Saturday, September 29, 2018

USDA SNAP Program Analyst

Background:

The mission of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is to increase food security and reduce hunger in partnership with cooperating organizations by providing children and low-income people with access to food, a healthy diet, and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. FNS provides excellent opportunities for specialized training through its own facilities and outside resources. Career guidance and on- and off-the-job training programs are tailored to an individual employee's needs. If you want to apply your knowledge and skills to food program activities that seek to strengthen America, there is a challenging and rewarding career waiting for you with FNS!

Duties:

This position is in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Program Development Division

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities:

Communicating program policy and providing technical assistance through drafting of regulations, handbooks, toolkits, implementation plans, and guidance material for use by State and local program administrators.

Researching, analyzing and interpreting policy to ensure consistent understanding and application of program rules regarding client access and State agency administration.

Providing recommendations on how apply statutory and regulatory language to specific situations based on a thorough understanding of program objectives, management philosophy and perspective, legislative and regulatory history, and program administration constraints.

Composing well-written, concise briefing materials, talking points, and memoranda to inform senior leadership and decision makers, including Branch Chief, Division Director, Associate Administrator and Under Secretary.

Researching and responding to sensitive or unusually complex inquiries from Congress, States or local offices, Office of General Counsel, other Federal agencies, program participants and the general public relative to assigned program policy.

A full job posting may be found here. 

A merit announcement, for those with Americorps Vista or Peace Corps Noncompetitive Eligibility Status may be found here. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Sustainable Agriculture and Food System Funders

SAFSF is Hiring for Two Positions

SAFSF recognizes that diversity of perspective, lived experience, and professional and personal skills among our staff, leadership, and membership is critical to our success as an organization. Successful candidates for the Member and Strategic Partnerships Manager and the Program Associate positions will be dedicated to SAFSF’s core values – collaboration, equity, respect, stewardship, and integrity.
 
SAFSF seeks a full-time Member and Strategic Partnerships Manager to support, mobilize, and expand SAFSF’s membership and secure new revenue in support of our strategic direction. The Manager will work alongside other staff to foster relationships with current SAFSF members; increase awareness and usage of SAFSF’s services, benefits, resources, and programs; and ensure that a culture of service to members is preserved and promoted throughout SAFSF. Working to expand and increase SAFSF’s already diverse revenue stream (which includes membership dues, project support and general operating grants, event sponsorships, and event registration fees), the Member and Strategic Partnerships Manager will work closely with SAFSF’s broad and diverse membership, as well as its leadership committees, and report to the Executive Director. Location for this position is flexible.
 
Short Candidate Profile: A strong candidate for the Member and Strategic Partnerships Manager position is a professional with a proven track record who will excel at fostering relationships across a broad cross-section of partners, understand that fundraising is about more than just dollars, and be genuinely interested in people and their ideas. The candidate’s excellent written and oral communication, project planning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills reflect a strong intellect, intuition, and sense of humor. The Manager will demonstrate dedication to the values promoted by SAFSF: equity, collaboration, respect, stewardship, and integrity.
Applications are due no later than 12:00 noon Pacific on October 1, 2018. A detailed description of the application process and the link to the online application form are shared in the PDF of the job description.
 
To view the full description and to apply, visit the SAFSF website.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

NSAC Policy Specialist - Farming Opportunities and Fair Competition

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is hiring a Policy Specialist for its Farming Opportunities and Fair Competition Committee.  The responsibilities include:
  • Advocating with executive branch agencies on a regular basis, and on Capitol Hill as needed
  • Drafting policy materials, including policy papers, testimony, legislation, rulemaking comment letters, and regular policy blog posts
  • Contributing to the organization's annual planning, priority setting, fundraising, and coalition-wide meetings
  • Applying an equity lens to all of the above, and striving to advance racial equity both within the coalition's internal processes and through its external campaigns and policy goals
  • Representing NSAC at a variety of partner meetings and coalitions both in DC and around the country 
  • Representing NSAC at conferences and to the media as needed.
A full position description may be found here.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Conservation Law Foundation Legal Fellowship

