Midwest Regional Director

Job purpose

Reporting to the Vice President of Programs, the Midwest Regional Director helps shape and carry out the strategic agenda of a growing, forward-looking conservation organization.
    
Position summary

The Midwest Regional Director provides strategic leadership for American Farmland Trust’s programs in the Midwest Region (comprising Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, and Missouri).

Duties and responsibilities 

Program Leadership and Project Management:

• Develop and lead regional programs in the Midwest to advance AFT’s mission to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.   
• Work closely with the Vice President for Programs and National Program Leaders to adapt and integrate AFT’s national programs in new program development in the Midwest Region.  
• Build and manage relationships and partnerships with external stakeholders, including agriculture, conservation, food and public health, environment, economic development and other constituencies.  
• Work with AFT policy staff to identify policy priorities and create and execute strategies to achieve identified goals in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.  
• Support staff in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with key policymakers and other federal, state, and local government leaders from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
• Work with research staff to develop and execute research projects that inform and support AFT’s programs and policy agendas in the Midwest. 
• Ensure that project partnerships, activities, and deliverables further AFT’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
• Develop and oversee implementation of annual division workplans and budgets.  

Fundraising and Budget Management:

• Play a leadership role in fundraising for AFT’s Programs in the Midwest Region.
• Coordinate with AFT’s development staff regarding individual and institutional fundraising strategy, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.  
• Work with the development staff to develop and submit compelling funding proposals to institutional, corporate, and individual funders.
• Ensure that funders receive complete and timely reports and other deliverables. 

Management and Administration:

• Lead the development of annual workplans and budgets for the Midwest Region.  
• Supervise a team of AFT staff and consultants, and foster staff growth and development. 
• Manage and support regional staff in effective project planning, delivery, and budget management.
• Ensure that goals identified in the Midwest Regional Workplan and staff individual development plans are met successfully.   
• Build and manage relationships with external stakeholders to advance program, fundraising and communications goals
• Inform the development of new organizational processes, policies and systems as well as aid with effective adoption by staff.  
• Support cross-division collaboration in project development, fundraising and project implementation. 
• Complete staff reviews annually and manage the hiring of new regional staff.  
• Manage project budgets, financial statements and reports. 
• Complete other duties as assigned.  

Thought Leadership and Communications 

• Work with AFT’s Communications staff and others to develop and implement strategies to raise the visibility of the organization’s programs. 
• Contribute to AFT’s program metrics and other efforts to document and communicate about program impact. 
• Serve as a spokesperson for AFT in the Midwest by delivering presentations and being a liaison with the media.
• Work with AFT’s Communications staff to develop and implement strategies to raise the visibility of the organization’s programs in the Midwest Region.
• Demonstrate thought leadership through op-eds, blog posts, articles and other communications on topics related to AFT’s mission and agriculture in the Midwest.

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions. While this is intended to be a reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.