Job Description

About Raintree Foundation:

The Raintree Foundation, founded by Leena Dandekar and her family, is focused on climate change and biodiversity loss, working on cultivating climate resilience in living landscapes. Our commitment to circularity and civic custodianship drives impactful initiatives, benefiting vulnerable ecosystems. Velhe, spanning 2100 hectares, hosts 9 villages, 4000+ people, and 654 households in a UNESCO hotspot, the Western Ghats. Our project prioritizes Climate, Community, and Biodiversity, centered on Clean Energy, Watershed Ecology, Livelihoods, Resilience Building, and Biodiversity Conservation. Extensive research drives our efforts, raising awareness and implementing sustainable practices.

Our holistic approach covers water security, renewable energy, waste management, conservation, livelihoods and social inclusion, fostering resilient ecosystems and driving lasting systemic change.

Job Title: Senior Program Manager - Enterprise (Agriculture)

Role/Job Overview:

The Senior Program Manager - Enterprise (Agriculture) plays a crucial role in the development sector by leading initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable agricultural enterprises and promoting economic growth in rural communities. This position involves strategic planning, program management, partnership development, and technical expertise in agriculture and rural development.

Role:

Program Design & Strategy:

Lead the development of strategic plans and programmatic initiatives focused on promoting regenrative agricultural entrepreneurship, value chain development, and market access for smallholder farmers. Design innovative approaches and interventions to strengthen agricultural enterprises, increase productivity, improve market linkages, and enhance the resilience of rural livelihoods,livelihoods, ensuring alignment with organizational goals,landscape & community needs, donor requirements, and industry best practices.

Project Management and Implementation:

Oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of agricultural enterprise projects, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards. Coordinate with project teams, partners, and stakeholders to deliver targeted outcomes and impact, addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities for scale and sustainability.

Technical Expertise and Capacity Building:

Provide technical guidance and support on agricultural best practices, agronomic techniques, post-harvest management, and value addition to enhance the productivity and profitability of farming operations. Facilitate capacity-building activities, training workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions to empower farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

Risk Management:

Identify potential risks and challenges associated with water security programs, such as environmental degradation, climate change, socio-economic factors, and governance issues. Develop risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans to address these challenges and ensure program resilience

Market Linkages and Value Chain Development:

Identify market opportunities and facilitate linkages between smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, processors, retailers, and other market actors to create inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains. Promote market-oriented approaches, including contract farming, collective marketing, and certification schemes, to improve market access and enable smallholders to capture greater value from their produce.

Partnership Development and Stakeholder Engagement:

Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, private sector companies, research institutions, and other stakeholders to leverage resources, expertise, and networks for agricultural development. Engage with local communities, farmer groups, women's cooperatives, and marginalized populations to ensure their meaningful participation and inclusion in project activities and decision-making processes.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL):

Establish robust MEL frameworks and systems to track progress, measure outcomes, and assess the impact of agricultural enterprise projects on livelihoods, income generation, food security, and environmental sustainability. Analyze and document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories to inform programmatic decision-making, adaptive management, and knowledge sharing.

Advocacy and Policy Engagement:

Advocate for supportive policies, regulations, and investments that facilitate agricultural entrepreneurship, innovation, and market access for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth. Engage with policymakers, government officials, and relevant stakeholders to influence policy dialogue, shape agendas, and mobilize resources for sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Fundraising:

Assist in the development of concept notes, grant proposals and donor reports. Assist the fundraising team in the management of donors, as and when needed.

Communication:

Provide the communication team with content for the development of marketing materials.

Education

:

Master's degree or higher in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Rural Development, Agricultural Economics, or a related field.

Experience:

Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in agricultural development, enterprise development, value chain management, or related fields, with a focus on smallholder farmers and rural communities.

Technical Expertise:

Multilingual

Project Management

Program Development

Tech Savvy

Industry Background:

Agriculture & Environment Science

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

Health insurance Paid sick time Paid time off Provident Fund
Schedule:

Day shift Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person