National Project Coordinator - Friedman School of Nutrition - Tufts University

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) improves 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, we provide critical training, career development, and economic opportunity to new farmers. New Entry operates three main programs: Farmer Training (courses, workshops, incubator farm program), Food Hub (CSA, food access, farm-to-institution), and Regional/National Programs (FIELD Network, collaborative training and research projects). New Entry is a program of the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy’s Agriculture, Food and Environment program.

This is a part-time and benefits eligible position at 25 hours per week. It is also an on-site position based at New Entry’s Beverly, MA, Moraine Farm Office. This is also a two-year limited term position that is renewable based upon continued funding. 

The National Technical Assistance Coordinator provides outreach to promote USDA programs and land access services for beginning farmer land-based training networks and leads robust program evaluation strategies locally and nationally. The Coordinator will handle the below responsibilities:

• Provide coordination and technical assistance services to members of the FIELD Network, a national technical assistance (TA) and capacity building network for land-based experiential beginning farmer training programs.
  
• Lead USDA program outreach and technical assistance to national organizations, particularly in underserved communities.
• Manage and build partner relationships.
• Support development and delivery of training workshops and technical assistance for partner organizations and their farmers and connect them to our network partners for information sharing and program development resources.
• Develop educational resources, toolkits, guidebooks, and webinars to support successful programs.
• Support program evaluation, data collection, monitoring, and project reporting.
• Organize annual conferences and monthly convenings of national partners.

This position requires working knowledge of USDA programs and resources, strong farmer relational skills, project management, leadership, evaluation, and networking skills with groups serving immigrant, refugee, and historically underserved and BIPOC farmers.

Basic Requirements:

• Prior experience in national outreach, adult education theory, beginning farmer and rancher training strategies, local and regional food systems, educational resource development, and organizational development
  
• Skills and knowledge in USDA programs and services for beginning and underserved producers
• Experience working in beginning farmer training programs, community organizing, food security, and/or gained through experience working with diverse ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic groups
  
• Ability to lead projects independently and coordinate innovative programming with multiple partners
• Effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to write well and develop compelling impact reports
• Experience working with social media, web-based/online learning, and web resource development
• Experience with programmatic evaluation and assessment
• Experience with event planning, conference organization, and multi-stakeholder gatherings
• Demonstrated leadership skills, strong project management experience, and attention to detail
• Self-directed and able to work well in a rapidly changing, high-performance environment
• Proficiency with standard computer software (MS Office, online meeting software, Social Media, website content development, graphic design, Excel database)
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Salesforce CRM
  
• Demonstrated research capacity – ability to explore new areas of learning and to back up ideas with data and metrics
• Enthusiasm for critically engaging with the local food movement and determining how non-profit programming can better address food insecurity, food access and improve nutritional outcomes
• Organizational development and cross-cultural experience; strong commitment to racial equity and social justice
  
• Experience with adult education theory and training strategies
• Empathy for and sensitivity to food insecurity in underprivileged communities
  
• Multilingual candidates
  

Special Work Schedule Requirements:

This position requires access to reliable private transportation necessary, a willingness to travel nationally, and a willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.