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George Washington University

Policy and Programs Director, Global Food Institute

George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, us, 20022


I. DEPARTMENT INFORMATION Founded by The George Washington University (GW) and renowned chef, humanitarian and long-time GW instructor Jose Andres, the Global Food Institute at GW ( GFI ) seeks to advance global food policy and address the world's most urgent problems by leveraging the power of food. The

GFI

works across three main pillars: Policy, Innovation and Humanity. The

GFI

is positioned to produce cutting-edge research to create and improve domestic and global food policies, incubate and engineer innovative new technologies with an entrepreneurial spirit, and lead critical conversations about the impact of food on humans and our planet.

The

GFI

enables GW faculty and students from each of its 10 schools and colleges, as well as food industry leaders, policymakers, and renowned experts to work and teach across its three pillars by:

Educating the next generation through the lens of food; Becoming a hub of cross-disciplinary research, translation and innovation; and Convening leading experts in local, state, federal, and global food policy.

The

GFI

will convert actionable research and discoveries into real-world impact through cross disciplinary research and teaching. GW's unique location and strengths at the intersection of education, business, technology, healthcare, and international affairs create the ideal environment for private- and public-sector global leaders to develop innovative solutions to our most pressing challenges.

Don't meet every desired qualifications? At

GFI , we believe that there is no "perfect" candidate and want to encourage applying even if all the desired qualifications aren't met. Our goal is to build an authentic workplace by valuing diversity in our candidates. We are looking to expand our growing team with skilled, dynamic and enthusiastic individuals. We look forward to receiving your application.

Job Description: GFI

is seeking a Policy and Programs Director to join our growing team.

GFI

programs aim to develop pragmatic policy and programs that strengthen the food system and that resonate with policymakers, civic leaders, and the general public. This position will develop and oversee GFI's local and national program portfolio.

The Policy and Programs Director reports to the Executive Director, is recognized as a subject matter expert on food policy issues, will be a key strategic leader within

GFI

and will directly oversee

GFI

programs, policy and engagement work in the domestic arena. The Director working collaboratively with the team and other GW partners will develop and execute a program portfolio designed to advance the food needs of marginalized and disadvantaged people and to advance equity and justice in the global food system. The Director will work to build an organization that will combine rigorous research and analysis, strategic communications, and effective engagement to shape debates, affect policy, and inform effective implementation of policy, programs and practices.

The Director will help identify new funding opportunities, build teams of GW faculty, staff, and students to work on grant proposals, conduct transdisciplinary research on food, nutrition and agriculture topics, and provide administrative support for all aspects of sustainability research.

Responsibilities Include: Develop and advance a programmatic and policy agenda in collaboration with team members and other policy experts that promotes equity and justice, addresses historic and systemic inequities, and advances the GFI's mission to ensure a food system that supports everyone - especially people with low incomes and historically marginalized groups. Plan, develop and implement, in partnership with the

GFI

team, a national and local strategy and initiatives and build the operational infrastructure to support such activities, including hiring staff. Lead project management and operations of the

GFI

programs team and projects, including the prioritization and assignment of internal projects. Manage them from end to end, ensuring that projects remain on schedule and lead successful outcomes. Ensure that grant deliverables are met. Play an integral role in GFI's leadership team, helping to set the strategic vision and values for the organization as well as promoting a culture and environment that reflects those values. Coordinate across disciplines and departments at the University to advance and leverage research, teaching, convening, and the University's mission to address the most complex food related problems. Lead the development of our learning and knowledge into opinions, organizational positions and best practices which can be used to create policies that drive the food system forward in the optimal direction. Design and execute

GFI

events, such as conferences, convenings, webinars designed to engage and inform the GW, stakeholder, policy maker and media communities. Develop strong relationships with funding entities that support or are interested in GFI's work and collaborate with GW's Department of Development and Alumni Relations team to ensure continued financial support for this work from philanthropy, government, and individual donors. Develop and foster strategic relationships, including recruiting public and private sector partners from diverse communities as well as supporting shared research efforts. Support the GW student community, including by providing support to the Food Leadership Minor, working on shared programming with GW Departments and Schools and other student engagement activities. Serve as a spokesperson for

GFI

issues for the media, at conferences, with funders and other stakeholders, and other speaking engagements.

