ABOUT EIT FOOD

At EIT Food we accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all. To achieve this, we are leading the world’s largest food innovation community. Through a missions-led approach, we put improving outcomes for people and planet as the starting point for our work.  

Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, we invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. We unlock innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agritech startups to bring new technologies and products to market. And we equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and educate and inspire the next generation.  

Our innovation projects are delivered with a combination of industry, education, and research partners to improve environmental and health outcomes, by developing solutions that align with our three missions: Healthier Lives Through Food, A Net Zero Food System, and Reducing Risk for a Fair and Resilient Food System.

EIT Food headquarters (HQ) are based in Leuven (Belgium) and it has 5 regional hubs in Europe (based in Poland, Spain, Germany, the UK and Netherlands), each working with and for partners in several EIT Food partner countries.

Visit our website: https://www.eitfood.eu

JOB DESCRIPTION

We are seeking a highly motivated person with experience in the farming practice and ecosystem (cooperatives, support schemes), knowledge of regenerative agriculture and sustainability issues. International experience in the corporate sector is valued and ideally, you will have practical experience in any of these areas: farming, regenerative / conservation agriculture, agriculture innovation & technologies and sound project management skills. 

As part of its mission to make food systems more sustainable and healthier, EIT Food is aiming, within the Resilient Agriculture thematic area, to support farmers in transitioning to resilient agriculture. Working across several landscapes and expanding to the rest of Europe, the Resilient Agriculture as a Thematic scaling area within EIT Food takes a farmer-centric approach to focus on increasing the uptake of regenerative and climate-smart agriculture practices, identifying the roadblocks to adoption, designing solutions with economic, practical and ecological benefits to farmers. You will play a central role in delivering EIT Food’s work on regenerative and climate-resilient agriculture, working directly with farmers, agronomists, cooperatives, corporates, startups, and regional partners to scale the adoption of sustainable farming practices.

You will manage projects end-to-end, oversee agronomists working with farmers in the field, drive cross-landscape alignment (methods, tools, onboarding, MRV), ensure operational excellence, and support the expansion of Resilient Agriculture throughout the region.

Your work will directly contribute to building evidence, improving farmer economics, supporting corporate transition pathways, and operationalising regenerative agriculture at scale.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the planning, coordination and delivery of regenerative agriculture initiatives in specific landscapes.
• Ensure consistent data collection, MRV protocols, monitoring, and evaluation within the assigned landscapes context.
• Contribute to the implementation of activities with farmers, advisors, cooperatives and partners.
• Assist in monitoring progress, collecting insights and ensuring activities run smoothly.
• Support harmonisation of tools, templates, processes, and methodologies across landscapes.Facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration between landscapes and thematic teams.
• Build and maintain relationships with farmers, agrifood companies, cooperatives, startups and other local stakeholders.
• Support the identification and onboarding of partners, service providers and collaborators.
• Contribute to developing and sharing good practices related to regenerative and sustainable agriculture.
• Assist in gathering data, preparing insights, and supporting communication of learnings and results.
• Support scouting of technologies, startups or approaches relevant to regenerative agriculture.
• Assist in exploring opportunities to expand activities into new regions, crops or value chains.
• Support business development and operationalisation in new countries
• Contribute to identifying external funding opportunities where relevant.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

Qualifications

• Degree in forestry, agriculture, natural resource management, sustainability or climate change and carbon mitigation related fields or equivalent by experience.
• At least several years of work experience in agriculture or forestry, sustainability consulting, climate change mitigation/adaptation or related fields.
• Knowledge of and experience in MRV systems for soil health and regenerative agriculture practices.
• Fluency in English and in Polish. Additional Eastern European languages are a plus.

Experience

• Extensive experience in a similar programmes’ management or business development role in the agriculture sector.
• Experience of working in the agri-food sector and/or an understanding of the needs of agri-food processing industry in terms of transition to more sustainable food production as well as experience with start up ecosystems
• Strong network amongst North-Eastern European agricultural actors.

Skills and behavior

We are looking for someone with the following traits:

• Strong team player
• Impact mindset: Strong focus on driving measurable outcomes that contribute to the success of the partnership,
• Collaborative approach: Ability to work closely with teams across EIT Food, as well as with external collaborators,
• Ability and desire to start projects from the beginning and see them through to closure.
• Demonstrable passion to build a more sustainable and healthier food system.
• Solid business judgment, with flexible and interdisciplinary thinking.
• A positive person with a can-do attitude that thrives in small dynamic teams.
• A desire to really lead two new projects at the forefront of agricultural thinking.
• A combination of analytical thinking and creativity.
• A business-driven mindset.
• The ability to interact and communicate effectively with individuals from different countries and backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong communication skills: Ability to communicate effectively with partners, stakeholders, and senior management, using a range of channels and formats,
• Excellent presentation and public-speaking skills; comfortable talking to media and representing EIT Food,
• Proactive, independent and trustworthy.
• Passion for continuous improvement.
• Respectful of timelines and deadlines and attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and in small (multi-national) teams.
• Organised, proactive, service-oriented and capable of multi-tasking.
• Excellent emotional intelligence skills.
• Willingness to travel within the region and across Europe for meetings.

WHAT WE OFFER

Working at EIT Food means joining a team of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to creating a better future through food innovation. We cultivate a culture of collaboration, inventiveness, inclusivity, and constructive feedback. All employees are encouraged to contribute their ideas and expertise towards our mission of creating a more sustainable and inclusive food system. Together, we're making a real impact on the food industry and we're looking for talented individuals like you to join us.

As a valued member of our team, we'll provide you with a competitive salary and benefits package.

CONTRACT TYPE

Full-time position.

LOCATION & TRAVEL FREQUENCY

This role can be based in any of our six locations: Belgium, UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Spain or Poland. With a very strong preference for Poland. To be eligible, you must be based in one of these locations and have the legal right to work there. Within your chosen location, we offer flexible working arrangements, including remote and hybrid options, depending on local policies and requirements.

Frequent travel within Europe.

APPLICATION

We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. While the application deadline is 9th of January, we reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if we find the right candidate. We recommend submitting your application at the earliest opportunity to ensure consideration.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

At EIT Food we believe that diversity and inclusion make us stronger. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all candidates, regardless of age, gender, background, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic. We welcome applications from everyone and strive to create a workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute to their fullest potential.