U.S. Grains Council – Manager of Global Programs, Asia

International market development organization based in Washington, D.C. is recruiting a manager of global programs, Asia. The individual in this position will assist the director of global programs administration in supervising the Council’s global offices, with a focus on the Asia region. This individual manages the planning, implementation and evaluation of USDA/FAS-funded programs and provides strategic guidance to international offices. Another important duty for the individual in the position is managing the development and submission of the Council’s federal grant application - Unified Export Strategy (UES) - ensuring compliance with federal grant regulations and policies.

The position is based in Washington, D.C.

Desired Qualifications

Minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree with preference for in international relations, international trade, or related field. A minimum of two years’ prior professional experience in international agricultural trade, market development, program management is required. Demonstrated experience with USDA/FAS cooperator programs or related federal grant compliance frameworks is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will possess experience managing or coordinating multi-country programs and working with international offices.

To Apply

• If you are interested in the position, please submit a letter of interest and a resume by COB on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 by clicking Apply to this Position icon. 
• Your letter of interest should reflect your understanding of our regional operations, your vision for the future and how your contributions will drive our success.

As a participant in USDA programs, we share the commitment to comply with all federal, state and local civil rights laws and those of the USDA. More about this commitment is found here, https://www.usda.gov/non-discrimination-statement

Job Description

Purpose of position:

Assist the director of global programs administration in supervising the Council’s global offices, with a focus on the Asia region. Manage the planning, implementation, and evaluation of USDA/FAS-funded programs. Provide strategic guidance to international offices. Manage the development and submission of the Council’s federal grant application - Unified Export Strategy (UES) - and ensure full compliance with federal grant regulations and policies. Drive the organization’s adoption of digital infrastructure tools, including CRM and program reporting systems. This role is expected to contribute meaningfully to departmental strategy, performance management and organizational effectiveness.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the director of global programs in all market development programs, including strategic analysis, program planning and development, implementation and evaluation, consultant contracting, budgeting and accounting, administration, and stakeholder communications. Ensure all activities align with FAS priorities and federal grant requirements.
• Manage the development, submission, and maintenance of the Council’s UES for the Asia region. Monitor program performance with international offices, track progress against UES performance measures, and coordinate changes and updates with FAS.
• Research program and policy information and oversee implementation and management of special projects undertaken in the regions of responsibility, in compliance with program regulations and policies; maintain records of all market development programs and projects.
• Recruit technical consultants and USGBC members for program needs and complete all necessary arrangements to ensure that the objectives of consultant/member travel are met.
• Manage the preparation and execution for inbound foreign delegations and reverse trade missions traveling to and from the United States related to programs in the regions of responsibility. Coordinate with support staff and logistics vendors on hotel, ground transportation, and itinerary arrangements; ensure meeting schedules and briefing materials are complete and accurate; verify that all vendor deliverables meet federal grant compliance requirements.
• Support membership servicing activities, including responding to informational requests from Council members.
• Maintain program and contact records in the Council’s customer database and program reporting system (Microsoft Dynamics), ensuring data integrity, timely entry, and alignment with reporting requirements. Generate and analyze program performance data to support UES reporting, FAS submissions, and internal decision-making.
• Manage and support digital infrastructure tools adoption and data quality efforts across international offices, serving as point of contact for Microsoft Dynamics implementation, user training, and ongoing optimization. Identify opportunities for innovation and efficiency gains in compliance workflows, program performance analysis and reporting.
• As necessary, travel domestically and internationally with the Council’s foreign market development programs. Approximately 10-15 percent of the time is spent traveling.
• Other duties as assigned to meet business needs.

Education/Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree required in international relations, international trade, agricultural economics, or related fields.
• Minimum of two years of experience in international agricultural trade, market development, or a related field required. Demonstrated experience with USDA FAS cooperator programs or related federal grant compliance frameworks strongly preferred. Experience managing or coordinating multi-country programs and working with international offices is highly desirable.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Proficiency in MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, are required.
• Ability to work independently and effectively collaborate with remote teams and stakeholders.
• Experience working in a multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability to multitask and find viable solutions to complicated problems in a flexible, time-sensitive and creative manner.
• Excellent quantitative skills, with particular emphasis on working with budgets.
• Ability to always represent the organization in a professional manner.

Preferred skills:

• Knowledge of emerging technology trends and their practical applications in program management, compliance, and reporting.
• Experience designing or standardizing program reporting frameworks, including developing templates, data collection protocols, or reporting pipelines that consolidate inputs across multiple offices or stakeholders.
• Experience with digital platforms and tools, including customer relationship management systems, content management systems, and collaboration platforms.

This job description may include most, but not all duties that fall under the position. It is not intended to contain all responsibilities, education or skills. From time to time this job description will change and employees will be asked to perform tasks outside of their area of responsibility.

The U.S. Grains Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate in the terms and conditions of employment based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other factor prohibited by law.