Location: Brussels or remote – with working hours broadly compatible with CET

Reports to: Head of Standards and Assurance

Role type: Full-time

Travel: International travel will be required

Mission Statement

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) is dedicated to advancing a responsible, transparent, and sustainable solar value chain worldwide. SSI works with manufacturers, buyers, policymakers, civil society, financial institutions and other stakeholders to promote credible, high-integrity sustainability practices across the global solar industry.

Our team thrives on collaboration, integrity and innovation. We believe that diverse experiences and perspectives drive better impact and a stronger mission.

The SSI is recruiting an Assurance Programme Manager to support the effective delivery, integrity and continuous improvement of SSI’s Standards and assurance programme.

Role Overview

The Assurance Programme Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management, coordination and quality oversight of SSI’s assurance programme and will play a key role in the ongoing development, implementation and revision of SSI’s ESG and Supply Chain Traceability Standards.

Working closely with the Head of Standards & Assurance and the rest of the Assurance team, the role will help ensure that SSI assessments are delivered consistently, efficiently, independently and to a high level of technical quality across different assessment bodies, assessors, sites and geographies. The role will also ensure that lessons from implementation and assurance are systematically fed back into the development of SSI Standards, guidance and assurance methodologies.

The Assurance Programme Manager will support formal standards revision and consultation processes and help ensure that SSI requirements remain credible, practical, auditable and aligned with international good practice, including relevant ISEAL requirements.

This is a practical, delivery-focused technical role requiring someone comfortable moving between standards development, assurance methodologies, assessment data, assessor engagement, quality management and stakeholder communication.

Key Responsibilities

1. Assurance Programme Delivery and Coordination

• Manage the day-to-day delivery of SSI’s assurance programme across the ESG and Supply Chain Traceability Standards.
• Coordinate assessment processes and workflows, helping ensure assessments progress efficiently from initiation through assessment, review, corrective action and final decision.
• Monitor assessment timelines, quality and consistency and proactively identify delays, bottlenecks and emerging risks.
• Maintain clear oversight of ongoing and completed assessments and ensure accurate and timely assurance information is available to the Standards & Assurance Team.
• Support the effective implementation of SSI assurance requirements, methodologies and procedures across participating sites and assessment bodies.
• Support the Head of Standards & Assurance in implementing changes to SSI’s assurance model and processes

2. Assessment Body and Assessor Management

• Act as a primary operational point of contact for SSI-approved independent assessment bodies on assurance matters.
• Manage effective working relationships with assessment bodies while preserving SSI’s independence and assurance integrity.
• Monitor the quality and performance of assessment bodies and individual assessors against SSI requirements.
• Support the approval, onboarding and ongoing evaluation of assessment bodies and assessors.
• Maintain records of assessor qualifications, competencies, approvals, performance and training.
• Identify performance issues and coordinate corrective actions, escalation or other measures where required.
• Support regular assessment-body meetings, calibration exercises and technical briefings.

3. Quality Assurance and Consistency

• Oversee the review assessment reports and assurance outputs to ensure quality, completeness and consistency with SSI requirements.
• Identify inconsistencies in interpretation, evidence evaluation, sampling, non-conformity classification and assessment conclusions.
• Support technical determinations on complex or borderline assessment issues and escalate significant or precedent-setting matters to the Head of Standards & Assurance.
• Develop and maintain tools, templates, checklists and guidance to improve consistency across assessments.
• Track recurring findings and interpretation issues and recommend system-level responses.
• Support consistency and calibration across different assessment bodies, assessors and geographic regions.
• Contribute to technical interpretations, FAQs and guidance based on lessons from implementation.

4. Oversight, Shadow Assessments & Assurance Integrity

• Coordinate SSI’s shadow assessment and other assurance-oversight activities.
• Support planning and implementation of risk-based oversight of assessment bodies and assessors.
• Analyse findings from shadow assessments, report reviews, complaints and other monitoring activities to identify potential integrity risks.
• Track corrective actions resulting from oversight activities and verify their effective implementation.
• Support investigation and resolution of assurance-related complaints, disputes and incidents.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of assurance decisions and escalation to ensure consistency and institutional learning.

5. Assurance Data, Monitoring & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and reliable data relating to assessments, assessment bodies, assessors, findings, corrective actions and assurance outcomes.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and KPIs to monitor assurance programme performance.
• Analyse assurance data to identify trends, recurring non-conformities, implementation challenges and potential systemic risks.
• Prepare regular internal reporting on assurance delivery, quality, performance and emerging issues.
• Work with colleagues to strengthen SSI’s assurance data governance, confidentiality and access controls.
• Use assurance data and lessons learned to support continuous improvement of SSI Standards and the wider SSI system.

