Agriculture Program Lead

Role Description

We are seeking a rigorous, high-ownership, and fast-paced Agriculture Program Lead to join our founding team and lead the design and execution of our Agriculture portfolio: starting with AI-enabled weather forecasting and advisory services for smallholder farmers, with potential to expand into adjacent agriculture interventions over time.

• Own and lead the Agriculture program strategy: Set the multi-year vision and annual workplan to reach tens of millions of smallholder farmers with high-quality, AI-enabled forecasts and advisory services.
• Drive state and national government partnerships: Build trusted relationships with ministries of agriculture, state-level governments, and meteorological agencies to enable forecast dissemination at scale, with a focus on institutionalization over time.
• Manage delivery partner relationships: Coordinate with implementing partners and research collaborators to ensure forecasts are delivered cost-effectively and at high quality.
• Design and oversee scaling pilots: Launch and evaluate work across new dissemination channels (SMS, WhatsApp, radio, telco partnerships) and new forecast types (e.g., dryspell, short-run), with rigorous learning agendas.
• Translate across stakeholders: Serve as an effective bridge among forecasting researchers, AI labs, NGOs, funders, and government counterparts; communicate technical concepts crisply to non-technical audiences.
• Build and lead the agriculture team: Recruit, coach, and manage country leads, state-level staff, and partner teams; cultivate a high-performance, high-accountability culture.
• Drive learning and quality: Embed measurement, feedback loops, and cost-effectiveness analysis into the program; partner with M&E researchers to build the evidence base over time.
• Operate in ambiguity: Chart paths forward in new geographies and problem spaces with urgency, rigor, and pragmatism.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience as a builder in international development, with a strong preference for direct experience in agriculture, weather forecasting, smallholder advisory services, agricultural extension, value chain interventions, or rural last-mile delivery.
• Training or early career experience in a high-rigor environment (e.g., top-tier management consulting, high-growth NGO program leadership, strategy/econ research) and the ability to rapidly get up to speed in new technical areas including AI/ML forecasting concepts.
• Demonstrated success leading agriculture or rural development programs from idea to scaled delivery, including managing multi-stakeholder coalitions with governments, research institutions, NGO implementers, and private sector partners.
• A track record as a strong people manager and builder: able to set clear standards, empower others, and cultivate a high-performance culture across distributed and field-based teams.
• Experience working with Asian and/or African governments to drive large-scale change, with a strong preference for direct experience working with Indian state governments, ministries of agriculture, or national meteorological agencies.
• High EQ and the ability to influence across diverse partners, from AI/forecasting researchers to frontline delivery staff to senior government officials.
• Strong fluency with AI tools, and eager to experiment, learn, and adapt to emerging technologies.
• Comfort with ambiguity and fast iteration; can define and test hypotheses, adapt quickly, and maintain focus on impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to synthesize complex technical ideas into crisp narratives for different audiences.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively internationally (~20-40%), with significant time expected in India and other priority geographies.
• Passion for the mission of ensuring that the benefits of frontier AI reach the world's poorest populations, while mitigating its downside risks.

Requirements

• Exceptional Agriculture Program Lead with strong initiative, agriculture or rural development experience.
• Ability to drive outcomes in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.
• High throughput, strong work ethic, and willingness to lean in and work extended hours.
• Ability to excel as both an individual contributor and team leader.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits including international health care, HSA/FSA options, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement plans with a matching component, generous and flexible leave options, as well as other employee perks on a reimbursement basis.

Company Description

Evidence Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.