Farmer Training Senior Program Administrator

Overview

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project's (New Entry) mission, in our Friedman Nutrition School, 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 entrepreneurial 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.

What You'll Do

This is a one-year limited term position that is renewable with continued funding.

In collaboration with staff, regional partners, and farmer communities, the Farm Training Senior Program Administrator develops goals and strategies to continually develop, implement, review, and evaluate our farmer training programs. The Farmer Training Senior Program Administrator will handle the below duties:

• Provide year-round technical assistance (TA), mentoring, and training
• Have subject matter knowledge of agriculture and food systems and hands-on programmatic duties to conduct intake and case management (mentoring and technical assistance) for new farmers
• Develop and deliver hands-on and classroom training courses
• Support national outreach and information sharing among national beginning farmer programs
• Oversee New Entry's Incubator Training Farm campus

This is a full-time, year-round position with competitive salary and generous benefits.

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:

• Knowledge and skills as typically acquired by an advanced degree or at least 5 years' experience in delivering training and technical assistance to farmers in the areas of crop production, marketing, financial management, farm infrastructure management, and business planning
• Agricultural training and experience in multiple aspects of farming and farm enterprise is essential
• Prior farm management/farm business ownership/entrepreneurial experience is preferred
• Ability to think strategically and as an entrepreneur to assess client needs and develop new programming
• The following required knowledge and skills as typically acquired by completing
  
• Experience developing and delivering curricula for adult learners from a diversity of backgrounds
• Experience managing multi-user/share land-based farmer training and educational programming via farm site management, equipment use and maintenance, and farmland/soil stewardship
• 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, mentoring/coaching, 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
• Ability to self-motivate and self-direct; preference for working within a rapidly-changing high performance environment
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail
  
• Proficiency in grants management, financial management, and budgeting

Preferred Qualifications:

• Outstanding communication (written, verbal), interpersonal skills, and ability to show empathy
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a wide array of people from extremely diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Excellent public speaking skills
• Demonstrated skills using various computer software and programs (Salesforce, Microsoft Office/Excel, Canvas online course management, Social Media)
• Community organizing and cross-cultural experience helpful; comfort and skill in building relationships with beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmer participants
  
• Fluency in languages other than English a plus

Special Work Schedule Requirements:

Access to reliable private transportation necessary; willingness to travel nationally; willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends; willingness to work outside in all weather conditions on a farm.

Pay Range

Minimum $63,600.00, Midpoint $79,500.00, Maximum $95,400.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.

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