Program Director

Ohio Israel Ag and CleanTech Initiative

Organization: Ohio-Israel Agriculture & CleanTech Initiative (OIACI) The Negev Foundation

Contact: Sam Hoenig shoenig@negev.org

Title: Program Director

Position Type: Full-time, primarily on-site. Remote work may be available to Ohio residents, with periodic in-person meetings and site visits.

Date: 2/16/2026

About the OIACI

The Ohio-Israel Agriculture & CleanTech Initiative (OIACI) is a program of the Negev Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Cleveland, Ohio. The OIACI was launched in 2002 to enhance trade, research & development relationships between Israel and Ohio in the agriculture, processed food, and water sectors. The Initiative facilitates pilot projects, promotes trade activity, attracts business investment, and strengthens partnerships between Ohio and Israeli companies in the agriculture, food, and water sectors. To learn more about the initiative, please visit our website: www.ohioisrael.org.

About the Program Director

The Program Director serves in a leadership role on this results-driven team. As the face of the program, a successful Program Director should be comfortable communicating with professionals, practitioners, and stakeholders in the agriculture, food, and water sectors. This role involves local travel as required. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional communication, multitasking, and organizational abilities. The Program Director will report directly to the President of the Negev Foundation and will be expected to present and discuss detailed status reports on program activities.

Responsibilities

• Promote collaboration in the agriculture, food, and water sectors between Israel and Ohio through communications with businesses, participation in professional events (conferences, showcases, etc.), and facilitation of projects such as pilots, demos, and R&D collaboration.
• Promote trade opportunities through the facilitation of relationships between Ohio and Israeli businesses and other entities in the agriculture, food, and water sectors.
• Identify opportunities for business attraction and collaborative R&D in agriculture, food, and water in Israel and Ohio and present those opportunities to the appropriate parties.
• Maintain and grow the OIACI’s database of agriculture, food, and water companies in Israel and Ohio.
• Initiate and maintain relationships with Ohio and Israeli agriculture, food, and/or water companies and State and local government bodies in both regions.
• Communicate regularly with the Advisory Committee and Chairperson to brainstorm and identify regional needs and emerging needs.
• Develop and maintain relationships with state elected officials.
• Create a program action plan outlining goals, objectives, and action items.
• Write and submit progress reports to the Negev Foundation president and present a verbal program status update to the Negev Foundation president weekly.
• Represent the OIACI in meetings, public events, workshops, and media events related to their projects.
• Prepare and give presentations on OIACI, OIACI programs, and Israeli and Ohio agriculture, food, and water concerns and solutions.
• Identify grant opportunities and work with the OIACI team to prepare and submit funding requests.
• Facilitate bilateral partnerships by attracting Israeli agriculture, water, and food companies to establish operations in Ohio while supporting Ohio-based companies’ investment and market entry in Israel.
• Stay up-to-date on emerging agriculture, cleantech, and climate-smart technologies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Environmental Science, Agribusiness, Business Administration, Communications, or other relevant fields for the position’s role.
• Must have 4+ years of experience managing a department, program, or work team.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Google Workspace; strong general computer and software literacy, including database management, cloud-based systems, and the ability to quickly learn new applications.
• Proficiency in multitasking and collaborating effectively within a small team.
• Skilled at building and maintaining strong partnerships with external and internal teams.
• Demonstrated verbal and written fluency in English; proficiency in Hebrew is an asset but not required.

Starting Salary & Benefits

$70,000 - $75,000

401(k)

401(k) matching

Health Insurance Stipend

Generous Paid Time Off - Plus holidays

Paid Sick Leave