Community Agriculture Director
Athens Land Trust is an innovative and adaptive community and conservation land trust in Georgia. We look for team members who are creative, deeply committed to advancing equity, and excited about embracing an evolving set of responsibilities and opportunities as the organization grows.
The Community Agriculture Program Director is the point person for Athens Land Trust’s community agriculture programs. S/he leads and supports program staff to accomplish strategic goals and objectives set by the board of directors and is a key community partner in the creation of a local, equitable food system that works to comprehensively meets community needs. Applicant should possess an understanding of inequity in access to food, financial support, and infrastructure for underserved communities.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee and support Community Agriculture programs and staff, including the West Broad Farmers Market, the Young Urban Farmers program, ALT Farms, CSA and marketing, Williams Farm, and the Community Garden Network.
- Build and cultivate community partnerships to increase the capacity of the Community Agriculture Program.
- Proactively engage in business development to support beginning and underserved farmers and producers.
- Through intentional community outreach and engagement, create effective programming that addresses needs in the Athens community
- Complement and support the Executive Director in public meetings, community outreach and in finding creative solutions for community needs.
- Network to identify and recruit future members of the Community Agriculture Committee and Board of Directors.
- Work with Executive Director and Community Agriculture Committee to implement the strategic direction and priorities to position the organization as a major resource for healthy lifestyle choices for populations in need. Includes development and implementation of government relations, public policy, and funding strategies in support of the program.
- Oversee the development and implementation of a Work Plan for the program, which establishes priorities throughout the program.
- Manage projects and timely deliverables related to grant funding, including reporting and budgeting, while keeping abreast of multiple ongoing projects.
- Support, nurture, and develop staff, volunteers, clients, and consultants to execute the projects and initiatives of the Community Agriculture Program.
- Establish benchmarks and evaluate program success.
Qualifications:
The Community Agriculture Director is an individual with high ethical standards, excellent strategic planning skills, the ability to connect with people from all walks of life, and a commitment to equity and social justice. S/he actively seeks opportunities to build relationships with new partners and give public talks, and has a track record of engaging diverse groups—public, private, and nonprofit—in delivering on-the-ground results. S/he has the ability to focus on supporting current programming and simultaneously envision how the program can grow to continue to meet community needs. The Director will be someone who brings groups and individuals together to accomplish joint goals and objectives.
A background in food justice is preferred. S/he has a demonstrated ability to successfully prioritize and execute multiple projects with varying timelines and degrees of difficulty. S/he is comfortable with a fast-paced environment and adjusting on the fly to accommodate emerging projects and needs. Superb communication (verbal, written and visual) and time management skills are essential to success in this role. S/he has a strong history of working as a member of a team, effectively collaborating with outside partners as well as colleagues.
To apply: Please send resume, cover letter and references to: krisztian@athenslandtrust.