Project Manager, Non-GMO and Midwest Grains

Green America is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change. Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors and businesses. Our workplace reflects our goal of creating a more cooperative, environmentally sound economy. We have a participatory decision-making process, which aims to build consensus within the departments and teams.

The Center for Sustainability Solutions at Green America supports a number of innovation networks, focused groups of stakeholders with the objective of making significant, industry-wide system change.  The program team of the Center for Sustainability Solutions provides the strategic direction, stakeholder engagement program, facilitation and coordination services, and program management for participating individuals and companies in each working group.

The Non-GMO Supply Working Group is a multi-stakeholder, cross-industry collaboration that is building the supply of non-GMO food and feed in the US while simultaneously enhancing organic markets and sustainable food systems. The Working Group acts in five strategic issue areas – farmer engagement, standards & verification, stakeholder messaging, infrastructure & capital, and market initiatives – to rapidly deploy strategic interventions to create orderly, cost-effective transitions that works for all stakeholders. Market Initiatives are regional or sector specific programs that leverage the learning, tools and relationships of the working group.

The Midwest Integrated Non-GMO Grains market initiative (MING), an initiative of the Working Group, has the objective of converting 5 million acres of the upper Mississippi River Valley to sustainable, non-GMO production. 

Reporting to the Director, Sustainable Food Supply Chains, the Program Manager is responsible for implementing a wide range of activities to advance the conversation and translate the ideas of the working group and market initiative into action. Specific tasks may include: identifying working group participants through extensive research and stakeholder interviews, maintaining and strengthening relationships with members of each Working Group, conducting landscape and targeted research to understand market dynamics or market opportunities, identifying new resources to bring into the Working Group, supporting planning and implementation of bi-annual meetings of each Working Group, and other tasks.

Strong candidates for this position will have experience with and passion for developing robust, sustainable food systems.  A background in farming, agronomy, agricultural supply chain, industrial food sector business, or environmental science will be highly relevant for this role. Demonstrated experience in relationship development and management, collaborative innovation consulting, or system-focused change management is essential for this position.

The position involves occasional domestic travel, including two annual meetings of each Working Group for 3-5 days each.  The position would preferably be based in Washington, DC at the Green America offices (with a work-from-home allowance for up to 8 hours a week as determined by supervisor).  However, we might consider work from a remote location for highly qualified candidates.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The overall objective of this role is to manage two of the Center’s key initiatives: the Non-GMO Working Group and the Midwest Integrated Non-GMO Grains market initiative. As the Project Manager, this person will be responsible to ensure the progress of these initiatives, working closely with the Director of Sustainable Food Supply Chains, other Center and Green America staff, and working group participants. 

Non-GMO Working Group:
Support efforts to strengthen relationships with Working Group (Innovation Network) participants

• Support the efforts of the director to keep working group participants up to date with activities, participating in supply chain shifts and providing input as to their company needs
• Develop and apply your knowledge of the industry to make connections between participants as appropriate to advance network impact
• Engage participants before and after bi-annual meetings and track and update member activities

Lead Bi-annual meeting content development

• Support internal and external subject matter experts in developing content for meetings of the working group.  Use your expertise to help shape agendas and priorities for the meetings.
• Oversee, with support of other Green America staff, logistics for two meetings of up to 60 people at remote site.
• Develop summary reports and implementation plans from meetings for distribution to the Working Group.

Provide guidance to Design Team & Working Group Committees

• Set goals, implementation plans and agendas for Design Team meetings, in coordination with GA staff and Working Group participants.
• Manage schedule and communications for regular meetings of the Design Team
• Coordinate with Committee staff to advance committee work and bring outcomes to Working Group meetings.

Support Market Initiative implementation

• Conduct research as necessary to advance Market Initiative implementation
• Engage Market Initiative participants to ensure accurate understanding of market opportunity, need, and how the initiative benefits.
• Identify opportunities for participants to support the initiative.
• Coordinate with Green America staff to advance the initiative.
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Midwest Integrated Non-GMO Grains Market Initiative (MING):
Lead in the establishment and implementation of the Midwest Grains initiative

• Coordinate with Green America team to develop and implement strategy for identifying and inviting participants to the Initiative, including existing Non-GMO Working Group members, funders, and new regional participants
• Conduct landscape research to understand market dynamics, existing supply chain design, and participating stakeholders. Identify industry leaders to engage or follow. Share findings with network members.
• Contribute to MING “design sprint” roadmap document
• In collaboration with Green America colleagues, track and maintain project budgets to meet spending targets and help identify new sources of funding, cost savings
• Develop and submit timely interim and final progress reports to key institutional funders of the project, using data and metrics to showcase outcomes of our work
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Support the MING Design Team

• Coordinate with Green America staff and key stakeholders to plan & schedule regular meetings of the Design Team
• Lead Design Team meetings; ensure Design Team notes are taken and distributed
• Coordinate with stakeholders to manage ongoing progress against goals and timelines defined in MING “design sprint”
• Bring outcomes to Non-GMO Working Group meetings.

General Support and Operations

• Manage member status and coordinate with colleagues to invoice for annual fees
• Attend and contribute to Center for Sustainability Solutions meetings
• Attend and contribute to Green America Staff meetings and processes
• Regular reporting to Supervisor and Center Director

You will be a good fit for this position if:

• You believe passionately in the importance of making positive changes to the current agricultural system.
• You understand that system change is hard and you are eager to work with all willing partners to make progress.
• You have urgency to get things done, and you also understand that sometimes change is neither linear nor immediately obvious.
• You understand the complexity of managing collaborative innovation processes, and you are comfortable with uncertainty.

• You are comfortable working in an environment with many remote stakeholders.
• You have a growth mindset and see every situation as an opportunity to learn.
• You use your resourcefulness to find creative solutions.
• You like a good laugh, and you take your work seriously, but you don’t take yourself too seriously.

Qualified candidates will have many of the following skills and experiences:

• At least 7 (seven) years of experience leading or managing in a complex environment serving external stakeholders.  Excellent soft skills around relationship management, distributed and shared leadership, and creative problem solving are essential.
• Demonstrated experience with collaborative innovation and system change is important.
• Knowledge of and solid experience with food policy, agricultural policy, farming, or non-GMO advocacy. Demonstrated familiarity with current and emerging trends in the agriculture sector
• Experience with public speaking and group leadership; confidence and poise when working with senior corporate leadership, adaptability in style according to your audience
• Demonstrated written communications and marketing skills, with an ability to be clear and concise
• Project management experience or experience coordinating a multi-stakeholder team or working in a highly collaborative environment
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and experience with customer relationship management essential; Zoho or other CRM system familiarity a plus.
• Bachelors’ degree (advanced degree a plus)

How to Apply:

Send cover letter and resume to centerjobs@greenamerica.org or to Green America, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006

No calls, please.

Green America is an equal opportunity employer.