6. Standards Development, Revision & Assurance System Improvement

• Support the Head of Standards & Assurance in the ongoing development, review and revision of the SSI ESG Standard and Supply Chain Traceability Standard, as well as associated assurance requirements and guidance.
• Coordinate elements of SSI’s formal standards revision processes, including development of workplans, preparation of draft revisions, management of technical inputs, stakeholder consultation and documentation of decisions.
• Draft and maintain implementation guidance, technical interpretations, FAQs, assessment guidance and other supporting documentation to enable consistent understanding and application of SSI requirements.
• Support stakeholder consultation processes for new and revised Standards, including preparing consultation materials, analysing and consolidating stakeholder feedback and supporting SSI’s responses to consultation comments.
• Work with assessment bodies, assessors, members and other stakeholders to test the clarity, feasibility and auditability of proposed requirements.
• Ensure close alignment between SSI Standards and the assurance system, including assessment methodology, evidence requirements, sampling approaches and non-conformity classification.
• Support benchmarking of SSI Standards against relevant international standards, regulatory requirements and sustainability frameworks and identify opportunities for alignment and interoperability.
• Monitor developments in responsible sourcing, human rights due diligence, traceability, environmental and social requirements and assess whether these should be reflected in future revisions of SSI Standards.
• Support alignment of SSI’s standards development and revision processes with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice and other recognised international good practice.

7. Training & Capacity Building

• Identify training and capacity-building needs among assessment bodies and assessors.
• Develop and deliver technical training, calibration sessions, webinars and guidance materials.
• Support onboarding of new assessors and assessment bodies.
• Facilitate sharing of lessons learned and good practice while maintaining appropriate confidentiality.
• Support SSI members in understanding assurance processes and expectations without compromising the independence of assessments or assurance decisions.

8. Member, Stakeholder & Internal Engagement

• Support members in understanding SSI Standards, assurance processes, timelines and requirements.
• Respond to technical and procedural questions relating to Standards, assessments and assurance.
• Support transparent, consistent and fair handling of assurance-related issues and escalations.
• Work closely with the Head of Standards & Assurance and wider Standards & Assurance Team to ensure alignment between standards development, interpretation and assurance implementation.
• Collaborate with the Global Membership Manager, Policy and Communications colleagues and other members of the SSI Secretariat as required.
• Contribute technical expertise to SSI meetings, working groups, webinars and external engagements.
• Support technical collaboration with other sustainability standards and initiatives where relevant to standards implementation, assurance alignment and interoperability.

 

Profile: About You

The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of sustainability standards and assurance expertise, auditing experience, programme management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Professional Experience & Technical Expertise

• At least 5-7 years’ relevant professional experience in sustainability standards, assurance, certification, auditing, responsible sourcing or a closely related field.
• Strong practical understanding of third-party assurance, certification or conformity assessment systems.
• Experience working with or overseeing certification bodies, assessment bodies, audit firms or independent assessors.
• Experience conducting, managing, reviewing or overseeing social, environmental, ESG, responsible sourcing or supply-chain audits/assessments.
• Strong understanding of audit methodology, evidence evaluation, sampling, non-conformity classification, corrective action and report review.
• Experience contributing to the development, revision or implementation of sustainability standards, certification schemes or other normative frameworks.
• Knowledge of responsible sourcing, human rights due diligence, labour rights, environmental management and/or supply-chain sustainability.
• Familiarity with ISEAL good practice for sustainability systems and standards development is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of relevant ISO standards and conformity-assessment principles would be an advantage.
• A relevant university degree or equivalent professional experience.

Skills & Personal Characteristics

• Excellent analytical skills and sound professional judgement, including the ability to distinguish significant assurance risks from routine implementation issues.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining an understanding of the wider objectives and credibility of the SSI system.
• Excellent project and programme management skills, with the ability to manage multiple assessments, standards-related workstreams and priorities concurrently.
• Ability to interpret complex technical requirements and translate them into clear and practical guidance.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and the ability to build effective relationships while maintaining appropriate independence and professional boundaries.
• Strong written communication and technical drafting skills.
• Excellent verbal communication and facilitation skills.
• Highly organised, proactive and comfortable working independently in a small, international team.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving and sometimes sensitive environment.
• Excellent written and spoken English; Chinese and other additional languages are desirable.Ability and willingness to travel internationally as required.

Desirable Experience

• Solar, renewable energy, manufacturing, minerals/metals or other complex global supply chains.
• Human rights and labour-rights auditing.
• Responsible sourcing and OECD-aligned due diligence.
• Supply-chain traceability or chain-of-custody assurance.
• Lead auditor qualification or recognised auditor training.
• Working for or with an ISEAL member or another established sustainability standards system.
• Certification/accreditation body operations.
• Assurance programme data systems and dashboards.
• Working in or conducting assessments in Asia, particularly China.
• Working across different regulatory and cultural contexts.

 

Our Offer

• A role with real impact in shaping the future of responsible solar supply chains.
• The opportunity to play a central role in strengthening a rapidly developing global sustainability standards and assurance system.
• Exposure to complex and emerging ESG, human rights, responsible sourcing and traceability issues across the global solar value chain.
• A diverse, international and values-driven working environment.
• The opportunity to work with manufacturers, buyers, civil society, assurance providers and other leading sustainability initiatives.
• A flexible role working remotely or embedded in the Brussels-based team.
• Competitive salary.

Application Process

To apply, please send to [email protected]:

• Your CV (max 2 pages)
• Cover letter explaining your motivation for applying for the role and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role

Deadline: 23rd October 2026
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted