Positive Agriculture Lead

Overview

Given the ambitious nature of PEP Positive and the Positive Agriculture agenda, Pakistan BU delivered progress on all fronts and BU’s Positive Agriculture lead role become quite expanded in scope as well as expectations on delivery.

Delivery on 100% sustainably direct crop is itself a big agenda requiring SFP audit through control union every year for a specific group of potato growers. Further addition of corn in the mentioned scope further made it quite complex. In parallel continue the delivery on all angles of regenerative agriculture (Soil health, water shed health, GHG reduction and biodiversity) through extensive partnership with internal as well as external stakeholders further made the role quite stretched and complex. Similarly, farmer livelihood agenda in partnership with GDA and IRM also expanded significantly and will continue to further expand to deliver on aligned glide path for Pakistan business. .

Responsibilities

Positive Agriculture leadership

The Positive Agriculture Lead is a focal point for the BU’s efforts on positive agriculture to execute against the corporate 2030 agenda. This includes:

• Coordinate the design of Positive Agriculture AOP and PSP goals/targets as well as execution strategies to achieve those goals
• Coordinate the execution of projects (internal and ones managed by Agro) that contribute to GHG, soil health, watershed health, biodiversity, and livelihoods-related targets
• Coordinate Agro/GP alignment to accelerate ‘sustainable sourcing’ verification of key crops (e.g. potato, corn) by 2025 targets
• Support integration of learnings and new techniques from internal/external partners (the women’s empowerment partnership with USAID, Smart school initiative through IRM, Biodiversity agenda through CABI and multiple solid health initiatives ) into core operating procedures used by Agro team and PepsiCo growers
• Prepare materials that feed into sector and global story-telling, planning, budgeting, and reporting efforts
• Lead, facilitate or participate in Positive Agriculture tools/techniques trainings (e.g. Cool Farm Tool, Water Use Efficiency ADAS tool, gender-smart solutions, biodiversity baseline studies). This includes relevant women’s economic empowerment and agriculture-related trainings and workshops developed through USAID partnership.
  
  

Lead partnerships that align with/contribute to PepsiCo’s Positive Agriculture agenda

In collaboration with internal and external partners (including the USAID partnership team), the Associate Manager will:

• Coordinate partner delivery of on-the-ground ‘gender smart’ projects that improve Positive Agriculture outcomes (e.g. water management, soil health, climate resilience, GHG), including ones that enhance current grower performance as well as expand into new grower segments and growing zones
• Project management to ensure all parties deliver against expectations.
• Support design and launch of partnerships that facilitate PepsiCo’s expansion into new growing segments and zones that increase year-round supply of potato and ensure new farmers comply with SFP and continuous improvement expectations through the IMS strategy.
• Participate and speak at relevant domestic events on the topics of sustainable agriculture and women’s economic empowerment.
• Serve as the point of contact for USAID Mission contacts and high-level public and private stakeholders, as requested.
• Extensively work with CABI to deliver on PepsiCo biodiversity agenda across all regions
  
  

PepsiCo’s inclusive and regenerative agriculture demo farm program

• PepsiCo’s demo farm/Farmer Roadshow program demonstrates the business case of innovative farming practices and the Associate Manager will support activities that improve the impact of this program through gender-inclusive and regenerative agriculture solutions. He/she will:
• Coordinate gender-informed agricultural activities on demonstration farms that include targeting women in PepsiCo’s supply chain to introduce sustainable farming practices and promote climate smart agriculture practices.
• Support and coordinate consultants and partners in mapping challenges and opportunities to improve the resilience of PepsiCo’s potato supply chain, design relevant SOWs and work plans, and manage execution against overall demo farm strategy
• Support efforts to integrate gender, climate smart and regenerative agriculture practices into demo farms and Roadshow activities and support the creation of new demo farms, if needed.
• Engage AgTech and Agro solution provider partners to introduce, test, and scale relevant solutions across PepsiCo’s grower network.
• This includes solutions related to water, soil, pest/disease, and nutrient management.
• Coordinate field days and grower outreach efforts with internal (Comms, PPGA, ExCom) and external (AgTech solution providers) partners.
• Coordinate project implementation efforts to ensure all parties deliver against expectations.
  
