Description

This is a position for an

Industry and Funding Partner Liaison (IFPL)

To support the work of the Manitoba Centre for Digital Agriculture (MCDA or the “centre”). To advance digital ag, the centre engages researchers from all major institutions across the province. Its work will span the full agricultural value chain, from seeding to market, conducting applied and interdisciplinary research.

The IFPL will play a pivotal role in evolving the Centre into a unified, province-wide hub that connects researchers and organizations at all levels of digital agriculture, fostering collaboration, innovation and impact. The IFPL will identify and secure provincial and federal funding opportunities that support digital agriculture research at the Centre. The position will be responsible for building and maintaining strategic relationships with industry partners and non-profit organizations to strengthen collaboration, attract investment and expand the Centre’s impact across Manitoba.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of Drs. Beck and Bidinosti, the IFPL will be responsible for advancing the MCDA through the following key activities:

• Stakeholder Engagement: Promote Centre’s mission and research activities by building relationships with industry partners, government agencies and non-profit organizations
  Secure Research and Operational Funding: Prepare applications for funding (e.g., tri-agency) in collaboration with partners. Secure in-kind and financial contributions to support project success
• Event Coordination: Organise roundtables and forums led by the MCDA, with a particular focus on knowledge mobilization, knowledge transfer, and commercialization of research results
• Commodity Group Collaboration: Work directly with agriculture commodity groups (e.g. MCA, MPSG, MCGA) to identify research priorities, on-farm needs and translate research findings into practical applications for Manitoba farms
• Symposium Planning: Organise annual symposiums that showcases scientific advancements through presentations, hands-on workshops and technology demonstrations
• Reporting: Prepare comprehensive annual reports for funders and stakeholders, detailing budget, accomplishments, activities, Centre goals, HQP training, and scientific publications

Specifically, in the first year of employment the IFPL’s immediate tasks will be to:

• Organise one or more MCDA strategy workshops for establishing the MCDA as a pan-Manitoba research centre in digital ag
• Prepare an NSERC Alliance application to leverage industry contributions to the MCDA
• Support grant writing of ongoing applications
• Prepare further funding applications as required

To fulfill these goals the IFPL’s duties are as follows:

• Secure additional partners and key stakeholders for the MCDA
• Present project status and findings to stakeholders
• Organize and host seminars, community meetings, and other forms of public engagement
• Identify and assist in securing funding opportunities; prepare and submit documentations required by funding agencies
• Support project procurement and staff supervision
• Contribute to overall activities and internal operations related to the MCDA
• Perform other duties, including administrative support, as required or assigned

Requirements

Qualifications:

To be considered, the candidate must provide proof for the following qualifications:

• Master’s degree (should specify the field of the degree), or advanced education with appropriate work experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to secure and strategically utilize funding opportunities
• Ability to identify relevant funding sources and evaluate their alignment with the centre’s goals and eligibility criteria
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts (e.g., digital agriculture, precision agriculture, remote sensing, IoT, AI, and machine learning) into compelling, well- structured proposals
• Experience in managing funded projects, including developing and monitoring work plans, milestones, and budgets
• Experience in preparing and submitting reports to funding agencies.

Candidates may demonstrate prior grant success by submitting previously awarded applications as part of their job application. 

The optimal candidate further has:

• Graduate-level education (Master degree preferred) in agriculture and/or a specialization aligned with digital agriculture.
• Familiarity with provincial, federal, and international funding agencies
• Knowledge of the agriculture landscape in Manitoba, Canada, or worldwide
• Connections to the agricultural industry (e.g., farmers, commodity groups, industries, research institutions)
• Excellent time management skills to keep track of and progress several projects simultaneously
• Experience in managing multi-stakeholder and/or interdisciplinary projects
• Familiarity with grants that incorporate long-term sustainability in the form of one or more of business models, cost recovery, or public-private partnerships
• Enthusiasm and excitement for digital agriculture and building Manitoba’s capacity in this space

Condition(s) of Employment:

• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.