Secretariat Director

Position Summary

We are currently embarking on the exciting journey to establish the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance, a pioneering initiative to unite and mobilize leading food and agriculture players across the Kingdom and beyond, supported by MEWA and founded by strategic members including NEOM, KAUST and KACST.

The Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance is a collaborative platform composed of a complementary network of food & agriculture stakeholders that aims to catalyze the national-scale deployment of AgriFood technological solutions. In doing so, it will focus on three key objectives:

• Establish a vibrant community of ecosystem stakeholders with shared interests in the Advancement of AgriFood technological solutions.
• Catalyze partnerships and collaboration between Alliance members through events, knowledge sharing, networking and curated intra-Alliance member matchmaking.
• Create a forum to identify, prioritize and inform policies that collectively benefit the AgriFood ecosystem.

The Alliance will be operated and managed by an independent Alliance Secretariat, run by KAUST, and governed by an Alliance Steering Committee. Members will meet on a quarterly and annual basis to share knowledge, explore synergies, forge partnerships and jointly collaborate to inform policy and drive initiatives that benefit the broader ecosystem.

To drive the Alliance’s success and manage the Secretariat, we are seeking a senior manager to fill the role of the Secretariat Director.

Reporting to VP NTI and COO of KAUST Beacon Development this role will be crucial in developing the Secretariat functions and delivering this high profile Kingdom initiative.

Major Responsibilities

The Secretariat Director will provide direction and oversee the establishment and operations of the AgriFood Tech Alliance. The individual will be the primary point of contact for the Alliance operations, both internally and externally, and will thus be expected to take full ownership of the Alliance’s operations and interface with senior stakeholders across the food and agricultural ecosystem.

Development and execution of pre-launch operational strategy

• Devise an operational strategy outlining the Alliance’s key pre-launch workstreams, activities and overall operational framework
• Detail key work streams and prioritized initiatives that align with the Alliance’s mission and objectives, such as ones that promote member onboarding, community building and proactive matchmaking of Alliance members (e.g. establishing a member CRM, knowledge sharing platform, member events, workshops, newsletters & internal Alliance communications, etc.).
• Define a detailed project plan, milestones and KPIs to guide the Alliance’s progress.
• Collaborate with MEWA stakeholders and strategic Alliance members to refine and adapt the Alliance operational framework as required
• Launch and operationally manage selected workstream initiatives in accordance with the overall program plan for the Alliance.
• Oversee the planning, organization and execution of the Alliance’s announcement and launch event, ensuring a seamless and impactful introduction to the Alliance members and the broader industry and relevant stakeholders

Stakeholder engagement, relationship building and communication.

• Serve as the public face of the Alliance and the first point of contact, advocating its mission and benefits to various audiences
• Develop and maintain a stakeholder engagement plan covering existing and prospective Alliance members, partners and the public
• Establish and nurture relationships with key internal stakeholders across MEWA and its sister entity ecosystem as it pertains to the Alliance (e.g. onboarding, advocating, etc.).
• Identify, engage and onboard strategic Alliance members and act as the single point of contact for the Alliance, interfacing with CEOs, VPs and other senior Alliance member stakeholders.
• Leverage existing industry relationships to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and member alignment in accordance with the Alliance’s mission
• Establish strong ties with relevant government officials, Ministries and regulatory bodies that are critical to the AgriFood technology sector.
• Navigate government processes, policies and protocols to ensure the Alliance’s alignment and compliance.

Alliance Governance:

• Regularly assess the progress of the Alliance and provide status reports to MEWA and other stakeholders, highlighting achievements, progress against milestones and addressing challenges, risks and dependencies.
• Collaborate with Alliance members, MEWA teams and external stakeholders to make informed decisions about the strategic and operational direction of the Alliance.
• Engage in consensus building and seek input from diverse perspectives, including those of member organizations, regarding critical decisions about the Alliance’s future.
• Ensure that Alliance initiatives are aligned with existing National initiatives in the public and private sector (e.g. Saudi Food Futures, Saudi Green Initiative, RDIA Missions, etc.) and MEWA's sectoral priorities
• Collaborate with legal and administrative teams to ensure compliance and operational integrity
• Lead the transition from the Acting Secretariat to the fully operational Secretariat governing body and collaborate with relevant parties to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and operations

Personal Requirements 

Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Ability to set a clear vision, make informed decisions, and manage the transition from pre-launch to full operation.
• Operational Management: Strong project management skills with expertise in designing and executing operational strategies, ensuring alignment with Alliance goals.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials and industry leaders, and effectively representing the Alliance.
• Governance and Compliance: Knowledgeable in governance structures and regulatory processes to ensure compliance and operational integrity. 
• Result-Orientation: Focus on achieving measurable results to drive the Alliance’s progress and ensuring that Alliance’s initiatives align with the overarching goals and deliver meaningful impact.

Qualifications

• MSc / MBA preferred.
• Professional fluency in English essential, professional fluency in Arabic would be advantageous.

Experience

• 15+ years of professional experience, with a strong preference for candidates from relevant national food and agricultural players (public, private or academia).
• Familiarity with government processes, protocols and regulations.