Food Systems Specialist Job in Michigan

Food Systems Specialist Job Summary

The Center for Regional Food Systems within the Department of Community Sustainability is seeking a full-time Specialist – Outreach to support capacity-building among and facilitate technical assistance to Michigan local food councils, Michigan food and health organizations, and countrywide grantees in the federal Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, or GusNIP, supports programs that provide nutrition incentives – including produce prescription programs and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program incentives – to help families bring home more nutritious fruits and vegetables. The Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition will lead a newly-established Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation and Information Center. Core partners in the project include Fair Food Network, National Grocers Association, National Farmers Market Coalition, and the Michigan Farmers Market Association. CRFS will be a consultant to the project. 

One half of this position will lead efforts with statewide food and health networks and associations and work with current Michigan Local Food Council Network coordinators to support councils, seeking to build organizations’ capacity to execute their individual and collective priorities. This includes assisting local food councils in building their capacity to serve as a critical piece of the Michigan Good Food infrastructure by communicating across communities statewide, setting and advancing policy priorities in the development of a post-2020 Michigan Good Food Charter, and playing an active role in a statewide food policy voice once developed.

The other half of this position will be devoted to coordinating the Center’s involvement in providing local food sourcing and food system equity technical assistance, network facilitation, and educational resources development to grantees of the federal GusNIP program.  GusNIP grantee assistance will center on the topics of local food sourcing and food system equity, with the goal of maximizing the efficiency and impact of GusNIP projects. Types of assistance include one-on-one grantee assistance, webinars, best practice bulletins, and other resource materials.  The candidate will provide a portion of this technical assistance and will coordinate technical assistance provision by other CRFS staff.

This position is an opportunity for a collaborative, network-oriented, resourceful candidate to join teams supporting local and statewide food and health groups in Michigan and GusNIP grantees across the U.S.

Food Systems Specialist Job expectations

1. Plan content for and facilitate capacity-building among local food councils and statewide food and health network/associations in areas such as racial equity, membership, fund development, and policy advocacy through in-person or virtual training, peer-to peer learning, technical assistance, and webinars. Assist councils in building capacity to serve as a critical piece of the Michigan Good Food infrastructure and participate in a statewide food policy voice.
2. Contribute to relationship-building among and across statewide food and health networks/associations and local food councils, including via site visits across these groups.
3. Assist in making and administering mini-grants to local food councils using a participatory grantmaking process.
4. Lead or contribute to development of outreach and scholarly publications on networks and learnings; distribute information of interest to networks via calendar, e-newsletter, website, and directory of councils and statewide food and health networks/associations.
5. Contribute to reporting and reimbursement requests on current funding and developing grant proposals to support new/continued work.
6. Coordinate and be primary contact for the Center’s role as a technical assistance and content provider to GusNIP grantees through one-on-one grantee consultations, webinars, and best-practice informational resources such as bulletins, resource guides, and videos. Some content and technical assistance will be provided by the candidate selected and some by other CRFS staff.
7. Coordinate the community of practice on local and regional sourcing for GusNIP grantees and project partners.
8. Co-coordinate the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion community of practice for GusNIP grantees and project partners.
9. Participate in and represent CRFS in recurring calls and semi-annual convenings of GusNIP NTAE content providers, core partners, and grantees.

Expected of all CRFS academic specialists

1. Engage with relevant networks led by CRFS and/or partners and appropriate professional organizations;
2. Document and share project work and accomplishments; maintain regular internal and external communication about project activities; write grant reports; develop and report on an annual plan of work;
3. Actively participate in CRFS staff and strategic meetings and stay current on CRFS projects, activities, resources and publications as relevant to this work;
4. Represent projects and CRFS in a professional manner in all forms of engagement and communication; and
5. Help to foster, facilitate, and maintain the CRFS culture of anti-racism, trust, support and accountability.

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or comparable experience preferred.  Prefer background in community food systems, food policy, planning, community development, or a related field.
2. Minimum of three years’ experience working with local food councils, and/or local/regional food sourcing and procurement in retail or institutional settings.
3. Demonstrated experience using an equity lens in food systems educational programming and working with multicultural and diverse populations.
4. Demonstrated project leadership, management, and grant-writing experience.
5. Proven ability to effectively and diplomatically engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups such as project grantees, nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations, and funders. Experience in network-building and group facilitation.
6. Demonstrated resourcefulness and ability to problem-solve and think critically. Proven to self-direct and balance multiple projects simultaneously and to easily shift between working independently and as part of a team.
7. Demonstrated strong written and verbal communications skills and experience using a broad range of communication tactics.
8. Fluency in Spanish highly desired.
9. High degree of knowledge of and comfort with using technology in completing job requirements including Microsoft Office suite; online search, file-sharing, and collaboration platforms; electronic survey software; and phone/web conferencing systems.
10. Available to occasionally travel throughout the state and, less frequently, within the US, including overnight. Possession of a valid, current state driver’s license required.

Required Application Materials

1. CV
2. Cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
3. Names and contact information of three references

Special Instructions for the Food Systems Specialist Job

If you have questions about the position or search process, you may contact: Rich Pirog, rspirog@msu.edu. 

Please do not send application materials directly to Rich Pirog.

Center for Regional Food Systems

The mission of the Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University is to work to engage the people of Michigan, the United States and the world in applied research, education and outreach to develop regionally integrated, sustainable food systems.

Michigan State University

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

MSU Affirmative Action Statement

The MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) at Michigan State University is committed to achieving excellence by creating and sustaining an accessible and inclusive culture that values cultural and academic diversity. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion.

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer and is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities. Michigan State University employment opportunities are open to eligible/qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. Michigan State University is a pioneer Land Grant institution based in East Lansing, Michigan that provides regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research, excellence in teaching, an emphasis on international engagement, and a strong extension program that partners with diverse stakeholders to bring science-based responses to social and environmental challenges.

• Find tons of additional farming resources at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/additional-farming-resources/