Innovation Manager Climate & AgTech, Ventures at Mercy Corps

General Position Summary

If you’re interested in launching innovative climate & agricultural solutions for emerging markets, this role will let you work closely with the most exciting local startups in Latin America (and beyond).

This is the role for you if:

• You are passionate about deploying climate, agtech and inclusive fintech solutions in emerging markets.
• You are passionate about supporting underserved users to build financial resilience and climate resilience.
• You have spent 4+ years working in emerging markets in a strategy, consulting, business development / partnerships, or product design capacity.
• You appreciate the pace and disruption of working at, and with, startups, while leading with rigor and structure to ensure smooth delivery.
• You are an independent project manager, with a strong record of managing complex projects and delivering insights.

The purpose of this role is to lead implementation of pilots focused on climate & agricultural solutions with our partner organizations across emerging markets with focus in Latin America (and also Africa and Asia). You will work alongside the Mercy Corps Ventures team to develop a pilot strategy and with our pilot partners to develop a pilot plan, project management materials, impact measurement framework and more, for each engagement. You will provide management, administrative and operational support for pilots and be responsible for pilot management, partnership development, impact management, and reporting. You will be a champion of entrepreneurial solutions to the toughest global challenges and be motivated to develop expertise in emerging technologies and business models. Additionally, you will support new pilot design by conducting research on new use cases and speaking with potential partners, while also generating thought leadership on new solutions.

Essential Responsibilities

• Leading day-to-day pilot operations, including but not limited to
  • Developing pilot work plans and impact frameworks,
  • Develops and presents alternative approaches/options to various needs and situations.
  • Supporting procurement and budgeting processes
  • Ensuring pilot objectives are met and managed to established timelines and budgets.
  • Extracting insights from pilots
  • Preparing presentations / conducting analysis on pilots
  • Prepare articles and presentations outlining the pilot launch and insights for external audiences and events.
• Supporting pilot design, including but not limited to
  • Research on innovative climate and agricultural solutions
  • Sourcing and managing potential partners.
  • Development and continuous improvement of pilot processes and systems
• Supporting on thought leadership / ecosystem building / fundraising
  • Provides thought leadership and training within a defined subject or program area.
  • Coordinating with partners on events
  • Design of concept notes
• Provide support for other key projects as needed.

Supervisory Responsibility

• To oversee the work of Mercy Corps Ventures’ pilot consultants
• To support partner organizations in implementing pilot projects
• No direct supervisory responsibility within Mercy Corps Ventures

Accountability

• Reports Directly To: Director of Strategy & Operations, Mercy Corps Ventures
• Works Directly With: Head of Venture Lab, Mercy Corps Ventures

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• Minimum of 4+ years of relevant career experience in a startup, technology company, management consulting, investment banking, investing, international development or similar sectors
• Strong project management experience leading complex engagements with multiple stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker capable of extracting and structuring valuable insights to share with the wider ecosystem.
• Extensive work experience in emerging markets and startups; particular interest in social entrepreneurship and digital financial solutions, climate tech, inclusion, and innovation
• Familiarity with impact measurement and management concepts 
• Ability to remotely manage and coordinate with stakeholders and implementers.
• Written and spoken fluency in English and Spanish required.