Associate Director, Alliance To Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture

Job Description

The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture is a coalition of organizations, led by Virginia Tech, which will implement an $80 million, three-year project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). This project will be implemented across four states - Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Virginia - and will feature payments to farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices to increase resilience and climate adaptation. Farmer payments and enrollments will be managed by implementing partner organizations in each of the four states and a number of non-implementing partners will support the program in various ways. Virginia Tech faculty will conduct a rigorous research agenda to evaluate the efficacy of implementation. Under the three-year pilot program, Virginia Tech and its partners will help producers in the four states prove the value of paying farmers and ranchers $100 per acre or animal unit for stewardship practices that deliver public value through carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas reduction, improved soil health, water quality, water conservation, and other environmental services. We aim to create a national model for incentivizing and rewarding farmers for adopting climate-smart practices. More information on the program can be found at this link: https://www.allianceforcsa.org
The Associate Director will generate relationships and opportunities to deliver private market benefits to producers, work with Sustainable Food Lab to develop and launch a prototype "climate-smart" certificate for producers, and coordinate Advisory Council and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee activities. This person will also reach producers and producer groups who would be interested in participating in Year 1 or 2 of the pilot and soliciting producer feedback on the pilot program, with a focus on helping to reach underserved producers and representative groups. The Associate Director will report to the Project Director.
The base location for this position is Blacksburg, VA. Travel to Blacksburg on a routine basis will be required. The position is open to hybrid or remote; however, the remote location must be within a reasonable commuting distance (i.e. Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., West Virginia).
Key responsibilities include:
Identifying and working with Equity Partners who will support Alliance's goal of 40% enrollment of underserved and underrepresented producers
Identifying and working with Marketing Partners to promote climate-smart commodities (CSC)
Working with the Alliance partner, Sustainable Food Lab, to develop and launch a prototype certificate to facilitate market access for selling CSC goods or the associated captured carbon
Coordinating activities of the Alliance Advisory Council
Coordinating activities of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee
Evaluating and forming new partnerships to increase the reach of the project
This position is restricted to a three-year timeframe and contingent on funding.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in relevant field of student and significant professional level experience.
Experience working to engage underserved and underrepresented groups.
Experience working with volunteer boards.
Demonstrated knowledge of climate-smart commodities, greenhouse gas benefits, and private markets in agriculture.
Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
Highly proficient general computer skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in relevant field of study.
At least one degree in a field of agricultural science.
Demonstrated knowledge of crop and/or animal agriculture.

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

$70,000 - 90,000; commensurate with experience

Review Date

December 1, 2023

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.