A shift to a regenerative food system-one that supports resilient farms and supply chains, builds thriving agricultural communities, and positions agriculture as a solution to our most pressing environmental threats-requires that all stakeholders, not just farmers, work together to achieve this transformation. By working with local communities and focusing on the role of science and innovation to strengthen food systems, TNC aims to catalyze the implementation of regenerative practices across our portfolio of global foodscapes that can be a positive force for people and nature.
One such group of stakeholders include agricultural retailers, cooperatives, private sector agronomists, and other agribusinesses that producers in the United States rely heavily on for their agronomic inputs, services, and advice. Collectively, these "farmer advisors" are among the most trusted sources of information for producers and are highly influential in farm management decisions. Therefore, farmer advisors and agribusinesses are critical partners in promoting and enabling successful implementation of on farm conservation practices among their farmer customers if we are to reach our water quality and climate related goals.
The Agribusiness Partnership Specialist will network, build, and strengthen relationships with agricultural retailers and agronomists in the Upper Mississippi River Foodscape, which includes parts of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin and northwest Illinois, to implement Farmer Advisor priority activities and cultivate new business models to drive regenerative agriculture practices within ag retail and to position farmer advisors and agribusiness as a powerful and effective tool for quickly scaling regenerative ag incentive programs and systems.
The Specialist will work within a highly matrixed, multi-disciplinary team, as well as with external partners and staff across the conservancy. In collaboration with and under the guidance of the Iowa Agriculture Program Director and the North America Farmer Advisor Strategy Manager, the Specialist will be responsible for advancing project activities to meet outcomes, identifying and developing key performance indicators, monitoring and measuring progress, communicating information to stakeholders and ensuring all organizational and divisional standards are met. The Agribusiness Partnership Specialist provides technical leadership and support to the North America Agriculture, Iowa, and Upper Mississippi Foodscape teams by assisting, planning and executing projects in service of our programmatic goals, including pilots and collaborative efforts with ag retailers and other farmer advisors. The Specialist may be responsible for managing contracts, tracking budgets and deliverables, producing reports, meeting planning and facilitation, and may serve as the liaison for external partners and TNC staff.
To be successful in this position, the Specialist must be detail-oriented, highly organized, a good communicator and have experience with and/or knowledge of agriculture, agribusiness, farmer networks/engagement, farmer incentives and technical assistance.
This is a 2-year remote position (must be located within the Upper Mississippi River Foodscape with a strong preference for northeast Iowa), with private funding secured through June 2027 (with possibility for renewal). We expect this position to travel up to 50% of their time, primarily in northeast Iowa, SE Minnesota, SW Wisconsin and NW Illinois, with the occasional out of state meeting.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU
If you have a passion for conserving and protecting the natural world, addressing climate change and enhancing the sustainability of our food system, join The Conservancy as an Agribusiness Partnership Specialist.
Excellent relationship building and communication skills, ability to self-motivate, creatively problem solve, and to influence without authority are key in this role. Come join TNC and apply today!
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- BA/BS degree in conservation, agronomy, sustainability, or a related field and 5 years' experience in natural resource management, project management or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Experience engaging with agribusiness retailers or other farmer advisors.
- Experience negotiating complex agreements;
- Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally;
- Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers;
- Experience with principles of regenerative agriculture practices; and
- Experience engaging or collaborating with non-profit organizations, farmers, agribusiness, and/or government agencies.
- Valid driver's license.
