Food demand is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the next 30 years as incomes rise and the world’s population continues to grow. While pressure on our natural resources will increase, TNC believes this is a challenge that can be met. Our work in this area focuses on three key strategies: reducing deforestation from agricultural expansion, improving soil health, and providing water sustainably. Critical to our success will be to harness the power of technology and innovation towards our goals in each of these areas.
The Agriculture Innovation Director leads TNC’s efforts to foster innovative new technologies and business models with a high potential to advance our conservation goals. The position reports to the Global Director for Agriculture and Water Finance and is a member of TNC’s Global Food & Water Sustainably team.
The Agriculture Innovation Director provides strategic organizational leadership, expertise and support to harness the emerging opportunities in agriculture and water-related technologies. They develop the strategy and organizational priorities in this area, and engage with key TNC staff and partners to execute on these opportunities, including with investment funds, individual investors, early stage and agribusiness companies, research organizations, and other NGOs. They work closely with TNC staff at the global, regional and operating unit level to identify opportunities where innovation can drive mission results, and to connect emerging technologies to our programmatic work. They will play a key role in donor and investor identification and cultivation.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Develop TNC agriculture technology and innovation strategy and priorities, including applications to TNC water strategies
- Build portfolio of TNC-supported ag tech companies and investments
- Lead and manage implementation of TNC’s investments in an early stage agtech investment fund and an agtech accelerator, which are in advanced stages of development. Source and select additional fund investment opportunities as needed.
- Coordinate with TNC TechStars Sustainability Accelerator to refer prospects and share industry insights to build high quality pipeline of relevant prospects for TNC-sponsored technology accelerator
- Coordinate with TNC program staff to bring TNC’s science, experience and relationships to support portfolio companies, and to tap into the expertise of the companies to advance TNC goals.
- Drive innovation in collaboration with TNC Global and Regional Ag Programs, and external partners
- Work with TNC program leads to identify and execute on opportunities where technology and innovation has the potential to create large scale industry change in support of our conservation goals
- Establish and lead internal TNC agtech resource group to review emerging technologies and applications including Chief Technology Officer, TechStars, Center for Sustainable Science and appropriate regional science staff
- Engage with partners including companies, investment funds and other NGOs to identify opportunities where TNC can add value and connect innovative new approaches to TNC’s mission and goals
- Represent TNC Food & Water Sustainably Strategy in the ag technology and investment sector
- Provide thought leadership through speaking opportunities at relevant conferences and written content distributed through TNC and external social media channels.
- Disseminate throughout technology community, those critical ‘use cases’ associated with the Sustainable Food and Water Strategy to Inspire development of technologies essential to the achievement of TNC goals
- Provide insights and prospect ideas in regular meetings with the sponsoring foundation donor, and other donors and investors
- 12 years’ experience in farming, agribusiness, agriculture technology and/or agtech investment or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Experience with emerging agriculture technologies and new business models, including precision agriculture products and services and farm data collection, interpretation and application
- Experience with new product development and investment to commercialize new technologies and innovations
- Experience leading and succeeding in complex, matrix organizations
- Experience in partnership development with corporate, investment and non-profit partners
- Experience conceiving and implementing strategic and creative initiatives.
- Experience with verbal and written communications
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated
- Educational background in agronomy, soil or plant science
- Previous or current experience with farm operations
- Experience with a broad spectrum of agricultural technologies including farm management systems, input application, remote sensed imagery and artificial intelligence applications.
- Familiarity with conservation agriculture practices
- Extensive network in agribusiness and/or ag technology
- Experience working in the agricultural sector in the U.S., Latin America, Africa and Asia
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.