Manager - Verification Evolution at Sustainable Apparel Coalition – Bengaluru, Karnātaka

JD: Manager - Verification Evolution

Bengaluru, India

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is a global, non-profit alliance of 300 leading apparel, footwear, and textile brands, retailers, manufacturers, sourcing agents, service providers, trade associations, NGOs and academic institutions.

Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, we are stepping into a new era of impact with a new name, new look, and same enduring vision. Cascale was incorporated as a 501(c) 6 nonprofit organization and launched the groundbreaking Higg Index suite of tools in 2011. In May 2019, Cascale spun-off the Higg Index technology platform to Higg, now Worldly, which delivers tools and services that help consumer goods businesses accelerate transformation for a more sustainable future. As of 26 February 2024, we are now officially known as Cascale. For more information, visit www.cascale.org.

Together, we are working toward a shared vision of an industry that gives back more than it takes — to the planet and its people. Through multi-stakeholder engagement, our mission is to transform business for exponential impact through groundbreaking tools, collaborative partnerships,and trusted leadership for industry sustainability.

To reach this shared vision, we have developed the Higg Index in collaboration with our members, to create a global approach for effectively measuring and evaluating the social and environmental impacts of value chains and products. Our groundbreaking tools enable organizations to identify hotspots, improve sustainability performance, save time and money, and engage with value chain partners to scale systemic change across the industry.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Cascale is seeking applications from a highly organized and technically adept Manager - Verification Evolution to lead the delivery of projects supporting Higg Index verification services. This role will report to the Director of Verification, Training & Insights at Cascale and is based in Bengaluru, India. The goal of the verification program is to ensure that the Higg Index and its related tools are trusted and credible measures for sustainability performance and benchmarking. This role drives execution of key evolution initiatives identified within the Higg Index roadmap, serves as a central cross-functional lead collaborating across Cascale teams and partner organizations, and brings a strong blend of industry expertise and program management rigour.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Verification Evolution Initiatives

• Lead the design and execution of verification evolution projects aligned to the Higg Index roadmap
• Drive day-to-day progress across workstreams, ensuring timelines, milestones, and deliverables are met
• Collaborate with technical teams to define requirements, resolve open questions, and translate concepts into implementable solutions

Ecosystem Coordination (FEM & Verification)

• Represent the verification function in cross-functional forums, ensuring alignment with broader Cascale priorities
• Serve as a point of contact for internal teams engaging with Verification Services
• Partner with the reporting manager to align on priorities and translate them into actionable plans
• Apply program management best practices to track progress, manage dependencies, and drive execution

Program & Knowledge Management

• Create and maintain core program assets (plans, trackers, documentation) to support effective execution
• Ensure stakeholders have timely access to clear, accurate, and up-to-date information

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Communicate effectively across functions, teams, and geographies to enable alignment and progress

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications and experience:

Experience & Domain Expertise

• 5+ years of experience in program or project management, preferably in multi-stakeholder environments
• Experience with the Higg Index and/or verification or auditing processes (highly desirable)
• Familiarity with the apparel, sustainability, or related industry landscape
• Experience working with diverse stakeholders (e.g., brands, manufacturers, multi-stakeholder initiatives)

Preferred Backgrounds (one or more)

• Auditor or Higg FEM verifier
• Management consulting
• Experience with a multi-stakeholder initiative, brand, or manufacturer

Program & Execution Skills

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with strong prioritization and delivery discipline
• Experience driving progress across complex, multi-stakeholder programs
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with comfort navigating ambiguity
• Ability to balance strategic context with attention to detail
• Proficiency in creating clear, structured documents and presentations

Tools & Technical Proficiency

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and GSuite
• Comfortable with collaboration and project management tools (e.g., Asana, Slack)
• Strong aptitude for learning new systems and technical concepts

Communication & Collaboration

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across teams, cultures, and geographies
• Ability to ask insightful questions, synthesize inputs, and drive clarity
• Strong presentation skills, including simplifying complex topics
• High proficiency in English (written and verbal)

Mindset & Ways of Working

• High ownership and attention to detail
• Comfortable in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Self-starter with strong execution bias
• Collaborative, flexible, and team-oriented
• Stakeholder-focused, with a proactive and solutions-driven approach
• Demonstrates integrity, courage, and humility

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., engineering, environmental science, business, project management)

CASCALE SEEKS A CANDIDATE WHO IS:

• Mission Driven: Is motivated by the mission of the organization and knows that success comes through teamwork.
• Commitment to excellence: Performs duties at the highest level possible on a consistent basis.
• Trustworthy: Demonstrates an ability and temperament to work with sensitive and confidential information.
• Collaborative: Has team-oriented experience and approach.
• Service focused: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations of their role.
• Resourceful: Is quickly adaptable and able to think creatively.
• Tech savvy: Has the ability to understand and fully leverage a variety of technology platforms to ensure effective and efficient communications and work processes.
• Growth minded: Is willing to learn and grow within the role and in the organization.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

This is a full-time role, directly reporting to the Director of Verification, Training, & Insights

COMPENSATION AND LOCATION

Cascale offers competitive salary commensurate with experience. Salary bands are based on the country of location and aim to be competitive in each market. Actual compensation will also vary depending on factors including (but not limited to) relevant experience and performance. Salary is just one component of Cascales’s Total Rewards package for employees. The Cascale’s members and partners are global organizations, and as such, our staff sometimes work early or late hours. This role is preferably hybrid with 2-4 days of working in person at a co-working space with a preferred location of Bangalore, India.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Cascale is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

APPLY

Maybe you don’t tick all the boxes above— but still think you’d be great for the job? Go ahead, apply anyway. Please. We know that experience comes in all shapes and sizes—and PASSION can’t be learned. To be considered for this position please apply!