Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
Salary Range: $137,300 – $158,500 annually
In March 2025, The Rockefeller Foundation launched a landmark $100 million initiative—a “Big Bet” to transform food systems by accelerating the transition to regenerative and agroecological production. The program specifically targets vulnerable populations, with a focus on school-aged children through school meal programs and public procurement.
A core pillar of this strategy is the “Regenerative School Meals” initiative, which seeks to deliver sustainably produced food to 100 million children over five years. This effort will be grounded in regional “lighthouse” programs—living laboratories in key geographies, beginning in Brazil, where farmers and food system actors receive support to shift to regenerative practices. The initiative places strong emphasis on enabling local markets, leveraging public procurement mechanisms like school meals to support environmental, economic, and cultural regeneration.
To help lead this effort, The Rockefeller Foundation is hiring a Manager, Regenerative Agriculture. This role reports to the Vice President of the Food Initiative and is instrumental in shaping the strategy, managing a portfolio of grants, developing partnerships, and aligning global and regional efforts to scale regenerative agriculture—particularly in Brazil and across Latin America.
Key Responsibilities
Program and Grant Management
- Manage a portfolio of grants focused on regenerative agriculture, collaborating with internal teams to identify, assess, and support potential grantees.
- Guide development of grant memos, monitor grantee performance, and contribute to impact reporting and program learning.
- Coordinate data collection and analysis to track progress on multiple outcomes, including carbon sequestration, soil health, biodiversity, water quality, farm profitability, and cultural cohesion.
- Support strategic planning, budget oversight, and internal reporting processes, including contributions to Board materials and team communications.
Strategic Development
- Play a key role in executing the Foundation’s “Big Bet” strategy, particularly in Brazil and potentially Indonesia or other geographies.
- Contribute to the refinement and evolution of the Regenerative School Meals strategy, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s broader climate and food systems priorities.
- Collaborate with other departments (e.g., Innovative Finance, Convenings, Communications) and international offices to ensure internal coherence and coordinated delivery.
Partnership Building
- Serve as a lead point of contact in developing partnerships with public, private, and philanthropic stakeholders.
- Engage with multilateral banks, bilateral agencies, foundations, private investors, local NGOs, universities, and indigenous groups to strengthen support for regenerative practices.
- Design and manage convenings, learning journeys, and stakeholder gatherings at major events such as UN General Assembly Week, Global Climate Summits, and Bellagio convenings.
- Identify new investment mechanisms, including blended finance structures, to unlock capital for regenerative agriculture, especially in school meal supply chains.
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of 7 years of experience in regenerative agriculture, agroecology, food systems, agronomy, agricultural economics, or related fields.
- Demonstrated work experience in Brazil, with professional fluency in Portuguese and English.
- Master’s degree or equivalent in Soil Science, Agronomy, Agroecology, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Economics, or a related discipline preferred.
- Proven ability to manage complex projects and partner portfolios, including grantmaking, monitoring, and evaluation.
- Familiarity with global food system actors and experience collaborating with senior stakeholders.
- Track record of working directly with farmers, landscape stewards, and investors.
- Experience in environmental finance, impact investing, or blended capital approaches is advantageous.
Competencies
- Analytical and Data-Informed: Uses data to inform strategy, assess outcomes, and refine program approaches.
- Collaborative and Strategic: Navigates complexity and aligns stakeholders around shared goals.
- Culturally Fluent: Demonstrates respect for diverse perspectives and promotes inclusivity.
- Learning-Oriented: Seeks continuous improvement through experimentation and reflection.
About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy dedicated to advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming key systems in food, health, energy, and finance. Through science, innovation, and collaborative partnerships, the Foundation aims to build a more equitable and sustainable future.
The Foundation offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, generous 401(k) contributions, and paid leave. The organization’s values—Transparency, Optimism, Accountability, Collaboration, Trust, and Equity—guide its culture and work.
The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
For more information and to apply, visit rockefellerfoundation.org.
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