Managing Director, Strategic Operations and Innovation

Description

The Managing Director, Strategic Operations & Innovation serves as a trusted partner to the CEO and Executive Team responsible for maximizing the CEO's effectiveness and advancing the organization's strategic priorities by driving strategic alignment and execution on key initiatives.

This role has overall responsibility for ABC's Ingredient Strategy, Trade Development, and Science & Innovation functions combined with the leadership scope of a senior operations executive ensuring that the organization's strategic priorities are executed effectively, cross-functional initiatives are aligned, and our teams operate with clarity, accountability, and focus.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, systems-minded leader who can translate ideas into action, connect diverse functions, and champion both performance and creativity in service of ABC's mission to support California almond growers. This is a full-time, exempt position based out of our headquarters in Modesto, CA with a hybrid work schedule.

The following duties are typical of those performed by employees in this job title; however, employees may perform other related duties.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to define, track, and drive progress on strategic priorities and organizational goals.

• Lead or coordinate cross-functional initiatives and ensure alignment across the Executive Team.

• Lead high-impact or sensitive projects on behalf of the CEO that advance organizational strategy and efficiency.

• Anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and recommend solutions to advance CEO and Board initiatives.

• Facilitate strategic planning, quarterly reviews, and annual goal setting and reporting processes, ensuring timely follow-up and accountability.

Leadership Support & Facilitating Decision Making

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO providing analysis and insights on key decisions and strategic issues.

• Ensure the CEO is fully briefed and supported on key decisions with relevant context, data, and stakeholder input.

• Act as an extension of the CEO in internal meetings and working groups to ensure alignment, follow-through, and accountability.

• Facilitate effective communication between the CEO, Executive Team, and staff to ensure transparency and collaboration.

• Track and follow up on key deliverables and commitments made by or to the CEO.

• Partner with department leaders to ensure alignment of objectives, resources, and outcomes.

Science and Innovation Strategy Execution

• Provide strategic leadership across ABC's full Science and Innovation portfolio, champion ABC's innovation agenda by advancing research, ingredient applications, innovation, promotional efforts, and partnership initiatives that expand the value, volume, and market potential of almonds and strengthen stewardship outcomes.

• Oversee all scientific disciplines including Production Research, Nutrition, Environmental Stewardship, and Food Science to help drive demand and efficiencies in almond production.

• Ensure prioritization, governance, and execution of research investments, establishing clear objectives, timelines, and measures of success.

• Advance stewardship outcomes by integrating environmental, nutritional, and production research to support long term sustainability and industry credibility.

Trade Development Strategy Execution

• Lead the development and execution of ABC's global Food service/CPG/Educational B2B Trade Stewardship and Ingredient Innovation strategy.

• Drive ingredient innovation and application development, advancing the use of almonds across food service, CPGs, Colleges and Universities, and other B2B channels.

• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with industry, academia, and commercial partners to accelerate innovation and adoption.

• Ensure effective execution of food service/CPG/education trade strategy, aligning programs and initiatives with defined objectives, KPI's, and ROI expectations.

• Oversee global trade prioritization, identifying high-impact opportunities and ensuring resources are deployed to areas with the greatest strategic return.

• Foster collaboration and cross…