North America Agroforestry Program Manager

The Nature Conservancy • Minnesota, GA

4d • $80,000 - $110,000 • Remote

About The Position

The North America (NA) Agroforestry Program Manager position will develop and implement scaling strategies on behalf of the NA Agriculture Program and the NA Science Team to accelerate the widespread, market-driven adoption of agroforestry in the U.S. This position will manage a newly awarded $55M USDA Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grant (“Expanding Agroforestry Production & Markets”) designed to promote regenerative agroforestry practices by incentivizing farmers; developing markets; conducting Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV); and otherwise creating the enabling conditions for the rapid growth of agroforestry practices. Leveraging existing North American Agriculture Program strategies and partnerships, the Program Manager will ensure the success of the project by developing and implementing strategies to serve and diversify the partners, funders, agencies, and other priority audiences needed to scale agroforestry in the United States. The Program Manager will oversee the main components of the project, including the Farmer Incentive Payments program; the agroforestry product label initiative; contract and sub-award management; and federal compliance and reporting. This position often serves as the principal contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations, corporations, and the academic community. The Program Manager will engage the agricultural community across the supply chain to advance agroforestry; negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and private sector partners; and identify and cultivate fundraising opportunities to bring additional resources to the NA Agriculture Program team, as well as align and contribute to TNC business units and partners. The Program Manager will increase and enhance the role of TNC as a major partner in the agroforestry industry by supporting and developing TNC’s strategic, scientific, and technical capacity to achieve impact.

Requirements

• BA/BS degree in agronomy, natural resources management, conservation, business, or other related field of study and 7 years’ experience in agroforestry and/or other conservation practice or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups, and/or government agencies.
• Experience presenting and communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means.

Responsibilities

• Agroforestry Program Development & Management: Lead, in close collaboration with strategic partners, the development and implementation of long-term, big-picture, innovative and disruptive U.S. agroforestry scaling plans and strategies.
• Seek and manage additional public and private funding opportunities for continued support of our agroforestry efforts.
• Cultivate strategic participation with a diverse array of farmers; landowners; conservation groups; federal and state agency staff; philanthropies; impact investors; ag lenders; and other priority entities to support U.S. agroforestry scaling efforts.
• Collaborate with Government Affairs staff on opportunities to engage and educate decision makers on agroforestry efforts and policy opportunities.
• Develop collaboration opportunities with multiple TNC business units and with existing strategies and programs advancing regenerative agriculture in crop systems and grazing lands.
• Expanding Agroforestry Markets & Products Project Management: Lead all aspects of the project’s implementation efforts and collaborate with all internal and external project partners for execution of grant deliverables.
• Manage the Project Manager supporting the grant.
• Act as the main point of contact between TNC/the project and USDA.
• Lead tracking and reporting efforts of MRV activities, deliverables, and other project performance metrics.
• Coordinate the implementation of outreach and education events on demonstration farms with regional partners and activities that engage TNC membership, volunteers, and donors.
• Manage the development of agroforestry education and outreach assets.

Benefits

• TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager