Managing Director, Strategic Operations and Innovation

Managing Director, Strategic Operations and Innovation

Join to apply for the Managing Director, Strategic Operations and Innovation role at Almond Board of California

This range is provided by Almond Board of California. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

$/yr - $/yr

Annual Bonus

Almond Board of California is seeking a senior, enterprise-level leader to partner with the CEO and Executive Team in driving organizational strategy, execution, and cross-functional alignment, while advancing ABC’s global trade stewardship and ingredient strategy. This role is designed for a proven executive who excels at turning strategy into action. Ensuring priorities are clear, initiatives are executed effectively, and the organization operates with discipline, focus, and accountability.

The Managing Director will play a critical role in helping ABC expand the market use of almonds and almond co-products by aligning science, trade, and organizational execution to deliver measurable results. This is a full-time, exempt position based in Modesto, CA with a hybrid work schedule.

What You’ll Do

• Drive execution of organization-wide strategic priorities
• Strengthen B2B trade stewardship and ingredient strategy execution
• Ensure initiatives move from planning to delivery with clarity and accountability
• Position almonds and almond co-products for expanded use across food service, CPG, education, and other B2B channels
• Partner the CEO and Executive Team to define, track, and deliver on strategic priorities
• Anticipate risks, identify opportunities, and recommend actions to advance organizational objectives
• Act as an extension of the CEO to ensure decisions translate into action
• Drive accountability for commitments, timelines, and outcomes across leadership
• Monitor priorities, performance metrics, and ROI for trade activities

The Ideal Candidate

You are a proven science-driven innovator, someone who thrives at the intersection of agriculture, food systems, and sustainability. You combine deep technical expertise with commercial acumen, bringing ideas to life through collaboration and influence.

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience with demonstrated responsibility for enterprise-wide strategy, operational execution, or trade/market development initiatives.
• Proven track record of driving organization-wide priorities from strategy through implementation
  , including coordinating across senior leaders, managing competing priorities, and delivering measurable outcomes.
• Experience with B2B trade or ingredient strategy strongly preferred
• Executive presence with the credibility to influence, challenge constructively, and lead through complexity

Why ABC?

The Almond Board of California is a respected industry association that globally promotes California Almonds on behalf of over 7,600 growers and 100 processors under the supervision of the US Department of Agriculture. You’ll work with purpose in a collaborative, mission driven environment supporting an industry that nourishes communities and drives innovation worldwide. We are proud to offer competitive compensation and generous benefit programs to our valued team members.

Description of this role is also available onds.org

Director

Full-time

Business Development, Strategy/Planning, and Project Management

Government Administration, Business Consulting and Services, and International Trade and Development

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Almond Board of California by 2x

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Pension plan
• Disability insurance