POSITION TITLE: Project Director, Feed the Future FORK

LOCATION: DC Metro preferred, US Remote may be considered

UNIT: Agriculture, Resilience, and Water (ARW)

 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

Winrock International is recruiting a Project Director within the Agriculture, Resilience and Water (ARW) Group for the anticipated $25-50M USAID Feed the Future FORK Activity. The Activity aims to transform local food processing to sustainably and equitably increase the access and affordability of safe, nutritious foods for women and children by working beside, with, and through local micro-, small- and medium-size enterprise (MSME) food processors, especially women- and youth-owned and -led MSMEs. The Project Director is responsible for leading program design, technical performance and management of a portfolio of technically and geographically diverse regional projects. This role oversees and ensures high quality project management and technical implementation, impact reporting, provides robust technical leadership, and leads strategic new business initiatives with a vision of strategic growth.

This role seeks a senior leader who is energized by the opportunity to develop a new generation of high-impact, at-scale programming utilizing a market systems approach to agriculture-led economic growth. All of our programming aspires to be equitable, inclusive, climate smart, and locally led. 

The position is contingent upon receipt of donor funding.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the principal liaison with the donor, key government officials, and international and local organizations, representing Winrock International;
• Coordinate and collaborate with private sector firms, farmers and farming groups, government counterparts, and other relevant stakeholders to leverage resources and maximize results;
• Lead the development of strategies to transform agro-processing in selected geographies to increase accessibility and affordability of nutritious products, drawing on both proven tools for and new approaches to market systems and social inclusion;
• Provide technical direction to diagnostics and assessments for evaluating market opportunities, identifying partners, and designing project partnerships;
• Provide high-level oversight for project administrative functions including financial management, human resources and procurement while ensuring compliance with Winrock policies and principles and donor rules and regulations;
• Design and lead interventions that sustainably build the capacity of staff and key stakeholders in government, academic institutions, private sector, and producers;
• Provide supervision, support, and direction to long- and short-term staff and technical consultants;
• Monitor program performance through indicators and evaluate program effectiveness and results;
• Apply an adaptive management and learning approach to iteratively evaluate program results and impact. Institute adjustments to replicate and scale successful activities and course correct activities that are not yielding desired results;
• Prepare annual work plans and progress reports and monitor the implementation of these plans. Prepare and submit quarterly and annual reports on the progress of activities and achievement of program results to USAID;
• Maintain close communication with Winrock home office and USAID to provide ongoing, informal updates of project progress;
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND:

Education:

Academic degree in international development, business administration, agriculture, or related field. Master’s degree or higher strongly preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience managing complex agriculture market systems development programs.
• At least 5 years previous executive experience managing USG-funded cooperative agreements or contracts.
• Experience training, managing, and coaching project staff and partners on systems-based interventions required.
• Experience operationalizing iterative learning systems consistent with the collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) framework required.
• Experience designing and implementing services and/or activities to reach women, youth, and historically excluded communities within the agro-processing sector required.
• Experience developing partnerships with and supporting private sector actors required.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Ability to supervise, challenge, and build capacity of staff and coordinate activities with partners from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
• Ability to build coalitions and networks with private sector actors that can provide synergies and sustainable solutions.
• Must be comfortable in a high-level representational role as well as interacting with beneficiaries.
• Sound knowledge of international donor contracts, financial and accounting regulations and procedures, particularly USAID regulations.
• Demonstrated understanding with USG M&E frameworks and reporting systems. Skills in knowledge management, qualitative and quantitative analytical methods, and data analysis preferred.
• Excellent management, communication, and organizational skills are required.
• Excellent computer skills (word-processing, spreadsheets, and databases) are required.
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in other languages such as French, Spanish, Swahili preferred.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Winrock would like to thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates who meet all requisite criteria and are shortlisted will be contacted.

This position is US based and candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

This position has a salary range between $145,000 – $175,000 with most candidates falling within the middle of the range, and with an additional 10% 403b annual contribution and additional excellent benefits package.

 

 

Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.

At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation.

Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization