Jobs
Associate Program Director, Sustainable Agriculture
Organization
Sustainable Conservation, a nonprofit environmental organization, partners with business, agriculture and government leaders to find practical ways that the private sector can protect clean air, clean water and healthy ecosystems. Our award-winning nonprofit leads powerful collaborations that produce lasting, win-win solutions to critical environmental problems. By promoting effective business and agricultural practices throughout California, Sustainable Conservation and its partners are shifting entire industries toward sound environmental stewardship.
Position
We are seeking an experienced manager to join our Sustainable Agriculture Program as the Associate Program Director. This position will report to the Director of Sustainable Agriculture, helping to guide and grow the program. Sustainable Conservation has a successful record of partnering with agriculture in California to identify and implement management practices and technologies that make environmental and economic sense. We have partnered with the dairy industry to promote a series of practices and technologies, including methane digesters which capture methane from manure to create renewable energy and fuel. Other efforts include conservation tillage, which saves farmers money and greatly reduces air pollution, and projects aimed at sustainably produced California biofuels, including biomethane and biodiesel. For more information about Sustainable Conservation and its Sustainable Agriculture Program, click here.
Responsibilities
- Manage implementation of Sustainable Agriculture's program goals related to climate change, renewable energy, water and air quality.
- Ensure Sustainable Agriculture program meets timelines and deliverables.
- Conduct direct project work as appropriate.
- Oversee and support staff in carrying out projects and accomplishing goals.
- Identify and pursue funding sources for program activities.
- Administer the program's budget; manage expenses to meet grant requirements and available revenue.
- Collaborate with Program Director on grant writing, reporting, communications and stakeholder relations.
- Participate in and help lead organizational efforts in strategic planning, staff training and communication campaigns.
Special Knowledge and Skills
People Management:
- Ability to work collaboratively and to promote collaboration and teamwork.
- Experience with mentoring, training and supervising staff.
- Proven ability to engage, build rapport and develop constructive and effective working relationships with scientists, government representatives, conservation partners, community leaders, landowners, elected officials, corporate representatives and donors.
Project Management:
- Demonstrated strategic approach to project implementation.
- Experience designing, implementing and managing multiple complex projects, setting deadlines and ensuring program accountability.
- Ability to collaborate with a diverse group of stakeholders, handle complexity and creatively solve problems.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to articulate complex environmental issues and solutions.
- Experience developing and successfully administering budgets.
- Experience fundraising, including proposal writing, grant research, and grant administration.
Qualifications
- BA/BS degree (Masters or Doctorate preferred) in agriculture, engineering, business and/or environment related.
- Minimum of 5 years related work experience at management level in nonprofit, public or private sector.
- Business management experience a strong plus.
- Significant knowledge of environmental issues, including climate change, water quality, air quality and biodiversity; experience with California's agriculture and related environmental issues highly desired.
- Experience working with state/federal officials and agencies and federal and state regulatory laws, including water and air quality regulations, the Endangered Species Act, and California Environmental Quality Act.
- Experienced in applying on-the-ground knowledge to policy.
Personal Characteristics
- A strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit, committed to achieving goals and able to work independently.
- Results-oriented with a commitment to long-term systemic change that will help achieve environmental goals.
- Strong work ethic and willingness to travel frequently to agricultural areas.
- Committed to working collaboratively as a team member, in partnership with staff, donors and partner organizations.
- Enthusiastic, flexible, task-oriented and comfortable working with people in a variety of situations.
- A sense of humor.
To apply, please send resume with cover letter to jobs@suscon.org
