Company description

Youth. Food. Community. Three important issues that intersect in one place: The Food Project (TFP). Here, we believe that food is a unique vehicle for creating personal and social change. Nothing else ties us so intimately to each other and the planet we share, affecting our health, the climate, culture, and poverty and privilege around the globe. If we — young and old from all walks of life — can unite to change the food system, we can change the world. From our urban and suburban farms to our community education programs, we aim to do just that by bringing together youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build local and sustainable food systems. 
 

Since 1991, TFP has built a national model of engaging young people in personal and social change through sustainable agriculture. Each year, we work with more than 120 teenagers and nearly 2,000 volunteers to farm on 70 acres in eastern Massachusetts in the towns and cities of Wenham, Lincoln, Boston, and Lynn. We consider our hallmark to be our focus on identifying and transforming a new generation of leaders by placing teens in unusually responsible roles, with deeply meaningful work. In addition, we help others grow their own food and provide training resources based on all we have learned.

Job description

What We Seek

We seek a dedicated Food Access and Education Manager who will play a pivotal role in managing and nurturing The Food Project’s food distribution and education initiatives based in Lynn. This individual will collaborate closely with the Lynn Farm Manager, North Shore Associate Director of Youth and Community Programs, and youth, fostering a strong team spirit. 

 

Responsibilities

Community Gardens (35%)

• Work with the Lynn Farm Manager to review gardener applications, conduct phone interviews, and make final decisions. 
• Orient each gardener on rules, resources, and who to contact for help at all TFP-led community gardens.
• Host regular “open hours”in our gardens at least once per month, during a time that will be accessible to other community gardeners. (e.g., on a weekend or during a weeknight evening.) Open hours will allow gardeners to stop in and ask questions/ receive support as necessary.
• Partner with Lynn Farm Manager in planning the garden kick-offs in mid-May.
• Meet with the Lynn Farm Manager on a regular basis to troubleshoot any problems and receive support.
• Work with the Lynn Farm Manager to manage any infrastructure improvements/ decisions (ongoing).
• Maintain the cleanliness of garden spaces with support from the farm team. 
• Work with the Lynn Farm Manager to coordinate a garden clean-up day and evaluate the season.  
• Build and repair approximately 50-80 raised beds for the Lynn community per growing season (April-November)
• Working with municipal and nonprofit partners to provide comprehensive urban agriculture education, mentorship and network building to urban growers in Lynn. 
• Strengthen gardening communities and build social capital at events. Utilize our urban farms as spaces of learning and gathering, including establishing a new greenhouse in Lynn.

 

Market Management (35%) 

• Work with the Associate Director of Youth and Community Programs, Lynn Farm Manager, to maintain the Lynn Commons Farmers Market during the pilot season and through maturity. 
• Work with the Lynn Farm Manager to coordinate site logistics, including set-up and permitting from the city of Lynn/ MBTA.
• Implement market regulations and protocols for vendors and customers to ensure legality and safety. 
• Manage a team of farmers market consultants (if possible), youth and staff to support TFP’s produce distribution and crowd management at the market. 
• Manage vendor relationships that can include farm vendors, UMass Extension, and various other inquiries and opportunities from community stakeholders as they arise. 
• Provide technical support to vendors and customers; promote and answer questions about HIP while at market. Lynn Commons Farmers Market - Thursdays 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM from July through mid-November.
• Manage a Saturday bi-weekly winter farmer’s market (December - June). 
• Work with Lynn Farm Manager to create a comprehensive farmers market and Build-A-Garden curriculum that will be facilitated for the Food Project academic year and summer youth programs. 

 

Youth Engagement (10%)

• Academic Year (Saturdays)

• • • Partner with youth development staff to facilitate a comprehensive build-a-garden curriculum for the Academic year youth programs. 
    • Partner with youth development staff to lead garden work and garden builds with youth in The Food Project’s Academic year youth programs. 
    • Partner with development staff to prepare youth to host community garden events (as needed) 

• Summer (Mondays and Thursdays) 

• • Partner with youth development staff to facilitate a comprehensive farmers market training for summer Root Crew.
  • During July and August, partner with youth development staff and with Root Crew, our more experienced youth, to support farmers market operations 
  • Partner with youth development staff to lead garden work with youth in The Food Project’s Seed Crew- an intensive six-week summer job.

 

Administration (10%)

• Budget, Annual Planning, Data Collection and Input - oversee respective budgets, build respective annual plans,  review variance reports, data collection and entry, finance allocation, and Paychex management.  
• Recruitment - build, maintain and implement respective recruitment processes for ongoing full time and seasonal positions amongst the team as necessary.  
• Meetings - Participate in all-staff meetings and trainings, and provide cross-department support.

 

Organizational Health (10%)

• Participate in our  justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.
• Prepare and participate in structured, regular feedback sessions.

 

Qualifications

• Lynn Resident strongly preferred 
• Sufficient gardening experience to be able to help others (3+ years)
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and energy for engaging with other people.
• Preferred 1 year of project management experience- first-hand involvement in initiating, planning, executing, controlling, monitoring, and handing over a project.
• Dependable, responsible, flexible and open to learning 
• 21+ years of age with a valid driver’s license and clean driving record (required for use of TFP vehicles) 
• Enthusiasm for working with teenagers; prior experience teaching or leading youth in outdoor settings preferred. 
• Experience leading groups safely and productively 
• Experience working in multicultural community settings
• Experience working with high school-aged youth
• Team-oriented with a good sense of humor; able to work independently.
• Knowledge of the Lynn community is a plus. 
• Bilingual in Spanish, Russian, or another language is also a plus. 
• CPR and First Aid certified or willing to be trained

• Able to pass a CORI/SORI background check: we work and provide services to vulnerable populations of youth under 18 and elderly. Some of our farms are on the public school properties and we have to follow their protocols and policies.

 

Location & Schedule

This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week role with fluctuating Tuesday through Saturday/Monday through Friday work week depending on the season.  

 

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $48,000.00 - $55,250.00

Application instructions

Deadline

September 20, 2024