Vice President Governance And Operations

Who We AreThe Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is working across the dairy community to advance our vision of dairy providing transformative good for people and planet. Founded by dairy farmers through Dairy Management Inc, the Innovation Center brings leaders from across dairy companies, farmers, NGOs, CPG companies, academia, government and more to align on pre-competitive priorities, identify innovative solutions, share best practices and drive positive impact in health and wellbeing, environmental stewardship, animal care and communities. About the RoleThis is an office-based role in Rosemont, IL with hybrid flexibility. Visa sponsorship and relocation are not available for this position. The Vice President of Governance and Operations (“VP”) for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (“IC”) will oversee the organization’s operations, including managing the organization’s processes and resources as well as program planning and tracking. The VP will also manage operations of the Board of Directors and sub committees of the Board. The Vice President will be a critical right hand to the Innovation Center EVP/Executive Lead, be able to represent the EVP in meetings where EVP can’t attend and will make a significant impact on the ability of the Innovation Center to achieve its mission of ensuring collaboration across the US dairy industry to advance solutions for a more sustainable world and thriving U.S. dairy community. To achieve this the VP will have a unique mix of excellent project management and detail orientation with a strategic ability to understand and communicate the whole, including how all the work areas and the perspectives of a variety of critical stakeholders connect to the overarching strategy. Oversee Innovation Center operations, including:Establish and manage processes to organize IC goals, workplans and overall calendar, work with team to ensure and track progress and report results.Work with IC Executive Lead to prepare for and manage follow-up from board and internal or external stakeholder meetings.Manage the annual budget and coordination with individual team budget managers to ensure timely tracking, bill processing and forecasting. Submit contracts and invoices for payment into the accounting system.Manage the IC’s team meetings, ensuring goals and agendas advance progress.Identifying opportunities for improvement and efficiency across the IC’s matrixed team. Lead facilitation and management of IC Board operations, including:Work with the Executive Lead to plan IC Board and Executive Operating Committee meetings and communications; manage preparation for meetings, working with team content leads and the Office of the CEO on all execution details.Manage timelines, deliverables and follow-ups, including working with the VP of IC B2B Communications to plan and track timely and relevant IC Board communications; manage the board communications portal. Lead management of IC’s governance processes.Travel varies and likely will not exceed more than 20%. Education & Experience.Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university required, MBA is a plus.7+ years' direct experience in managing large and matrixed programs of work.Experience managing Boards/Board communications and the execution of Board and/or senior executive meetings.Experience in sustainability, food industry, and/or agriculture is a plus. Proven success in:Project management, including creating, maintaining, and organizing project management documents (e.g., charters, status report templates, etc.) and databases and developing plans for tracking/reporting results to demonstrate progress toward goalsWorking effectively with cross-functional teams, including external resources, to achieve business resultsManaging Board or C-suite operations and governancePrioritizing and delivering work/projects with minimal supervision/oversightBuilding and maintaining strong cross-functional relationshipsSkills & Abilities:Ability to understand and communicate how projects connect to the overall strategy and affect a variety of stakeholdersDetail-orientedDemonstrated problem-solving skills and dealing with ambiguityProject management skills including metrics, measurement, and reporting; proficiency using Gantt charts, and other project management toolsComfortable navigating in an entrepreneurial and multi-task environmentStrong leadership judgment and time management skills,Ability to monitor and manage project budgetsExcellent written communication skills and able to speak effectively to a wide variety of audiencesAbility to build, maintain, and grow meaningful relationships with internal and external partnersStrong work ethic and integrity BENEFITS:We know that in order to meet our goal of growing dairy demand, we need the best people. We offer competitive compensation and generous benefits to help our employees balance their work and personal lives. Our Rosemont office is conveniently located across from O’Hare Airport and is accessible to the CTA Blue Line and Metra transit.Our comprehensive health and welfare plans offer medical, dental, vision, life, short-term and long-term disability and flexible spending accounts (health care, dependent care, transit and parking). Our 401k provides up to a 10% match and includes a Roth account. DMI reserves the right to change or end its benefits plans or programs at any time. Dairy Management Inc.™ is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to the principles of diversity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is funded by America’s 29,000+ dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. DMI works with state and regional promotion organizations to implement these programs across the country. We regret it is not possible to communicate with candidates except those who most closely match our requirements. Thank you.