Director of Farming Innovations

Key Responsibilities

Farm Operations Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day farming operations across all Rodale Institute campuses in the U.S., ensuring consistency with organic and regenerative organic standards and practices.
• Set and manage annual farm operating plans, crop plans, budgets, and capital equipment needs in partnership with individual farm managers, research and finance leadership.
• Ensure farm infrastructure, equipment, and land resources are maintained and utilized effectively across all sites.
• Monitor farm performance metrics (yields, soil health indicators, input costs, labor efficiency) and drive continuous improvement.
• Bring fresh vision and new ideas for how farm campuses can become destinations for inspiration and serve as model farms for the regenerative organic movement.

Team Building & Mentorship

• Build, lead, and mentor a national Farm Innovations team, including farm managers and farm staff at each campus.
• Establish clear standards, training programs, and career development pathways for farm personnel.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, safety, and continuous learning across geographically dispersed farm teams.
• Serve as a hiring partner and people leader for farm operations roles across the network.

Innovation & Thought Leadership

• Identify, pilot, and scale new farming techniques, technologies, and regenerative organic practices across Rodale campuses.
• Bring a forward-thinking perspective to the Farm Innovations work, anticipating emerging challenges and opportunities in agriculture.
• Partner with research and science teams to translate research trial findings into practical, farm-ready protocols.
• Partner with the Marketing team to tell the testing, integrating, and scaling story of Rodale's farming innovations.
• Partner with the Visitor Experience team to ensure all Rodale campuses represent the highest standard in regenerative organic farming.
• Represent Rodale Institute as a subject-matter expert at industry conferences, farmer trainings, media engagements, and partner events.
• Stay current on trends in regenerative organic agriculture, precision farming tools, and climate-resilient practices.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Communication

• Lead collaboration and communication across teams, bringing Consulting, Research, Education, and the regional campuses together around shared priorities.
• Establish regular communication rhythms, such as cross-team meetings, updates, and shared reporting.
• Serve as the connective link between farm teams at different campuses and the Education, Research and Consulting teams.
• Regularly meet with programmatic partners to ensure farming operations are operating on budget and within partnership scope.
• Collaborate with the Education team to ensure farms serve as effective, safe, and instructive learning environments.
• Coordinate with research scientists to support the integrity and execution of on-farm research trials.
• Support Rodale's broader strategic goals, including the 10 million Acre Solution.

Strategy & Board Engagement

• Participate in organizational strategy development with the CEO and Executive Team.
• Evangelize the Farm Innovations team's work to the Board of Directors, presenting progress, results, and the case for where innovation should go next.
• Champion the Farm Innovations team's work across the organization and with external partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on farm management experience.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in farm management or agricultural operations, including direct supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in organic and/or regenerative farming practices.
• Proven experience building, leading, and mentoring teams, ideally across multiple locations.
• Strong project management, budgeting, and operational planning skills.
• A forward-thinking, innovative mindset, with a track record of anticipating trends and turning new ideas into practical results.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including experience bringing multiple teams or departments together around shared goals.
• Experience contributing to organizational strategy and presenting to senior leadership or a board of directors.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly, including internationally, to Rodale campuses.

TRAVEL: Annual travel to Regional Resource Centers and select conferences is expected.