  

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and data collection

Coordinate the collection and reporting of data for Agro and partnerships that feed into PepsiCo’s sustainable business agenda. This includes:

• Implementation of Sustainable Farming Program (SFP) and Internal Management System (IMS) protocols
• Water use efficiency and, if necessary, watershed health and protection
• Regenerative agriculture
• Climate change resilience and GHG reduction
• Targets within pep+ Livelihoods and Women’s Empowerment strategies
• USAID gender-smart solutions, SAI Platform mechanization, or other partnerships as required (this includes coordinating with USAID project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) staff to carry out monitoring and evaluation efforts)
• Demo farm performance data
  
  

He/she will also provide regular (weekly/monthly) project progress reports and highlight critical decision points to Agro/BU leadership and key internal partners such as Global SO Agro and AMESA Agro.

Relationship management

The Positive Agriculture Associate Manager will liaise with various stakeholders:

• External: Corporate, donor, and relevant government agency partners, particularly those collaborating with PepsiCo through the GDA, SAI Platform, CABI, NUST and demo farm/Roadshow partnerships.
• Internal: Other business functions critical to the execution of Positive Agriculture agenda (e.g. PPGA, Communications, Foundation, Procurement).
• Lead project communications to appropriate audiences (public, private, and NGO stakeholders) within the country.
  
  

Coordinate implementation efforts to maximize value creation opportunity for Agro- and PEP Foundation-led projects

Given the PepsiCo Foundation’s emphasis on food security/resilience, water access, and livelihoods as well as its interest in improved alignment with Agro priorities, the Associate Manager will act as the primary point of contact for Agro/Foundation project coordination. This includes:

• PepsiCo Foundation’s 2-3yr investment in CARE’s She Feeds the World program and the need to coordinate these philanthropic activities with those executed by GDA partnership that occur within/along PepsiCo’s supply chains
  
  

Qualifications

QUALIFICATION EXPERIENCE / COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

Knowledge / Skill:

Experience:

Competencies:

• Agriculture: local agricultural policies, agricultural demo farm implementation, best approaches to sustainable farming practices, agricultural trade and food polices, local land tenure laws and policy frameworks.
• Women’s Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods: integrating gender into agricultural programming, facilitation of women’s economic empowerment related trainings and workshops, understanding of local challenges and opportunities related to women’s economic empowerment.
• Project Management: concepts, techniques, and procedures of program management, evaluation, and reporting and budgeting.
• Prior experience working with USAID, a USAID client/implementer, or a corporate/commercial client.
• Extensive knowledge of Pakistan’s agricultural sector
• 5+ years’ experience in agribusiness, sustainability, agronomy or operations environment
• 5+ years of managing and implementing development projects or working directly with private sector agricultural actors.
• Proficient in written and spoken English and local language (e.g. Urdu, Punjabi)
• Advanced degree in agronomy, economics, or a related field in agriculture or social sciences such as rural sociology or rural development
• Experience working with potato farmers and/or farmers in a rotation that includes potato
• Demonstrated experience implementing sustainability programs in multiple areas, including ones related to Positive Agriculture agenda (RegenAg, Livelihoods, water and soil health, GHG emissions)
• Use of (precision) AgTech solutions and tools
• Strong understanding of key agricultural sustainability opportunities and challenges for the food and beverage industry
• Ability to remain tactical and results-oriented in ambiguous, complex and less-structured environments
• Strong time management skills, ability to handle multiple projects, set priorities and plan
• Outstanding collaborator with proven communication skills and business orientation
• Highly motivated individual with a passion for sustainability
• Excellent project management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proven skill in influencing and negotiating to foster alignment and drive follow-through
• Able to effectively work with people from all walks of life (varying cultures, standards of living, education) and levels of the organization to use influence to drive results
• Behavior change through farmer engagement