Farmer Training Program Manager Job

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New Entry Sustainable Farming Project is Hiring a Farmer Training Program Manager – 2018

See job description here.    

Apply online here.

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project’s (New Entry) mission is to improve our local and regional food systems by training the next generation of farmers to produce food that is sustainable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate and making this food accessible to individuals regardless of age, mobility, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. In doing this work, New Entry provides critical training, career development, and economic opportunity to new farmers.  We are seeking an individual who is excited to lead our farmer training team to build programs that will guide beginning farmers from “dreaming about farming” to actualizing their plans and following an agricultural career pathway to become economically viable farmers in New England. 

The Farmer Training Program Manager will provide year-round technical assistance (TA), mentoring, and training to small-scale direct market beginning farmers, and serve as the manager for New Entry’s Beginning Farmer Training Programs.  The Farmer Training Program Manager will also have programmatic duties to conduct intake and case management (mentoring and technical assistance) for new farmers, teach hands-on and classroom training courses, lead our statewide Beginning Farmer Network, support national outreach and information sharing among national beginning farmer programs, and oversee New Entry’s Incubator Training Farm campus and related programs. The Farmer Training Program Manager Job is a full-time, year-round position with competitive salary and generous benefits.

Farmer Training Program Manager Essential Job Functions

Technical Assistance and Training for Beginning Farmers

• Provide technical assistance to farmers on a “case management” basis by conducting site visits with farmers in the field, establishing a farmer assessment, and learning plan protocol through initial intake to life cycle of learning goals. Facilitate effective referrals and address ongoing technical assistance support;
• Track progress of farmers through contact database records, annual program evaluations and surveys, and analysis of case management trends and topics;
• Manage the Massachusetts Beginning Farmer Network, including coordinating service provider and beginning farmer gatherings/mixers, facilitating research projects, updating bfnmass.org website with current content and promote, and other statewide programming for beginning producers
• Support and assist teaching courses/developing new curriculum for New Entry’s Explore Farming!, Crop / Livestock Production, Business Planning, and Distance Learning programs, including new programming that may be developed in the future.
• Share programmatic learnings among national land-based farmer training programs and integrate best practices of national programs into New Entry’s farmer training programs.
• Attend conferences and events to conduct outreach and present on our work;
• Assist with other projects as needed.

Management of Farmer Training Programs

• Provide organizational leadership to develop strategic vision, goals, and metrics associated with beginning farmer education and training at local and national levels;
• Provide leadership to staff members to develop implementable strategies to achieve strategic objectives;
• Provide supervision, oversight, and support for farmer training staff members. Conduct annual performance reviews of farmer training program staff;
• Design integrated approaches to organizational priorities that cross programmatic boundaries;
• Oversee stewardship of New Entry’s Incubator Farm Training campus, equipment, infrastructure, programs, and partner relationships;
• Responsible for developing program budgets and identifying resources needed to complete strategic objectives;
• Support development of grant proposals, revenue generation strategies, corporate sponsorships, individual donor asks, or any other revenue generation strategies to support the funding of program activities;
• Responsible for grants management of program grants, including: proposal development (as applicable), project management, oversight of project spending and budgets, and project reporting;
• Report key management challenges to the project leadership (regular communication of successes and challenges) through regular supervisory sessions;
• Participate in regular meetings with other program staff.

Farmer Training Program Manager Special Requirements

• Access to reliable private transportation necessary;
• Knowledge of safe farm equipment operations and ability to supervise agricultural production and facilitate sustainable farmland stewardship practices;
• Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Farmer Training Program Manager Qualifications

• Agricultural training and experience in multiple aspects of farming and farm enterprise is essential. Prior farm management/farm business ownership experience preferred;
• Advanced degree or at least 5 years’ experience in delivering technical assistance to farmers in the areas of crop production, marketing, financial management, farm infrastructure management, and business planning;
• Experience managing land-based farmer training and educational programming via farm site management, equipment use and maintenance, and farmland/soil stewardship;
• Experience in adult education and teaching to diverse learning styles;
• Experience accessing and/or working with local, state and national service provider networks a plus;
• Proficiency in grants management, financial management, and budgeting;
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail;
• Demonstrated success in roles requiring execution of multiple tasks, while responding to multiple competing priorities and deadlines. Ability to lead and work under pressure;
• Strong leadership, diplomacy, and case management and social skills;
• Experienced supervisor, mentor, and ability to bring out the best in others; ability to motivate a team and manage large groups of volunteers;
• Outstanding communication (written, verbal), interpersonal skills, and ability to show empathy is essential; excellent public speaking skills;
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a wide array of people from extremely diverse backgrounds and cultures;
• Community organizing and cross-cultural experience helpful; comfort and skill in building relationships with beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmer participants;
• Ability to self-motivate and self-direct; preference for working within a rapidly-changing high performance environment;
• Demonstrated skills using various computer software and programs (Salesforce, Microsoft Office/Excel, email marketing, Social Media).

To Apply for the Farmer Training Program Manager Job

We strongly encourage online applications. Please attach your resume and cover letter.  See job description here.    Apply online here.

As an EOE/AA employer, TSNE MissionWorks and New Entry will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identification, veteran, or disability status.

 

Learn more about farming and food jobs and internships, or how to post a job on internship opportunity on beginningfarmers.org at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/internship-and-employment-opportunities/