Director Of Technology & Innovation

About Wolfe's Neck Center Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment is a fast-growing, national nonprofit organization based on a campus of over 600 acres of coastal farmland in Freeport, Maine. Our work is dedicated to creating a world where agriculture and food systems support farmer viability, thriving ecosystems, and vibrant communities. Through regenerative farmer training, demonstration, innovative research, and collaborations, Wolfe's Neck Center works to advance agriculture - on our own campus and nationally - to accelerate holistic change in food systems, and mitigate the effects of a changing climate.
Wolfe's Neck Center facilitates OpenTEAM, the Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management, a collaborative community working together under a collective impact model to create a more connected, data- driven, and climate resilient agricultural sector through technology. Our community responsibly and ethically designs data and tech infrastructures to build an open-source, interoperable tech ecosystem in which farmers maintain data sovereignty and can access climate smart resources, programs, and a regenerative agriculture marketplace. In 2023, Wolfe's Neck Center launched Action for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), a national effort to create a sustainable marketplace for climate-smart commodities supported by the USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Wolfe's Neck Center's technology and innovation programming includes facilitation of work related to Action for CSA and the OpenTEAM community.  Position Summary The Director of Technology and Innovation is a leadership role responsible for advancing innovative and impactful partnerships within the agricultural technology sector. The Director will oversee a team of collaborative project managers and community facilitators and actively contribute to a positive, responsive and values driven culture. The Director will work closely with internal teams, external advisors and core stakeholders to define strategy, and ensure alignment between Wolfe's Neck Center, OpenTEAM, and its community of partners. They will steward processes to strengthen professional development, support partner relationships, and enable decision-making frameworks for current and future initiatives. Familiarity with systems resilience, design thinking, community facilitation, collective impact approaches, and open- source technologies is desired. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully. If you do not fit this description perfectly but believe that you would be a good fit for this position, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 
\n ResponsibilitiesLead and oversee all aspects of Technology & Innovation programming, including:Defining and communicating priorities and boundaries within a multi-stakeholder environment;Identifying relevant subject matter expertise and potential partners to advance work;Identifying new funding sources and community partners to support sustained funding for core operations as well as identifying relevant potential projects; Leading Tech & Innovation staff in maintaining timelines and project deliverables, ensuring that work gets done on time, within budget, and according to project specifications;Working with the Director of Farmer Education & Market Development, the Managing Director of Programs, and the Action Working Group to oversee the execution and integration of Action for Climate Smart Agriculture work streams, subawards, and deliverables; Elevating connections across and between projects;Providing overall relationship management leadership;Supervise Technology & Innovation program staff, including the implementation of staffing structures and processes to best support the overall function of the team. Support the development and execution of process mechanisms for community input and collective impact management (Collabathon, concept requests, etc.).Serve as a key liaison between Wolfe's Neck Center and the OpenTEAM Stewardship Council (a critical advisory body for OpenTEAM and its work streams), supporting the evolution of Wolfe's Neck Center's role with respect to the facilitation of OpenTEAM. Support OpenTEAM Tech Strategy, including:Working with the Stewardship Council to align the OpenTEAM ecosystem on values, objectives, key results, and governance;Contributing to the evaluation of new funding opportunities, based on overall "fit," ongoing technical projects and commitments, and internal staffing capacity; Developing strategy for increased technical engagement within our on-farm networks;Facilitating OpenTEAM community engagement through in-depth sessions, collaborative projects, governance;Working with the Advancement team and the Stewardship Council to refine how OpenTEAM is represented publicly, as well as how Wolfe's Neck Center's role in the OpenTEAM community is articulated. Ensure comprehensive partner relationship management and communication, supporting project managers who serve as points of contact for project-specific relationships, and serving as the principal point of contact for partners and subawardees who are engaged across projects.Represent Wolfe's Neck Center and OpenTEAM at conferences and gatherings, as a panelist and speaker.Support the integration of the Technology & Innovation program area with other areas of Wolfe's Neck Center programmatic work.Work with the Advancement Team, Operations and Finance, Managing Director of Programs, and other staff to support funding proposals and reporting. Provide overall management of Technology & Innovation Program Budget.  QualificationsA minimum bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 6-10 years of relevant experienceStrong collaborative project management, prioritization, and planning skills, with demonstrated success producing high-quality deliverables on time and within budget.Experience working with remote teams and ability to foster a collaborative and effective team culture while coaching direct reports.Affirmed team management style that engages and supports a highly professional remote staff.Success in developing and communicating clear strategic vision across departments, team and external partners.Proven community facilitation skills that elevate the strengths of others and advance the work.Ability to engage effectively with external partners and core community contributors and add value to relationships, especially in the context of co-design, technology standard implementation and transformative projects.Preference for a solid understanding of open-source technology development, implementation and governance, with a preference for a focus on ag data and market development.High degree of familiarity with fundraising processes and financial oversight, with a preference for experience in the agricultural data systems landscape.Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Clear and active communicator who is highly collaborative, resourceful in finding answers, and able to provide timely support for various stakeholders.  Other RequirementsLegally able to work in the United States (we cannot provide VISA sponsorship) The Director of Tech & Innovation position can be structured as an onsite, hybrid, or fully remote position, requiring regular, mutually agreed upon time spent on-site at our oceanfront farm and campus.Travel is estimated to be up to 10% of the time within Maine and the US.
\nBenefits  As a full-time employee of Wolfe's Neck Center, this position is eligible for benefits including health insurance, dental insurance, three weeks paid vacation and six sick days, Maine state holidays off, and our retirement savings plan. Compensation commensurate with experience: $90,000-$105,000. To Apply  Please apply at this link by submitting a cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment welcomes a diverse pool of candidates. In accordance with federal Equal Opportunity laws, Wolfe's Neck Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, sexual orientation including gender identity or expression, veteran status, or physical or mental disability in the hiring of its employees. Applicants are selected based on their ability to perform the essential functions of the job, prior work experience, and references from previous employers.