Compliance Manager

The Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring that Social enterprise and its suppliers meet quality and sustainability requirements across our own operations, other production locations, and the wider supply chain. This covers regulatory standards and international sustainability legislation, supplier certifications and adherence to the Two Way Code of Conduct, on-site monitoring, improvement plans, and ensuring products meet quality, safety, and reliability specifications for the Indian, US, and EU markets before delivery.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Team Management & Leadership

● Lead and manage a small compliance team, including task allocation, coaching, and performance management.

● Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement within the team.

2. Sustainability Compliance (Environmental, Social, Health, Ethics)

● Maintain compliance with international, federal, state, and local laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies on sustainability (including CSDDD, EU FL, ESG, PPWR and Green Claim Directive).

● Act as counterpart to the Netherlands compliance and sustainability team.

● Coordinate certification requirements and improvements (e.g. SBTI, B Corp, Fairtrade, SMETA, GOTS & GRS for production locations).

● Act as Management Representative during audits; coordinate with third-party auditors and external stakeholders.

● Ensure timely submission of CAPA for internal, external, and customer audits, in coordination with consultants and the Sustainability team.

● Coordinate end-to-end customer compliance requirements and submit all requested data and documentation within agreed timelines.

● Assess and monitor compliance of existing and potential suppliers against social, health, governance, and environmental standards, including human rights due diligence

● Collect and keep track of supplier- and company-level certifications related to social, environmental, governance, and product compliance.

● Manage follow-up with suppliers to ensure improvement plans are realised and suppliers become and remain compliant on human rights, wages, environment, and governance — including organising training and monitoring progress systematically.

3. Supply Chain Improvement Project Coordination & Development

● Coordinate projects related to social compliance, human rights, and community development, including progress and coordination meetings.

● Manage internal project coordination with Finance, Impact, Communication, and M&E teams.

● Manage partner coordination, including bi-weekly meetings with partner companies and DASRA, ensuring activities are implemented with clear RACIs.

● Ensure project activities are delivered on time, within budget, and meet agreed targets — covering:

○ Own locations: career progression and training for employees.

○ Partner locations: activities implemented with Tiny Miracles support (Stories of Her, communication impact, human rights training, etc.) and activities implemented with DASRA and other civil-society partners.

● Track progress against project plans; report on project outcomes and supplier performance.

● Manage project budgets, including forecasting, planning, and reporting both internally and with partner agencies.

● Maintain strong relationships with internal departments, suppliers, industry bodies, NGOs, and local communities.

● Coordinate advocacy and stakeholder events related to fair price, social sourcing, and labour rights with project partners.

Behavioural Skills

● Good interpersonal skills.

● Dynamic, able to take ownership and initiative.

● Mature, outdoorsy, and energetic personality.

Functional Skills

● Strong verbal and written communication (English & Marathi proficiency is a must).

● Data analysis and strategic inference.

● Strong eye for detail and a structured way of working.

Technical Skills

● Experience in sustainability management.

● Working knowledge of tools, methods, and concepts of sustainability assurance.

● Solid knowledge of relevant regulatory standards and international product compliance legislation.

● Relevant training and/or certifications as an Auditor.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

● Bachelor's degree in Textile, Commerce, Science, Arts, Production, or Sustainability.

● 5–8+ years of experience as a Sustainability Specialist, ideally in the textile industry.