Community Garden Program Coordinator POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title: Community Garden Program Coordinator Reports to: Farm & Garden Program Manager Marion-Polk Food Share is a regional food bank and part of the Oregon Food Bank Network that serves the residents of Marion and Polk Counties, a region covering 1,938 square miles with a population of 394,865 persons. The mission of Marion-Polk Food Share is “Leading the fight to end hunger in Marion and Polk Counties, because no one should be hungry.” Summary of role – Community Gardens Program Coordinator The Community Garden Program Coordinator is responsible for daily operations of the Food Share’s Community Gardens program. This position supports our network of over 60 community gardens through network development and organization, trainings, resource procurement and distribution, volunteer coordination and garden consulting. The Community Gardens Program Coordinator also assists with the Food Share’s garden-based community education programs. Statement of Purpose: Increase community self-sufficiency through providing access to community gardens and garden resources. Areas of Responsibility and Tasks:
Coordinate day-to-day operations of the MPFS Community Gardens Program, focusing on supporting our network of gardens and garden coordinators. Evaluate and respond to garden needs and supply resources, such as seeds, plants, hardscape, volunteers and educational resources. Distribute resources in an equitable manner. Handle a high volume of daily phone calls and emails from volunteer garden coordinators and the general public. Respond with a high level of customer service and promptness. Train and coordinate volunteers in positions ranging from garden leadership to occasional workdays. Understand volunteer needs of garden network and work with Volunteer Administrator to fulfill those needs. Work with Farm & Garden Team to offer an annual garden coordinator training. Supervise large volunteer work parties at community garden sites. Support the development of garden committees. Working with community partners, identify volunteer garden leadership and contingency planning. In collaboration with Programs team, coordinate garden-based educational programs that increase community’s knowledge of sustainable gardening techniques and introduce new individuals to gardening.
Conduct yearly garden assessments. Track garden network data and develop reports in collaboration with Farm & Garden Program Manager. Work with garden coordinators to advertise garden program services and keep garden plots well-utilized. Assist garden coordinators in responding to and resolving community gardener conflicts. Increase awareness of MPFS through gardens and garden events. Ensure inclusion of MPFS marketing and other MPFS resources throughout program. Occasionally work with garden program supply donors in collaboration with Development Department. Work collaboratively with a range of community partners, such as city government, other nonprofits, and business partners. Support Farm & Garden team in other projects as needed, such as assistance with the Marion-Polk Food Share Youth Farm. Other duties as assigned.
Position Proficiency Requirements:
Intermediate to advanced skills in organic gardening required. Experience in program coordination or community organizing preferred, including experience supervising volunteers. Excellent organizational skills required. Ability to successfully balance multiple projects and prioritize effectively. Good oral and written communication skills. Ability to make public presentations and write in a professional manner. Strong interpersonal/customer service skills. Fluent with MS Office, email communications, basic computer technology. Comfortable working with diverse populations, including non-English speakers, faith community and families experiencing poverty. Ability to handle and mediate conflict on occasion. Must be comfortable driving large trucks (pickup, box truck) and using farm/garden equipment (small tractor, walk behind rototiller, auger, etc…). Must pass a driver background check. Strong passion for community gardening, food security, community food systems or poverty issues. Fluency in Spanish preferred. Ability to pass a background check and drug screen.
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Job Conditions:
Work will involve sustained periods of standing, regular, moderate physical labor and heavy manual labor on occasion. Must be able to lift 50 lbs. on a regular basis. Work will involve regular travel and use of MPFS truck, trailer, tractor, rototiller and other equipment. Work on weekends and evenings will be required.
Posting details: Start Date: As soon as possible. Wage: DOE. Range begins at $14.00/hour Hours: 32 hours/week. Part-time, regular position. How to apply: Send a completed MPFS employment application, resume and cover letter to
[email protected]. Employment application found at http://www.marionpolkfoodshare.org/ContactUs/Careers.aspx. For questions about the position, call 503-581-3855 x339. Deadline to apply: September 16th, 2015. Earlier applications highly encouraged.
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TITLE:
Community Garden Program Coordinator
DATE:
DEPARTMENT:
Programs
EXEMPT/NONEXEMPT:
Non-exempt
SUPERVISOR TITLE:
Farm & Garden Program Manager
JOB CONDITIONS: APPROVED: SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE
DATE
HUMAN RESOURCES
DATE
EMPLOYEE SIGNATURE
DATE
APPROVED:
RECEIVED:
PLEASE NOTE:
This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be asked to perform other duties. You will be evaluated in part based upon your performance of the tasks listed in this job description. MPFS reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment. Though submitting a resume to Marion-Polk Food Share implies you are interested in a position, it does not imply you are an applicant. You are not considered an applicant until you have been contacted directly by a Human Resources representative requesting that you begin the designated application process, which may involve phone and/or in-person interview(s), job-related testing, and background checking.
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