Job Description
Devex Talent Solutions is currently assisting the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) in seeking Strategic Programs, Associate Manager.
JOB SUMMARY
The Strategic Programs Associate Manager will support the Strategic Programs Senior Manager in executing SAN’s mission to transform agriculture for a sustainable future. This position is focused on operational support, project coordination, and stakeholder engagement to help achieve SAN’s core goals: strengthening its global impact network, advancing sustainability through climate adaptation and agrobiodiversity restoration solutions that support improving rural livelihoods. Working closely with the Senior Manager, the Associate Manager will play a key role in implementing SAN’s major programs and cultivating relationships with corporate, foundation, and government donors. Additionally, the Associate Manager will oversee project logistics, coordinate team activities, and serve as a liaison between SAN’s internal teams and external partners.
This role is ideal for a resourceful and adaptable professional who is passionate about sustainable agriculture, rural development, and climate action. To succeed, the candidate must have: a strong commitment to SAN’s vision of sustainable agriculture; comprehensive knowledge of sustainable agriculture practices, rural development, human rights in agricultural supply chains, and sustainable livelihoods; a deep understanding of international development ecosystems, sustainability initiatives, and intervention pathways; and excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills. Agency-wide competencies expected from all SAN staff are rooted in the mission, values and principles of SAN and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and include serving with integrity; modeling stewardship and accountability; cultivating constructive and collaborative relations; striving for innovation; and promoting continual learning and self-improvement.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Mission and Business:
- Coordinate logistics for program strategies by developing and implementing plans to manage activities and events, arranging meetings and calls, and addressing any logistical challenges; including the maintenance of regular communication with corporate, foundation, and government partners to ensure alignment with program objectives, follow up on action items, and review agreements; and collaboration with internal teams, to manage resources efficiently and prepare the necessary documentation that supports seamless program execution.
- Collaborate with the Strategic Programs Senior Manager to implement strategic program initiatives by supporting program objectives, managing tasks, ensuring timelines are met, maintaining clear communication with teams and stakeholders, and tracking progress toward key milestones. Proactively address challenges, document activities, and contribute to continuous improvement of initiatives through analysis and feedback collection.
- Collaborate with technical and business development teams to develop and refine outcome-focused frameworks, such as logical and M&E frameworks, to guide project design, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring alignment with SAN’s partnerships, objectives, heory of Change and related organizational goals.
Program Coordination and Delivery
- Support programmatic proposal development by conducting research, drafting and organizing documentation, ensuring alignment with guidelines, and performing quality reviews to secure potential partnerships and funding opportunities, through a collaboration with stakeholders that creates comprehensive frameworks and maintains high standards in developing and submissions.
- Apply technical research to enhance SAN’s knowledge base, develop innovative sustainability solutions, and create support tools and materials to promote sustainable practices across agriculture, farmers, and value chains.
- Collaborate with SAN technical teams to document program activities, successes, and lessons learned, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and scalability for future projects.
- Contribute to technical topic research and the development and enrichment of SAN technical knowledge, sustainability solutions, and support tools and materials related to agriculture, farmers, and value chains.
Stakeholder Engagement and Institutional Relations support
- Represent SAN at partner meetings, conferences, and events by effectively communicating SAN’s mission, initiatives, and objectives, building relationships, gathering feedback, and providing timely follow-up and reporting to support strategic goals
- Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day communications with assigned program partners, including SAN members, technical experts, and stakeholders, ensuring effective coordination, issue resolution, information sharing, and timely updates to support program operations.
- Support the creation and dissemination of program materials, including presentations, reports, and newsletters, by gathering relevant information, collaborating with team members, ensuring quality through review and editing, and distributing materials effectively to stakeholders and partners.
Knowledge and Resource Management:
- Support research initiatives and sustainability trend analysis by conducting literature reviews, collecting and analyzing data, monitoring emerging trends, and collaborating with stakeholders to develop strategies and recommendations that drive program innovation and improvement.
