Senior Director, Food, Agriculture & Freshwater

The Senior Director, Food, Agriculture & Freshwater will serve as an expert within CI's Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB) requiring skills and knowledge critical for the success of CELB strategies, projects and account relationships. The Senior Director will lead the CELB Food, Agriculture & Freshwater program, with emphasis on engagement with leading companies to demonstrate how business can become a positive force for climate stability, food security, and freshwater ecosystem services.  The Senior Director will support CELB account leads responsible for day-to-day stewardship of major corporate relationships, through provision of subject-matter expertise and through regular contact on strategic, financial and programmatic issues with senior-level counterparts at major corporations engaged with CI. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Leadership and management of CELB Food, Agriculture & Freshwater Program 

• Lead creation of, and assume primary accountability for, the CELB Food, Agriculture & Freshwater Program, along with associated budgets, revenue targets and business plans
• Serve as a member of the CELB Strategy Team
• Contribute advice on strategy matters and division-level goals to CELB Management, Strategy and Account Teams, and provide expert input into implementation of global initiatives -- in particular initiatives on Food Security and Freshwater Security -- under the CI strategy
• Deliver presentations to the CI Program Management Group, CI Board, and CELB Executive Council and Advisory Committee
• Supervise a team of directors and managers within the CELB Food, Agriculture and Freshwater Program (current direct reports include one director and one senior manager)  

Corporate Engagement and Fundraising 

• Working closely with CELB corporate account leads, serve as lead CI expert in design and completion of food, agriculture and freshwater projects with major corporations, with the objective of achieving game changing commitments in support of CI priority outcomes
• Advise and coach other CI staff involved in initiatives under the CELB Food, Agriculture & Freshwater Program
• Working closely with CI account leads from CELB, CI's Development Division and the Center for Conservation and Government, serve as the lead CI expert in development and presentation of fundraising materials (concept papers, proposals, reports, etc.) to major corporations,  foundations, individual donors, government agencies, and international institutions related to food, agriculture and freshwater
• Lead or co-lead CELB participation in strategic multi-stakeholder initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture, food security, and healthy freshwater ecosystems 

External Presentations and Publications 

• Write articles and book chapters for publication
• Deliver presentations at high-level conferences on business and the environment 

WORKING CONDITIONS: CI Virginia office; extensive travel 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required: 

• Bachelor's degree required in arts and sciences, business, engineering, humanities or other undergraduate field of study.
• At least five to ten years senior-level experience in the CSR field working on relevant issues in corporate, consulting, academic, government, or NGO sectors.
• Sophisticated knowledge of the CSR field with demonstrated understanding of the global perspectives on corporate social responsibility in relation to food, agriculture and freshwater.
• Expertise in environmental and development issues surrounding business practices and public policies relevant to sustainable agriculture, food security, climate change and freshwater ecosystem services
• Excellent track record in research and writing on CSR topics in business or academic settings through published reports, articles or contributions to significant company consulting projects.
• Strong skills in developing ideas and models, synthesizing data, anticipating future trends, and packaging or presenting the information in ways that are useful and meaningful to corporate audiences and key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated leadership and vision in managing staff groups and major projects or initiatives.
• Budget development and oversight experience 

Preferred: 

• Preference for advanced studies or professional experience demonstrating deep and wide knowledge of business, CSR, and environmental and social issues relating to food, agriculture and freshwater.