Managing Director - GFI Japan
2 days ago
Description
• Lead GFI’s efforts in Japan to help catalyze a global transformation of the food system. • GFI Japan’s Managing Director will lead our efforts to support the alternative protein sector with a focus on the unique opportunities in Japan. • Responsible for strategic direction setting, governance, and organizational growth. • Build and manage a team in Japan, oversee the organization’s strategic plan and programmatic growth, and engage with local stakeholders. • Establish GFI Japan as the local authority on the science, policy landscape, and business of alternative protein. • Build a dynamic team that will work with local stakeholders and with GFI affiliates across the globe to further GFI’s mission. • Manage the day-to-day work of the organization, including supervising staff, creating budgets, overseeing spending, evaluating new ideas and opportunities, and providing strategic leadership to ensure all staff are engaged in tasks aligned with the organization’s goals. • Maintain awareness of risks and changes in the external environment that affect the sector and GFI in Japan; escalating critical issues to the Board as appropriate. • Serve as a key external-facing representative for donor engagements, media interviews, and high-level government, scientific, or industry events, and meetings. • Develop, drive, and implement strategic initiatives to forge relationships with high-level government agencies, key academic and research stakeholders, funding bodies, regulatory bodies, and mission-aligned consortia, as well as businesses, to advance the alternative protein sector in Japan. • Lead GFI Japan’s multifunctional team by example, demonstrating the highest ethical standards, creating a vision of success, and motivating and inspiring the team to achieve our mission and vision. • Serve as a member of GFI’s Regional Leadership Group alongside GFI’s global President and the other leaders of GFI’s global affiliates. • Engage with GFI’s U.S. team members in line with the GFI Japan affiliate agreement and as a strategic partner. • Work in close collaboration with GFI’s finance and operations teams to establish and maintain best practices for financial management, budgets, internal controls, and robust corporate governance. • Ensure staff policies, procedures, and administrative processes are reviewed and regularly updated for operational efficiency. • Ensure the organization fulfills all its legal, statutory, and regulatory responsibilities. • Ensure GFI Japan is championing diversity, equity, and inclusion as a part of its organizational culture.
Requirements
• Fluent in written and spoken Japanese and English. • Firsthand knowledge of Japanese cultural, business, and legal norms. • Minimum 10 years of experience in leadership positions with at least 5 years in executive management; experience in the nonprofit sector preferred. • An advanced degree or equivalent experience in environmental studies, public health, food systems, science, political science, law, or a related field. • Strong support for GFI’s philosophy and mission; demonstrated interest in plant-based & other alt proteins, public health, environmentalism, climate change, animal protection, or hunger relief. • A commitment to GFI’s values: believe change is possible, do the most good we can, share knowledge freely, act on evidence, and invite everyone to the table. • Experience and comfort in running a complex organization and being accountable for cross-programmatic and cross-functional strategic planning and execution. • Experience and comfort in building and coaching teams and guiding, developing, and retaining staff. • Experience with financial management, reporting, and budgeting oversight. • Excellent written and verbal communication and organizational skills, with experience and comfort communicating with a range of stakeholders. • Ability to work well independently and in concert with a larger group, and be comfortable working with a rapidly evolving and growing team. • Cross-cultural competency: an ability to understand and effectively communicate with team members from different cultural backgrounds. • An optimistic and collaborative spirit with a start-up mentality, flexibility, resilience, open-mindedness, and a sense of humor. • Comfort working remotely and in-person as required and in a rapidly growing and evolving organization. • A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels like they belong.
Benefits
• Hugely meaningful work at the forefront of a fast-growing, intellectually challenging sector. • Working in a warm, inclusive, and high-impact team environment.
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