- Develop technical content for SAN’s communication channels, including articles, reports, blogs, and social media posts, to effectively communicate sustainability insights, program achievements, and technical expertise to diverse audiences while ensuring alignment with SAN’s mission and strategic goals.
- Maintain a deep understanding of complementary initiatives and global trends in sustainable agriculture, including funding trends, by conducting research, analyzing data, monitoring developments, and engaging stakeholders to inform and align SAN’s strategies and projects.
Leadership:
- Provide support and guidance to team members, including new hires, interns, and temporary staff, by assisting with onboarding, training, mentoring, and problem-solving, ensuring alignment with program objectives and fostering team development under the direction of the Strategic Programs Senior Manager.
- Act as a key expert on sustainable agriculture solutions by continuously engaging with SAN members, partners, and funders, providing updates, expert consultation, and training, while fostering collaboration, sharing resources, and integrating feedback to advance sustainable agriculture initiatives.
- Operationalize leadership, technical vision, and strategy development in the agricultural and environmental sectors by delivering on the organization’s vision and strategic goals, by fostering innovation, collaborating with stakeholders, advocating for supportive policies, and ensuring the effective implementation and continuous improvement of sustainable initiatives.
Other activities and responsibilities assigned by the Strategic Programs Senior Manager.
II. ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree in sustainable agriculture, agricultural economics, agronomy, agribusiness management, rural development and/or sustainable livelihoods
- Minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience, preferably with work experience overseas in agricultural or rural development programs in developing and emerging economies.
- Commitment to finding climate and nature-based solutions and slowing the effects of climate change, especially for those who rely on farming for their livelihoods.
- Familiarity with sustainable agriculture, international development issues, human rights in agricultural supply-chains and community-led initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience providing high-level technical leadership and support to international technical teams in an NGO setting.
- Commitment to enhance and promote a global impact network.
- Excellent written and verbal command of English. Proficiency in Spanish and/or French is preferable, and domain of other languages is considered a plus.
- Experience working in a diverse, global organization across multiple time zones, and flexible schedules.
- Availability to travel internationally, up to 30% of the time.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
- Strong Information Technology skills and capacity to manage and maintain databases including Salesforce and MS Excel.
III. PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL SKILLS
- Comprehensive technical background: Deep knowledge of the challenges faced by farming communities, institutional donors and corporates in relation to sustainability goals and potential solutions.
- Expertise in sustainable agriculture: advanced expertise in agriculture for small-scale producers, including lessons learned and emerging trends, with a strong grasp of:
- Mobile technology solutions and their role in enabling innovative business models to support vulnerable
populations.
- Global food systems, resilience, and integrated development frameworks.
- Challenges and needs of agribusinesses within their operating contexts, particularly in supply chains.
- Gender equality and social inclusion challenges, along with effective approaches to address them.
- Human rights compliance and remediation within agricultural supply chains.
- Solution and Program Design: Proficiency in designing, piloting, and scaling solutions and programs, including adapting innovations and best practices across geographies.
- Program Management and Strategic Thinking: Exceptional program management and strategic thinking abilities, reflected in effective prioritization, execution, and motivation of multidisciplinary teams.
- Communication and Collaboration: Advanced communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence without authority, excel in a networked organization, and deliver results with diverse partners.
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: Strong ability to analyze and leverage data to inform decisions and ensure the implementation of effective data and business processes.
- Approaches and Frameworks: Familiarity with Appreciative Inquiry methods and fluency in Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks.
- Problem-Solving and Facilitation: Skilled in navigating complex issues with multiple perspectives to facilitate collaboration and drive shared outcomes.
- Leadership and Passion: A proactive leader with a passion for sustainability, collaboration, and collective impact, demonstrating gravitas and credibility to inspire confidence.
- Creative and Strategic Mindset: A strategic and creative thinker who is unafraid to challenge conventional thinking and explore innovative solutions.
- Organization and Attention to Detail: Highly organized with strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and consistency in project planning, execution, and documentation.
- Personal Attributes: Self-motivated, adaptable, able to work under pressure, and capable of inspiring confidence and trust among stakeholders.
