Senior Director/VP of Development

Senior Director/VP Of Development

The world needs our help. By 2050, there will be nine billion people on the planet with less arable land than ever before. We need a solution to cultivate more using less and define the future of farming for generations to come. In 2004, AeroFarms began transforming agriculture with people and our planet at the forefront.

Applying its award-winning technology platform, AeroFarms grows using up to 95% less water and no pesticides ever to deliver products with elevated flavor, taste, consistency, and nutrition. Some of the ways we’re growing the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity include:

• Researching and understanding plants at unprecedented levels to be better farmers
• Elevating local communities by increasing access to nutritious, high-quality, consistent, and safe products in a way that’s better for people and the planet
• Protecting and sustaining our environment for future generations
• Setting a new standard for food safety and traceability in our indoor vertical farms
• Investing in our AeroFarms team and fostering a diverse company culture of inclusion, equity, excellence, learning and growth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPX7ZS0wqWI

Senior Director/VP Farm Development

• Senior Director/VP of Farm Development on the Farm Development team. Works closely with senior management to support the Farm Development Strategy across multiple geographies.
• The Senior Director/VP will source, lead, structure, and negotiate transactions on behalf of the Company.
• The position requires entrepreneurship and the ability to work independently with a diverse group of stakeholders including governments, investors and other strategic and financial partners.
• The Senior Director/VP will manage complex financial and legal structures in close coordination with the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Legal and Compliance teams.
• The position requires significant travel both in the United States and abroad and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• The responsibilities of the Director require an entrepreneurial spirit and the ability to practice good judgement under dynamic conditions.

Responsibilities:

• Leading and developing the company’s new farm project pipeline.
• Identifying and prioritizing regional locations for new farms based on a multi-faceted framework.
• Creating financial models for new farms including all factors related to investments and projected returns.
• Conducting detailed analysis to select specific farm sites, taking into account market factors, labor rates, energy costs, regional distribution access and other factors.
• Identifying and negotiating financial incentives available from national, state and local authorities.
• Engaging with local authorities and partners to establish relationships and specific plans supporting construction of new farm sites.
• Planning and negotiating financing terms with real estate partners and lenders.
• Coordinating across the AeroFarms organization by engaging with colleagues in key areas such as finance, engineering, construction and farm execution.
• Leading project management through to financial closing including pre-construction activities and coordinating project schedules with internal departments and external contractors.
• Leading and supporting business plans for a wide array of Farm Development projects including licensed and franchised farms.
• Representing AeroFarms at conferences and meetings with senior external stakeholders.
• Participating in AeroFarms' marketing and recruiting events, and promoting AeroFarms' mission, vision and values by embodying the company's guiding principles.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree or above, MBA preferred
• Highly proficient in financial analysis and management
• Highly proficient in sophisticated and detailed spreadsheet analysis (e.g. Microsoft Excel)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• At least five years of experience in sourcing, leading, negotiating and executing major projects and deals
• Prior experience in business expansion and pipeline development, ideally in a capital-intensive industry
• Proven track record in business plan development and strategic planning
• concepts
• Background in industrial real estate development and/or renewable energy preferred but not required.
• Experience in franchising businesses is desired but not essential.

Work Location and details

This role works closely with the AeroFarms Executive leadership who are primarily based in and around the Newark, NJ, and NYC area. It is preferred that the candidate is attracted to work in an office environment two to three days per week on average (with flexibility to work remotely), and is willing to travel.  

Personal Attributes:

• Collaboration: We know we cannot fix the world’s problems as individuals – we have to work together as a team to make change happen. Teamwork is how we get there! 
• Communication: We are a small company (in relative terms, 200 employees) and we succeed because we communicate with each other. Everyone who works at AeroFarms has a strong link to the mission: we want to hear why it means something to you!
• Agility: What we do has never been done before. We are an innovative company and often there is no right or wrong way to do things. We challenge ideas to constantly improve how we operate and change directions to be the best that we can be.
• Accountability: We don’t micromanage but hire individuals who know what they need to do and can do so with minimal direction. We expect candidates to take ownership of their projects and deadlines.
• Respect: We are scaling around the world and we want our team to represent the customers and communities that we serve. We expect candidates to respect and include diverse people, ideas, and cultures in their work so that we can learn the most from one another.
• Empowerment: We provide an environment for growth and development. We will help you grow in your career and elevate your work with our team.

*Please note that AeroFarms does not work with any external staffing/recruitment vendors. Any unsolicited resumes shared with the AeroFarms team will be considered property of AeroFarms and no recruitment fees of any kind will be paid or owed unless an existing recruitment agreement exists alongside with specific engagement for the role in question.