Technical Director – USDA Thailand RAIN

The Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project is a five year, USDA-funded project implemented by Winrock International. RAIN will expand adoption of climate-smart production practices by 30,000 farmers through creation of a regional knowledge hub. RAIN will identify, validate, scale, and share climate-smart technologies and practices that increase productivity, profitability, and trade opportunities in the Thai agriculture sector, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource depletion.

Through validation of climate-smart technologies and practices, and capacity building of private and public sector actors, RAIN will increase competitiveness and expand opportunities for agricultural trade through climate-smart production. Winrock will lead this project with partner Michigan State University.

The Technical Director will lead the technical strategy and implementation for the USDA Thailand Regional Agriculture Innovation Network (RAIN) project based in Bangkok, Thailand. The project will source, validate, and disseminate climate-smart innovations in Rice, Cassava, and Fruit in Thailand.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide Technical Oversight: Supervise the five technical activities (Source, Support, Scale, Sell, Share) by creating workplans, ensuring completion of workplans, and making necessary adjustments as needed. Ensure timely, high-quality implementation and reporting, gathering and drafting inputs for bi-annual reports.
• Coordinate Sourcing and Validation of Innovations: Collaborate with Michigan State University (MSU), evidence panels and other identified stakeholders to confirm the market and technical validation of innovations. Oversee the validation/testing/piloting process for innovations in coordination with MSU ensuring that accurate data and reports are produced for each innovation.
• Develop and Assist Grants: Identify research and innovation needs, develop appropriate grants, advertise for applicants, select grantees, and oversee the completion of research and innovation activities by grantees.
• Develop Service Support Bundles: Work with technical specialists to develop support packages for climate-smart innovations that include extension, data, and access to finance.
• Implement Scale Plans: Lead development of plans with technical specialists to scale successful innovations. Ensure that women, youth, and marginalized communities are integrated in all activities where feasible
• Coordinate Sell and Share Activities: Develop and maintain positive working relationships with private sector actors, relevant ministries, development projects, and regional bodies. Represent RAIN in meetings with USDA, other donors, projects, ministries, and stakeholders as needed.
• Manage Team: Directly manage six technical experts (rice, cassava, horticulture, finance, data, extension); overseeing the hiring, training, development, and supervision of the employees in accordance with the Winrock personnel manual.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND:

• At least 10 years of experience in agricultural development, research, and/or innovation; including extensive experience within Thailand agricultural sector required
• Master’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, international development, or equivalent experience in a related field
• Experience hiring, coaching, and supervising staff
• Familiarity with managing partnerships and engaging other organizations or ministries
• Experience in compiling information and crafting events into a compelling narrative
• Competent computer software skills in MS Excel and Word
• Fluency in English and Thai required

About Winrock International
Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.

At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation.

Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization.

Learn more about our projects: https://winrock.org/