The Organization
About McKnight
The McKnight Foundation is a fourth-generation family foundation that was established by William L. McKnight and his wife, Maude L. McKnight, in 1953. As an early leader of 3M, Mr. McKnight earned a reputation for spurring innovation and recognizing the creative potential in others—practices that live on at the Foundation and are reflected in its core values.
Driven by its mission to advance a more just, creative and abundant future where people and planet thrive, the McKnight Foundation works across many disciplines, sectors, and geographic boundaries. Its diverse programs are united in a quest to improve our shared fate. The Foundation envisions a world that recognizes the dignity of every human being, a world where we celebrate the creativity of the arts and sciences and come together to protect our one and only Earth.
A philanthropic leader based in Minneapolis and granting more than $90 million annually across the Minnesota, the Midwest and internationally, McKnight prioritizes working in partnership with communities and approaching complex challenges with curiosity and a willingness to take bold steps to achieve significant impact. The Foundation brings a diverse set of tools and resources to meet its mission including grantmaking, investments, collaboration, policy reform, research and strategic communications.
Learn more about the McKnight Foundation.
About CCRP
For over 35 years, the McKnight Foundation’s Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) has worked to ensure a world where all have access to nutritious food that is sustainably produced by local people. This is accomplished through collaborative agroecological systems research and knowledge-sharing that strengthen the capacities of smallholder farmers, research institutes, and development organizations. McKnight takes a holistic, ecosystem approach to agriculture, supporting research and partnerships that lead to increased crop productivity, improved livelihoods, better nutrition, increased equity, and regenerative environmental outcomes in ten countries on two continents. The CCRP grew out of the Foundation’s Plant Biology Program, which was founded in 1983, and reflects the Foundation’s long-time commitment to place-based grantmaking and learning from those working on the ground.
Large-scale impact is realized when new ideas, technologies, or processes are adapted to new contexts, when insights from research catalyze change in policy and practice, and when innovation inspires further success. As farmers use new practices derived from research, the environment will also adapt and present new challenges that require further scientific advancement. The CCRP has fostered an approach that is adaptive to local contexts, evolves and iterates in response to new learning, and recognizes the long time horizons required to achieve meaningful outcomes for smallholder farmers; many of the program’s grant projects have led to technical and social innovations.
Since its founding, the CCRP has committed more than $134 Million in grantmaking to further collaborative crop research between smallholder farmers, leading local researchers, and development practitioners. Currently, grants support regionally based research projects that are grouped into three communities of practice (CoPs) in the Andes, West Africa and East & Southern Africa with leadership provided by regional consultants in collaboration with the Foundation team. The team also manages a portfolio of multi-region cross-cutting grants that fund research methods support, cutting edge innovations, and collective action/global thought leadership.
Position Overview
The Opportunity
The Program Officer will work at the cutting edge of transdisciplinary agroecological solutions and cultivate a global portfolio of research projects and related investments focused on creating equitable and sustainable options for smallholder farmers and food systems.
A member of the McKnight Foundation’s international program team based in Minneapolis, the Program Officer reports to the International Program Director. Working in close collaboration with the international team, grantees, regional consultants, and partners around the world, the CCRP team develops strategic responses to a range of pressing global challenges including rising population growth and global food security; mitigating agriculture’s impact on climate change and adapting to the impact of climate change on agriculture; and, the tension between regenerative and unsustainable crop production.
Key Priorities and Responsibilities
Grantmaking
- Partner with regional consultants, program director and senior program officer to manage a portfolio of existing, multi-year grants that support social and institutional mobilization of agroecology efforts across the international program and nurture new investment opportunities in partnership with regional teams.
- Working in close collaboration with the program director and senior program officer, advise on program strategy development.
- Collaborate in the review of concept notes, grant requests, final recommendations, and grant reports.
- Contribute to learning and strategy in areas of subject matter expertise as well as program innovation and evolution.
Program Operations and Budget Management
- Manage consultant pool—including contracts, negotiations and payments.
