AgTech Program Manager Davis or Irvine, CA, Job ID 86067

Job Description

The CA AgTech Alliance Program Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operational execution of the California AgTech Alliance, a statewide ecosystem initiative supporting commercialization, industry growth, and innovation deployment across California's agrifood sector. The role operationalizes innovation grant processes, facilitates application and review workflows, tracks funding utilization, and ensures compliance with reporting and grant requirements.

This position is responsible for maintaining alliance engagement systems, tracking performance metrics, supporting Innovation Grants Committee processes, and preparing reports aligned with UC ANR Innovate and state funding requirements. Working under general direction, the Program Manager exercises independent judgment in resolving operational issues of diverse scope and sustaining productive industry-university partnerships that strengthen California's AgTech ecosystem.

The UC ANR Innovate Statewide Program and Office of Innovation advances transformative solutions at the intersection of climate, food, farming, energy, and the bioeconomy. Through industry partnerships, applied research commercialization, and workforce development, the program accelerates the translation of innovation into real-world impact. UC ANR Innovate supports scalable, place-based agrifood innovation ecosystems across California, strengthening economic resilience, sustainability, and global competitiveness.

This position is a career appointment that is 100% fixed with funding that ends on 1/31/2028, with the possibility of extension if funding permits.

The home department is the Office of Innovation. While this position is primarily based in Davis, CA, it could also be based in Irvine, CA (South Coast REC). This position is eligible for hybrid flexible work arrangements for applicants living in the State of California at this time. Please note that hybrid flexible work arrangements are subject to change by the University.

Pay Scale: $84,100.00/year to $119,400.00/year

Job Posting Close Date: This job is open until filled. The first application review date will be 5/20/2026.

Key Responsibilities:

25%

CA AgTech Alliance Program Operations & Network Coordination

• Independently manage day-to-day operations of the CA AgTech Alliance network.
• Coordinate engagement with ecosystem support organizations (ESOs), startups, industry partners, and academic stakeholders.
• Maintain alliance contact databases, engagement records, and operational workflows.
• Coordinate quarterly meetings, industry advisory sessions, and subcommittee activities.
• Support implementation of alliance programming aligned with strategic priorities established by the Project Director.
• Identify operational improvements to strengthen network efficiency and partner engagement.

25%

Innovation Grants Program Design & Implementation

• Operationalize the Innovation Grants Program, including process design and workflow development.
• Coordinate application intake, evaluation logistics, and funding recommendation documentation.
• Support internal PO process coordination and financial workflow alignment.
• Maintain and improve grant management systems, templates, and documentation tools.
• Develop and maintain application criteria, eligibility requirements, and review procedures in collaboration with the Innovation Grants Committee.

20%

Innovation Grant Deployment & ESO Engagement

• Facilitate Innovation Grant application and review cycles.
• Work closely with ESOs to navigate application requirements and funding utilization processes.
• Support ESO portfolio companies in understanding and accessing grant resources as needed.
• Track grant allocations, deliverables, and funding utilization.
• Maintain accurate documentation of project milestones and commercialization impacts.

15%

Metrics Tracking, Reporting & Grant Compliance

• Develop and maintain dashboards tracking alliance engagement, innovation grants awarded, funding deployment, and impact metrics.
• Prepare reports aligned with California AgTech Network, Jobs First, Go-Biz, and UC ANR Innovate reporting cycles.
• Develop reporting templates for ESOs to track outcomes and economic impact.
• Ensure compliance with funding guidelines and documentation standards.
• Monitor performance indicators and recommend operational adjustments.

10%

Partnership Development & Outreach Support

• Conduct research on prospective alliance members, ESOs, and industry collaborators.
• Prepare briefing materials, partner summaries, and meeting documentation.
• Support development of program webpages, communication materials, and grant portal content.
• Coordinate outreach communications to alliance members and stakeholders.
• Support participation in industry events and quarterly advisory meetings.

5%

Communications, Events & Program Support

• Coordinate CA AgTech events and partner meetings.
• Support development of newsletters, promotional materials, and webpage updates.
• Maintain participant communication channels and distribution lists.
• Ensure consistent messaging aligned with UC ANR Innovate branding and program objectives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, agriculture, engineering, life sciences, public policy, economics, or related field.
• Broad knowledge of industry alliance development, innovation ecosystem coordination, and commercialization pathways within a university or public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex, multi-stakeholder programs and funding processes from planning through execution.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build collaborative working relationships with ESOs, startups, faculty, industry partners, and public agencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical or programmatic requirements into clear, actionable guidance.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple funding cycles and reporting deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and report program metrics, funding impact data and commercialization outcomes to support grant compliance and leadership reporting.
• Sound judgment and discretion in handling financial, proprietary, and sensitive information and navigating diverse stakeholder interests.
• Demonstrated experience working with industry partners, early-stage startups, ecosystem support organizations, research institutions or applied research programs.

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
• The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
• As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
• As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
• Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.