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) invites applicants for its Charlotte E. Ray Legal Fellowship. CLF’s Charlotte E. Ray Legal Fellowship is a one-year fellowship that honors the memory of Charlotte E. Ray, a trailblazer and Howard University graduate who became the first African-American female lawyer in 1872. This position is ideal for third-year law students, judicial clerks, or recent law school graduates. Strong preference will be given to applicants in a racial or ethnic minority. Candidates with a commitment to environmental advocacy or social justice are encouraged to apply.
A full job description may be found here.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Sr. Research Program Coordinator

General Summary/Purpose

The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) is seeking a full time Sr. Sr. Research Program Coordinator to join its Food System Policy Program team. The position involves the development, implementation, and evaluation of program activities that promote the engagement and mobilization of the public health field in agriculture and food system policy. Working closely with CLF’s Food System Policy Program Manager and Program Director, with the direct reporting to the policy program manager, the Sr. Research Program Coordinator manages a diverse portfolio of projects and activities aiming to advance food policies that protect the public’s health and the environment by supporting a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system.

The Sr. Research Program Coordinator is supervised by CLF’s Policy Program Manager and provides both administrative and project development coordination to support CLF’s Food System Policy Program and other facets of CLF’s work as needed. The Sr. Research Program Coordinator is responsible for a range of activities regarding research, technical assistance, education and communication. The areas of content focus include: industrial food animal production, agriculture and animal livestock legislation at the local, state, federal, and international levels, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Act, and other topics.

Contract Carolyn Hricko, CLF Food System Policy Program manager at: chricko1@jhu.edu with questions.

A link to apply can be found here.

Friday, September 7, 2018

Agriculture Program Director

The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment’s Chesapeake Initiative is seeking a talented and experienced Program Director, Agriculture Program.

This position plays a key role in the evolution and implementation of the Agriculture Program in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, especially in Lancaster and Delmarva, and focuses on creating common ground between highly diverse stakeholders such as our grantees, business interests, farmers, decision-makers and the community at large.

Responsibilities include program, grants, and staff management.  Candidates should also have the following qualifications:
  • At least 5 years of experience in managing a program with a mission of sustained environmental focus with multiple, diverse stakeholders, with 3+ years in an executive position such as Vice President or Program Director
  • Proven track record in developing, and managing direct reports to improve their productivity and capabilities
  • Bachelor’s Degree or Masters in relevant field
A full job description may be found here.

Legislative Attorney - Environmental Law

Position Summary

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), American Law Division (ALD), seeks a Legislative Attorney to analyze legal questions that emerge from the work of Congress related to environmental law in particular and American public law generally.

Responsibilities 

This is a non-litigating position emphasizing qualifications and interest in legal research and writing in a public service legislative context. Candidates with research experience in and broad general knowledge of legal issues regarding environmental law in particular and American public law in general; who demonstrate strong research, writing, and oral communication skills; and who possess a portfolio of high quality legal analytical writing are encouraged to apply. Experience as a judicial clerk will be beneficial.

Qualifications
  •  Knowledge of environmental law in particular and American public law generally**
  • Ability to analyze legal issues**
  • Ability to write in a legal context**
  • Ability to work effectively in a high pressure environment.
  • Ability to convey legal analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations and other presentations.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with others.
  • Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of analysis and consultation.
  • Ability to exercise judgment and discretion.
  • Ability to build and maintain a professional network.
  • Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
 
The full job description from USAJobs can be found here.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Food Program Director

Location: Crescent City, California

Employed By: Family Resource Center of the Redwoods

Reports To: Executive Director 

Time Commitment: 40 hours per week including some evening and weekend hours

Compensation: $48,000 - $54,000 annually (depending on experience) plus monthly health and wellness stipend, retirement benefits, and paid vacation/sick time.

Deadline to Apply: This position will remain open until filled. The first review of applications will take place on September 24th.

Overview
The Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council (DNATL Food Council) is seeking a collaborative and driven Food Program Director. This is an exciting opportunity to increase health and equity in one of California’s most beautiful and isolated regions.

This position will work out of Del Norte County, the beautiful northern corner of coastal California. This region is home to Redwood National and State Parks, the Wild and Scenic Smith River, and miles of Pacific Ocean beaches. There are abundant opportunities for hiking, camping, surfing, and kayaking. Del Norte is also only a short drive from Arcata, home of Humboldt State University and Ashland, home of Southern Oregon University, the Shakespeare Festival, and the Britt Festival.

