Job Description

Position Description

FFAR seeks a Development Operations Manager to join the Development department during an exciting time in the organization’s history. This position plays an important role in managing development operations, analyzing reports and data, increasing individual giving and broadly supporting the creation of public-private partnerships.

This position manages the fundraising database, coordinates with multiple departments to facilitate incoming revenue to the organization and identifies opportunities to streamline operations. The Development Operations Manager oversees individual giving, including online fundraising.

*Please submit a Resume AND Cover Letter when applying for this role.*

Duties and Responsibilities

• Work in conjunction with the Chief Development Officer to identify and prioritize new initiatives and opportunities to increase department revenue and cross-departmental communications
• Develop and implement efficient internal processes to improve project management across the department
• Administer the fundraising database including maintenance and improvements
• Oversee development and finance activities including contributions and project agreements
• Manage FFAR’s online fundraising and other individual giving sources
• Work collaboratively with FFAR Communications, Program and Operational staff on events, partner outreach and related activities
• Supervise Development Associate including managing workflow, providing feedback, and evaluating performance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree 
• Three to five years minimum of professional experience in non-profit development, operations management, and communications
• Demonstrated success in project management
• Comfortable managing multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines
• Proven experience using fundraising databases. Raisers Edge experience a plus
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 suite required
• Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills with keen attention to detail
• Willingness to take the initiative and problem-solve
• Strong critical thinking, research, analytic, and organizational skills
• Ability to work both independently and cross-functionally with colleagues and across departments
• Ability to produce high-quality work
• Commitment to the highest standards of donor service and professionalism
• Highest levels of personal and professional integrity, along with a sense of humor
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

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Job Description

FFAR has six Challenge Areas, which coupled with our strategic initiatives, form our strategic research framework:

• Urban Food Systems
• Health Agriculture Nexus
• Soil Health
• Advance Animal Systems
• Sustainable Water Management
• Next Generation Crops

This science administration position requires a desire to learn more about innovative food and agriculture research, excellent interpersonal and writing skills, a high level of organization and focus and an ability to work under tight deadlines.

The scientific program associate reports directly to the Sustainable Water Management and Next Generation Crops scientific program directors, and works closely with colleagues in communications, grants, development, legislative affairs and other areas.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the timely review of proposals submitted to FFAR by requesting and coordinating expert reviewers and review panels
• Organize and coordinate meeting and event logistics and attend events as needed.
• Draft event proceedings.
• Organize Advisory Council meetings and drafting minutes. 
• Conduct background research, including data analysis, literature reviews and media scanning. 
• Correspond with other organizations and associations to support research programs.
• Prepare summary briefs on emerging or important research developments.  
• Assist with stakeholder communications.
• Support outreach strategies by preparing materials for the FFAR website, newsletters and publications.
• Developing and/or maintaining project management tools.
• Assist with the grant-making process.

Qualifications

Required Competencies & Skills

• Ability to write clearly and cogently for internal audiences, policy makers, the media and the public. 
• Ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information and to focus quickly on the essence of an issue, as well as to identify, understand and synthesize different perspectives.
• Experience working with academics, nonprofits and other entities that conduct research—helping to ensure the results are rigorous and communication is clear, timely and persuasive.
• Ability to work professionally and collegially within a creative, fast-paced culture that emphasizes excellence and teamwork.
• Demonstrated time and project-management skills, including the ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization. Ability to set priorities and identify resources.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision. Flexible and able to routinely juggle multiple competing priorities and work in teams of both support and senior staff to meet project goals.
• Strong systems skills including Microsoft office products required; database and online research applications preferred.
• The ability to create and use spreadsheets to track project deliverables.
• Experience with project management platforms, such as Smartsheets.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor of Science degree; an agriculture-related major is preferred.
• A minimum of one year of relevant professional experience, including demonstrated analytical, writing and fact-checking skills.

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Job Description

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is seeking an exceptional Scientific Program Director (SPD) to provide leadership over research programs that are developed in partnership with industry, government, academia and non-profits. FFAR, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is focused on catalyzing innovation to solve pressing food and agriculture challenges that affect the lives of all Americans. Leveraging public and private resources, FFAR will increase the scientific and technological research, innovation, and partnerships critical to enhancing sustainable production of nutritious food for a growing global population.

FFAR has six Challenge Areas:

• Soil Health

• Sustainable Water Management

• Next Generation Crops

• Advanced Animal Systems

• Health-Agriculture Nexus

• Urban Food Systems

This position will focus on the Health-Agriculture Nexuschallenge area, which includes increasing access to nutritious foods, reducing food loss & waste, breeding better nutrition and advancing food production systems. This SPD will also provide expertise in food production systems and nutrition across all Challenge Areas.

The SPD will develop and manage a variety of research programs and work with Foundation staff (e.g., grants management, development, communications) and multi-stakeholder teams. The SPD will develop projects and/or programs that can be realized through prize and grant competitions, through the development of consortia, or through direct funding. A significant part of the position is to identify the gaps and innovation space within the Health-Agriculture Nexus Challenge Area and translate those opportunities into research projects or programs. As such, an SPD must be able to network and create relationships with organizations and individuals who work in research areas related to the Health-Agriculture Nexus and/or could become funding partners.

The SPD will oversee the evaluation of research applications and proposals; design, promote, and monitor the progress of FFAR-funded projects and be responsible for the day-to-day management of specific research initiatives, including managing project meetings, logistics, timelines, budgets, and associated grants and contracts. The SPD will develop and lead scientific conferences and other workshops as necessary to develop consensus on the critical research questions in the area of the Health-Agriculture Nexus that FFAR and its partners should pursue.

This is a science administration and management position that requires scientific and research knowledge, excellent interpersonal and writing skills, a high level of organization, diplomacy and focus, ability to work under tight deadlines, and familiarity with the food and agriculture research environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing requests for applications/proposals based on FFAR priorities;

• Developing, and facilitating multi-disciplinary, public-private partnerships;

• Overseeing the evaluation process of research projects;

• Managing grants and/or contracts to see them through a successful conclusion;

• Coordinating and managing cross-functional scientific or project team meetings;

• Developing and managing  Health-Agriculture Nexus Challenge Area’s budget;

• Managing priority setting processes and relationships among diverse scientific and

administrative partners from different sectors (government, nonprofits, academia, and/or

private sector).

Qualifications

• Deep familiarity with research and scientific issues in the Health-Agriculture Nexus Challenge Area, specifically  agriculture, food production and processing, nutrition and human health;

• A graduate degree in a relevant agricultural or related field (doctoral degree preferred);

• Familiarity with research and grants administration;

• Experience working with the academic, private sectors, and/or the agriculture stakeholder community;

• Ability to discover and cultivate professional relationships and networks to further development of public private partnerships;

• Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, enthusiasm, and diplomacy both individually and as part of a team;

• Ability to multitask, including working across multiple complex projects in different agricultural research areas;

• Ability to learn quickly, and make difficult decisions independently to meet tight deadlines;

• Attention to detail and strong analytical and organizational skills;

• Ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and initiative when collaborating with others;

• Ability to communicate complex business and scientific issues succinctly and effectively;

• Highest levels of personal and professional integrity, along with a sense of humor.

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