Technical Director, Resilient Agriculture

The Venture37 Technical Director, Resilient Agriculture is a proven thought leader in the area of integrated agricultural solutions that strengthen community resilience to climate-driven shocks towards improved food security and nutrition for communities around the world.  The Director will provide technical leadership and support to a diverse portfolio of projects and will serve as the lead technical designer on relevant project proposals. S/he will develop a comprehensive and cohesive strategy to deploy innovative climate-smart and resilience-building solutions to complex agricultural systems around the world. S/he will ensure that new project proposals responsibly support communities to better plan and respond to current and future climate-related stressors. The Director will be aligned with Venture37’s mission and values and will represent Venture37 ‘s as a leader in climate-smart and sensitive agricultural and will help boost agricultural productivity while paving the way for future generations to come. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop customer responsive, integrated and adaptive technical approaches on proposals based on current evidence, research, and learning.
• Integrate proven technical best practices to existing projects that are consistent with Venture37’s mission and strategy. 
•  Identify and leverage technical tools and resources to better integrate climate-sensitive solutions into programs that are flexible and adaptable to unique agricultural and geographical contexts.
• Ensure high levels of impact and customer satisfaction by providing technical and management oversight throughout program implementation.

• Identify and provide insights on emerging issues and trends in resilience programming and its intersection with agriculture.

• Serve as technical leader for high-priority NBD pursuits for a variety of US and international clients (e.g. USAID, USDA, non-USG bilateral organizations, foundations, and corporate customers).
• Develop strong customer relationships to gain insights and to influence future development priorities.
• Collaborate with the NBD team to build and execute customer and country business plans that support Venture37 strategic growth commitments.

• Oversee the development of innovative technical work plans to ensure that activities will deliver the intended impact outcomes on time and on budget.
• Work with program technical teams to adaptively achieve technical objectives.
• Engage closely with customers to develop insights for future impact and ensure ongoing donor satisfaction with V37s programming and technical approaches with a variety of US and international clients (e.g. USAID, USDA, non-USG bilateral organizations, foundations, and corporate customers).
• Lead Venture37 community of practice to share learnings and build team technical capabilities.

• Represent Venture37 at agriculture-focused international forums, conferences, roundtables, and other technically relevant events.  brand as an innovative, effective, agricultural development organization in the minds of current and future customers and partners.
• Advocate with private sector actors, donors, and international agencies to support climate-smart agriculture investments.
• Represent Venture37

Required Experience/Knowledge

• Master’s degree in International Development or related technical agricultural field.
• Minimum of 12 years’ experience in designing, implementing, and/or managing international agricultural development programs.
• Experience with integrated agriculture and crosscutting objectives (e.g. gender, nutrition, youth).
• Experience as technical leader of successful openly-competed USAID proposals, as well as new business experience with foundations, bilateral or corporate donor customers.
• Proven track record of leading the technical development program activities.
• Ability to interact effectively with established networks of senior level international development professionals, donors, governments, universities, and other partners.
• Experience leading and working with multi-cultural staff, including awareness of and sensitivity to working with multi-cultural groups in multiple socio-economic settings.
• Proven ability to interpret M&E data and use it to adaptively manage projects.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, and oral presentation skills.
• Proven teamwork and supervisory skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently, nationally, and internationally.

Preferred Experience/Knowledge

• Proven track record as Chief of Party, program or technical leader of donor-funded international agricultural development program.
• Understanding of results measurement for resilience-based programs
• Substantial international experience in either a program management or technical support role.
• Experience living and working abroad in countries and situations relevant to the position.