About the DNATL Food Council
The DNATL Food Council works to build a vibrant local food system that provides healthy, affordable food to all DNATL families. Our programs are organized around three primary efforts: ensuring food security, growing our local food economy, and shifting DNATL’s resident food culture towards healthy foods. The DNATL Food Council is housed within the Family Resource Center of the Redwoods (FRC). We work closely with many community partners including: Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Del Norte County Unified School District, the Cultural Fire Management Council, College of the Redwoods, SNAP-Ed, First 5 Del Norte, local farmers, and local farmers markets.

DNATL is one of 14 communities in The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative, a ten-year, place-based initiative to improve health outcomes for all residents, with a strong emphasis on equity. The DNATL Food Council was founded with a BHC grant in 2010 to bring together food system stakeholders, including residents and consumers, to improve healthy food access and opportunity for all. Recent DNATL Food Council work includes:

·      Collaborating with the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation on a USDA Community Food Project grant to create four food forests across DNATL
·      Designing and opening DNATL’s first choice-based food bank at the FRC
·      Launching Del Norte’s Seamless Summer meals program and expanding it to serve over 50,000 meals each summer
·      Bringing Market Match funding into DNATL’s farmers markets
·      Establishing DNATL’s first college-level agriculture education course offerings
·      Hosting over 50 DIY food and garden workshops at the FRC and throughout DNATL

Job Description: The Food Program Director oversees the management and growth of all DNATL Food Council activities. The Food Program Director essential job duties include the following:
·      Leads program strategy development and implementation
·      Integrates community priorities into overall program strategy
·      Supervises a staff of approximately five employees
·      Coordinates and supports regular meetings of the DNATL Community Food Council
·      Oversees program budget in collaboration with FRC staff
·      Manages current sources of grant funding and seeks out additional funding sources
·      Oversees the completion of all grant reporting requirements
·      Collaborates with numerous community groups and other BHC funded teams
·      Serves as a spokesperson for the DNATL Food Council
·      Liaisons with the FRC Executive Director and Board

Supervisor: The FRC Executive Director supervises this position.

Qualifications and Experience
The Food Program Director will have a passion for creating a just food system. This position requires innovation, flexibility, and a high degree of administrative independence. The successful applicant will have strong writing and story-telling skills, have a high level of empathy and the ability to listen to learn, be culturally competent, and will be intellectually curious. A desire to work with communities experiencing high levels of poverty is also required.

The applicant will have demonstrated skills and abilities in community organizing, public policy, project management, and building positive relationships with staff, community members, public and nonprofit organizations, appointed and elected officials, and others. Practical cooking, gardening, permaculture, and/or farming experience will be helpful. A successful track record of grant writing and management is strongly desired.

A BA in food studies, agriculture, sociology, public health, or other relevant field is required. A Master’s degree in a similar field is preferable. Applicants should have a minimum of two years of increasingly responsible experience with food system or community organizing work, as well as supervisory or administrative experience. Extensive food system and/or community development experience will be considered in lieu of education for an outstanding candidate.

To Apply: Email a cover letter, resume, and two references to brymer@frcredwoods.org.

Questions: Contact Brittany Rymer at 707.464.0955 ext. 2116 or email brymer@frcredwoods.org.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Introducing Hannah Catt - LL.M. Candidate and Graduate Assistant

I'd like to introduce readers of our Ag Food Law Job Blog to Hannah Catt, the 2018-19 LL.M. candidate who received this year's LL.M. Alumni Graduate Assistant award. Hannah is a full-time LL.M. candidate with us here in Fayetteville.

Hannah is from Indiana, and she received her B.A. from Indiana University in Political Science and in Folklore & Ethnomusicology. She attended the University of Maryland Law School, earning her J.D. along with a Certificate in Health Law and a Certificate in Environmental Law. During law school Hannah clerked with the U.S. Department of Justice, Env't & Natural Resources Division. She is a member of the American Agricultural Law Association  and worked with some of our alumni in food and agricultural law positions at the University of Maryland.  As our LL.M. Alumni Graduate Assistant, Hannah will be working with our alumni network and will be researching and reporting on agricultural and food law jobs. She will be maintaining our postings on this blog throughout the year.  Thanks, Hannah.