This is an in-person position at GW's Foggy Bottom campus in Washington, D.C., with flexibility for remote-work opportunities at the Executive Director's discretion. Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications: Qualified candidates will hold a BA/BS in a related discipline plus 7 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.

Preferred Qualifications: The preferred candidate is an individual with the following characteristics:

You have a deep commitment to GW's values, honesty, with the highest ethical standards. You have a naturally collaborative mindset that readily engages with others, encourages others to share the spotlight, and celebrates and supports the success of colleagues and partners. You have an entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit; enthusiastic about building and launching a new enterprise. You move fluidly from strategy to execution. You appreciate the big picture and feel inspired to set a bold vision, but you know it's all in the details. You manage projects fluidly, fiercely prioritize, and track timelines, data and information all in an organized and systematic fashion. You don't drop balls, miss deadlines or forget to respond to someone's inquiry - and you are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do the work. You inspire and motivate others to action. You build relationships quickly and deftly, and people trust you. You leverage your storytelling skills to elevate the impact of our work in a way that inspires others to action. You're a driver of results. You've demonstrated the ability to drive results in the pursuit of ambitious goals, and you combine your exceptional strategic, analytical and creative thinking skills with your penchant for using data to drive decision making to achieve impressive outcomes. You're a systems thinker and creator. You're unfazed by ambiguity and thrive in situations where you get to build something out of nothing or create order out of chaos. You want to do work that's never been done before, better than anyone's ever done it. You build systems that last beyond your tenure in prior roles you've held, but you believe nimble systems are preferred to bureaucracy. You build trust and leverage meaningful relationships to get things done. A relationship builder at heart, the people you work with trust you to leverage relationships to get things done in a mutually beneficial, non-transactional way. You are an excellent and fluid communicator. People go to you to help them convey complex ideas in a compelling manner and in the right format. You're able to leverage strong written and verbal communication skills across your responsibilities - funding proposals, communicating complex information to stakeholders, you understand that clarity, timing, sequence and format of communications is a key driver of our ability to succeed. You are high impact, low-ego and kind to yourself and others. Prior experience directing projects and programs from strategy setting to delivery and design. Deep experience, ideally 10 years or more, in one or more aspects of the food and nutrition arena, including food security, nutrition security, federal food programs, sustainable agriculture, food processing, and/or food is medicine with a record or publications and presentations in the applicant's field of expertise. A multi-disciplinary mindset and the willingness to get up to speed quickly on a wide range of technical topics. Strong managerial and strategic skills with demonstrated ability to lead effectively in and across teams; successfully manages projects and budgets. A portfolio of contacts relevant to the work of

GFI . Demonstrated research, writing and analytical skills with a particular love of and skill in writing. Experience securing and providing appropriate stewardship of philanthropic gifts and research or project grants from foundations and the government. Willingness to travel for meetings and engagement with key partners. Excellent understanding of local, state and federal legislative and executive process, including budget and appropriations processes; proficient understanding of all timelines and procedural rules related to legislative and rule-making process. A strong determination to work on building a more just and fair food system for all.

Hiring Range $139,068.40 - $233,550.35

Campus Location: Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.

College/School/Department: Academic Affairs

Family Research and Labs

Sub-Family Centers/Institutes

Stream Individual Contributor

Level Level 4

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Hours Per Week: 40

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Will this job require the employee to work on site? Yes

Employee Onsite Status On-campus (in person)

Required Background Check Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search

Special Instructions to Applicants: Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status. For each position on your resume please indicate beginning and ending month and year as well as number of hours worked per week.

Internal Applicants Only? No

Posting Number: R002237

Job Open Date: 12/18/2024

Background Screening Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.

EEO Statement: The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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