- Coordinate program budget, review monthly financial reports, ensure accuracy for grant payments and track payout goals.
- Liaise with operations team members across Foundation (digital platforms, knowledge management, legal, finance, and grants management) to ensure compliance and seamless integration of international programs.
- Participate in Foundation-wide integrated learning, meetings and events (cross-program work groups, retreats, DEI work, etc.).
Partnerships
- Actively collaborate with global consultant team, existing grantees, and new prospects to learn from current work, explore emerging opportunities, course-correct when needed, and build new concepts.
- Develop and maintain working relationships with nonprofits/NGOs, funders, policy makers and other networks and groups working on agroecological research, food systems and related issues.
- Organize and manage grantee convenings to support and advance regional communities of practice individually and collectively.
Ideal Candidate
McKnight seeks individuals who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to agroecological, farmer-centered research. You share the belief that empowering local communities across the globe to grow nutritious food, locally and sustainably, is the most effective way to reverse the failures of our current global food system. You are committed to applying your expertise in social science or social change to supporting a collaborative model of agroecological systems research to strengthen the capacity of farmer groups, researchers, development organizations and scientists to shift agricultural research towards holistic outcomes, equity and regenerative solutions. The ideal candidate brings the understanding that to achieve meaningful impact, the work spans research, practice, and systems change.
The successful candidate delights in managing processes and practices for complex organizational systems in service of transforming the field of agroecological research. Project management is a strength and a passion; you operate with a keen eye for detail, an ability to use data and analysis to identify key questions and support conclusions. You are a learner at heart doing your best work in partnership with others, opting for ideas and solutions that emerge from authentic collaboration. It is essential that candidates demonstrate the intellectual energy and creativity required to view issues and challenges from multiple perspectives.
The Program Officer possesses the cultural competency to diplomatically navigate diverse international contexts and multi-national stakeholder groups. You are able to readily discern what is unique about each context and connect dots where there are common themes and learnings to be shared. This is challenging and complex work, so an adaptive style that allows you to thrive in ambiguity and maintain a bias toward action that keeps the program on the cutting edge is essential.
An individual who can comfortably pivot between the realities of smallholder farmers in the Global South and the demands of a program officer juggling a portfolio of grants, relationships, and significant project management and administrative responsibilities will thrive in this role. It is also critical that candidates truly understand the dynamics of holding privilege and power in a funder role and demonstrate the aptitude to co-create trusting relationships across the difference.
McKnight Foundation is a learning organization, and successful candidates are naturally curious, lifelong learners who readily delve into new topics and issue areas. You will embrace the opportunities to explore ways to align the international work with learnings generated by McKnight’s domestic programs (for example, Midwest Climate & Energy) and are personally committed to participating in the Foundation’s effort to integrate justice and equity into all facets of its work.
Qualifications
We are seeking candidates with at least 7 years of professional experience working in an international context with a focus on agriculture or economic/community development on behalf of a nonprofit/NGO, foundation or government agency. Project and operational management experience are essential with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience or a combination of experience and training. A bachelor’s degree is required, and a relevant master’s degree is preferred (or equivalent experience).
Previous experience in philanthropy or knowledge of the practice is an asset but not required. English language fluency is required, and preference will be given to those who also maintain fluency in French, Spanish, Portuguese, or other second language relevant to the regions where the program is active.
The salary range for the International Program Officer is $111,600-$117,800. The position is based in Minneapolis, MN (there are no exceptions). While the team is working remotely during COVID, employees are scheduled return to the office part-time in September 2021 and full-time in January 2022.
How To Apply
To Be Considered
The McKnight Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.
Please submit your resume and cover letter expressing your interest in the position and fit for the role via GoodCitizen’s Candidate Portal. Letters may be addressed to Sarah Meyer.
The following team from GoodCitizen is assisting the McKnight Foundation in their search:
Sarah Meyer
Vice President
206.792.4221
Mollie Smith
Search Associate
206.462.6190