Project Manager

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

As agriculture is fundamentally changing due to shifting consumer demands, climate change, and market forces, there’s an exciting opportunity to address these challenges through technology, diversity, and inclusion. AgLaunch is a nonprofit organization that is working directly with farmers, agtech startups, and entrepreneurs to address issues on farms. AgLaunch envisions a transformed regional agriculture and food economy centered around farmers, innovation, and prosperity.

AgLaunch is looking for a Project Manager to support the Entrepreneurship and Farm teams. The role will assist the Entrepreneurship team in guiding start-ups in their entrepreneurial goals. It will also provide assistance to the Farm Team to support farmers who trial new technologies. The successful candidate will have experience in planning and executing projects, record management, and external communications. Excellent communication skills, collaboration, strategic thinking, initiative, leadership and the ability to learn quickly and work independently are all important traits for this position. The qualified candidate will both be committed to the mission of AgLaunch and have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of AgLaunch’s work.

The Project Manager Will:

Provide support to the Entrepreneurship and Farm Teams to plan and implement entrepreneurial and farmer projects and programs. In this capacity, the Entrepreneurial Programs Lead will have responsibility for the following areas:

Entrepreneurship Team Project Management

• Develops detailed project plans to monitor and track progress on: 
  • Entrepreneurship team programming like accelerators, bootcamps and other events (Row Crop Challenge, Livestock Challenge, Robotics Challenge, etc. )  
  • Farmer Education
• Coordinates with internal teams (entrepreneurship team, farm team, marketing, and leadership) and external teams (start-up entrepreneurs and farmers) to ensure all projects are delivered on time
• Creates and maintains comprehensive project documentation, including attending meetings with stakeholders and updating project plans as projects progress or change
• Report project status to leadership and escalate issues as-needed
• Effectively utilize project management systems to track and communicate progress.
• Produces high quality deliverables under tight deadlines.
• Effectively motivates and persuades others to meet project milestones.
• Prepares for and leads project team meetings including creation and distribution of meeting agendas and meeting notes.
• Develops and applies change management strategies and communications plans to ensure stakeholders and team members are informed, bought-in, and support expected project outcomes.

Farm Team Project Support

• Support Farm Team Director to manage farm trial implementation, including communication between farmers, entrepreneurs, ag launch personnel to ensure successful farm trial implementation and completion 
• Oversees TAEP and Iowa reimbursement program to ensure paperwork is complete, including obtaining receipts from farmers, and paperwork from entrepreneurs. 
• Provides AgLaunch Farmer LLC administration duties, onboards new members and tracks participation. Coordinates with AgVentures Alliance team to ensure exceptional experience for farmers.

Record Management

• Creates and maintains file organization for programs, including agreements, contracts, scope of work documents.
• Maintains CRM database for farmers and start-ups.
• Monitors email inbox and AgLaunch Entrepreneurship Program applications.

Communications

• Drafts press releases, social media posts, and newsletter content within the guidelines of and in coordination with the marketing team.

Event Coordination

• Works with AgLaunch teams to plan and produce events such as field days, in-person accelerator programming and showcase/demo events.  
• Liaises between project members, cross-functional teams, external vendors, and other stakeholders to ensure deliverables, requirements, schedules, cost, and meeting plans are communicated.

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Organization and attention to detail
• Scheduling and time management
• Meeting facilitation and reporting
• Risk management
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Software: G-suite, project management tools, CRM/database management 

Qualifications

• Required:
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Project management experience
  • Record management and CRM experience

• Preferred:
  • Experience with start-ups and agriculture

Additional Information:

• Driver license and current vehicle insurance is required.
• Position is based in the Memphis, TN area, and is a hybrid of virtual and in-person with frequent in-office meetings and training, as well as occasional field days and other regional in-person events required. While position is 80% remote, candidates should live in the Greater Memphis area to be available for regular in-office meetings, errands, and special events.
• Flexibility required for travel approximately 10-15 days per year, as well as occasional nights and weekends for special events and seminars. 
• May be required to occasionally lift up to 50 LBS.

AgLaunch Offers:

This is an outstanding opportunity for a role in the evolution of a fast-growing, highly respected organization. AgLaunch is prepared to offer a compensation package that includes a salary range of $65,000 – $75,000 based on experience, as well as health, vision, and dental insurance, 401k with employer match, EAP, employer paid life insurance, flexible work hours and schedule, and an unlimited paid-time off policy. 

AgLaunch does not tolerate discrimination of any type and offers equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, natural origin, age, disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other considerations made unlawful by Federal, State, or local laws. We believe in providing eligible and qualified employees with opportunities to advance. AgLaunch is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

Interested candidates should email cover letter and resume to: admin@aglaunch.com