Job description

Key Responsibilities:

Agriculture Program Organizing (50-70% of time)
· Act as Project Lead for Community Supported Farmers Markets (CSFM), an incentive match program for low-income SNAP recipients
· Conduct fundraising activities for incentive match funds
· Select and support three (3) new markets to utilize CSFM model in region
· Facilitate Agriculture Committee (15-20 attendees) and support current projects and/or new ideas that fit within FAM’s overall Strategic Plan (currently being developed).
· Facilitate Bangor Area Community Food Council initiative with key volunteer and partners
· Develop yearly goals and plan for on-site greenhouse with engaged and new volunteer team
· Attend and/or engage leaders to attend statewide coalition meetings, including Maine Network of Community Food Councils and Maine Nutrition Incentive Program Strategic Planning Committee
· Maintain relationship with University of Maine experimental farm for continued access to garden plots
· Support AmeriCorps member in facilitation and development of Food Access Committee (FAC)
· Work with University of Maine Honors College students and faculty on relevant senior thesis projects
Organize press conferences and public events to raise awareness of local food and of FAM’s agriculture programs as needed and able
Stay abreast of local and national developments in the local food movement.
· Develop and maintain relationships with key allies, farmers, and low-income SNAP customers
Other projects as capacity allows

Member Leadership Development (10-20% time)

• Involve FAM’s constituency of workers, unions, farmers and low-income people as volunteers and leaders in agriculture programs and as active FAM members generally.
  
• Orient members and potential members to FAM’s organizing model, history and campaign strategies
  
• Build relationships with members and help them build relationships with each other
  
• Work closely with other staff to train members in organizing skills, including planning and hosting trainings led by outside organizations
  
• Organize members to attend events, reach out to allies, meet with funders, speak to the media, attend committee meetings, volunteer at the office, and otherwise become more involved in the organization
  
• Facilitate members’ consciousness and foster analysis of obstacles to low-income access to local food and of local farmers’ economic challenges in relation to broader social issues and systemic inequality.
  

Participate in other duties shared by all FAM employees (15-25% of time with occasional spikes)
· Provide support and occasionally leadership on major organizational events
· Collaborate with other staff in fundraising activities to support our work, including grant proposals and reports, membership drive, and cultivation of small and large donors.
· Engage in Fall 2014 Strategic Planning process and subsequent follow up work
· Represent FAM positively in public and support FAM’s mission and goals across all programs.
· Contribute to Food AND Medicine’s overall strategy and organizational development, and support broader work as needed, including union solidarity, workplace justice and public policy campaigns.
· Work with Office Manager to maintain accountability to administrative systems and procedures.
· Participate actively in weekly staff meetings, bi-weekly Synergy meetings, as well as retreats and Board meetings when requested.
· Plan, track, and report on work in support of organizational coordination and synergy.
· Contribute content on programmatic events, organizational communications and changes for web site

Qualifications
A strong candidate would have:

• Willingness to work within an organization going through time of transition.
  
• A commitment to FAM’s approach, which focuses on grassroots organizing, leadership development and social and economic justice in Maine.
  
• A collaborative working spirit and desire to explore ideas, test assumptions, and find solutions as a team.
  
• Three years relevant experience in local food issues, food access, union and/or community organizing.
  
• Fundraising experience, including grant-writing, solicitation and event planning.
  
• Commitment to social justice and the empowerment of low-income populations Understanding of and commitment to supporting the leadership development of members
  
• A commitment to continuous professional and organizational improvement, including the ability to give and receive constructive feedback, particularly on written products.
  
• The ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and to complete assigned projects under deadlines.
  
• The capacity to work with diverse communities and to develop and maintain collaborative relationships Strong computer, problem solving and analytical skills.
  
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Access, Excel and Outlook.
  
• Highly self-motivated, self-sufficient and directed.
  
• Excellent attention to detail and follow through
  
• Knowledge of agriculture-related public health issues and solutions, strongly preferred
  
• Three years relevant experience in staff supervision and/or volunteer management, preferred
  
• Physical requirements include ability to spend hours listening and talking; working via computer and telephone; driving frequently to meetings and events; light lifting of equipment and materials; occasional night and weekend work, long days and overnight travel.

Reporting
The Agriculture Organizer reports directly to the Director.

Compensation

this position is: salaried

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline