmental and social risks across processing facilities and smallholder supply chains.
  • Benchmark current systems against buyer ESG requirements, donor and DFI expectations, and relevant international standards (e.g., IFC Performance Standards).
  • Deliver a concise ESG Gap Analysis & Upgrade Roadmap outlining priority actions and sequencing.
• Phase 2 – ESMS Upgrade:
  • Upgrade and expand the ESMS to cover multi-commodity operations.
  • Update policies and procedures to reflect processing and sourcing realities.
  • Develop practical operational tools, including wastewater management protocols, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) checklists and incident registers, and environmental and social risk screening tools for suppliers.
  • Integrate climate resilience and environmental monitoring indicators into ESG frameworks.
  • Deliver a revised and complete ESMS package ready for operational deployment.
• Phase 3 – Operationalisation & Capacity Building:
  • Train facility managers, field officers, and relevant staff on ESMS application.
  • Establish clear internal roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines for ESG compliance.
  • Support roll-out of ESG monitoring at facility and supply-chain levels.
  • Provide on-the-job coaching to ensure correct and consistent implementation.
  • Ensure ESG systems are actively used across facilities and sourcing regions.
• Phase 4 – Audit Readiness & Handover:
  • Finalize ESG reporting templates and monitoring dashboards.
  • Conduct a mock ESG due diligence assessment to evaluate audit preparedness.
  • Identify and document outstanding compliance gaps and corrective actions.
  • Deliver an audit-ready ESG system fully handed over to internal teams.
  • Provide a Completion Report summarizing systems upgraded and recommendations for continuous improvement.

Requirements

Experience Required:

• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience implementing ESG / ESMS systems within agribusiness, food processing, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated experience developing wastewater management protocols, OHS systems, and supplier risk-screening tools.
• Experience aligning company systems with buyer, donor, and DFI ESG requirements.
• Experience preparing companies for ESG audits or due diligence processes.
• Experience in East Africa or Uganda strongly preferred.

Technical Requirements:

• Strong understanding of international ESG standards and frameworks (e.g., IFC Performance Standards).
• Experience designing operational ESG tools suitable for field- and facility-level implementation.
• Ability to integrate climate resilience and environmental monitoring indicators into reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to embed compliance systems into daily operations rather than producing documentation-only outputs.

Other Skills:

• Strong analytical and diagnostic capability.
• Hands-on, field-oriented implementation approach.
• Ability to build credibility with operational and management teams.
• Demonstrated ability to drive behavioural change and embed systems within founder-led or growth-stage environments.
• Strong training and capacity-building capability to ensure internal ownership post-handover.
• High professional integrity and discretion.

Working Arrangement

• Location: Kampala, Uganda (significant in-country presence required)
• Travel: Domestic travel to processing facilities and sourcing regions required
• Terms Of Agreement:
  • Start Date: March 2026 (or as agreed)
  • Contracting Period: 2–3 months

Key skills/competency

• ESG Systems Implementation
• ESMS Development
• Compliance Auditing
• Agribusiness Operations
• IFC Performance Standards
• Wastewater Management
• Occupational Health & Safety (OHS)
• Supply Chain Risk Screening
• Capacity Building & Training
• Climate Resilience Integration