Community Farmer Program Manager

Multicultural Refugee Coalition

About the organization

Multicultural Refugee Coalition (MRC) is an innovative nonprofit organization employing refugees in fair-wage, dignified work. MRC operates a textile manufacturing social enterprise and a 20-acre certified organic commercial farm as well as offering skills development for refugees.

MRC’s New Leaf Agriculture program trains and employs refugee farmers from traditional farming cultures in dignified work that reconnects them to the earth in their new communities. The program is based on a 20-acre commercial farm outside of Austin where the farmers learn about Central Texas agriculture methods while using organic and regenerative practices.

Refugee farmers earn an income contributing to collective farm projects. The team grows for local farmers’ markets, restaurants, and families through a weekly Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Additionally, New Leaf Agriculture provides growing space through a Community Farmer program.

Duties

The Community Farmer Program Manager (“Manager”) works in conjunction with the New Leaf Agriculture Director (“Farm Director”) to implement the Community Farmer Program. Responsibilities include coordinating up to 40 refugee community farmers’ crop plans from greenhouse to harvest to distribution, managing community farmer invoicing along with the New Leaf Food Access Coordinator, keeping proper records for quarterly grant reporting, leading workshops and field days with the community farmers, and assisting the Farm Director with daily farm tasks.

Approximately 80% of time will be spent coordinating and implementing the Community Farmer program and 20% of time spent performing daily farm tasks in order to learn the farm’s systems, which will be taught to the program’s community farmers in workshops. This schedule will fluctuate based on the seasons and farm needs. Examples of farm activities include planting, harvesting, washing, packing, and greenhouse work.

Hours are Thurs-Monday 8am-4pm, though these may vary by season. Please note that we require working both Saturday and Sunday for this position.

Qualifications

-At least 2 years experience in a managerial role on an organic farm.
-Experience or ability to work with low-English speaking communities with patience, respect and inclusiveness
-Willing to learn
-Experience in program management preferably in the nonprofit sector
-Experience in information gathering and data collection
-Experience managing a team
-Experience in teaching or leading workshops, preferably about farming or gardening
-Respect MRC values
-Work efficiently in all weather conditions
-Can lift at least 50 lbs

Salary

$22/hr.

Application instructions

Contact email: [email protected]

Please send your resume and cover letter with two professional references to Farm Director Matt Simon at [email protected]. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Final candidates will need to complete a background check. We ask applicants to be open to discussing any findings with us as we may have questions.

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Equal Opportunity Employment

The posting employer has certified that this announcement complies with Peace Corps’ Equal Opportunity Employment policy:

The Peace Corps is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees, Volunteers, and applicants for employment and volunteer service. Peace Corps policy prohibits discrimination and harassment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 or over), disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, union membership, genetic information, or history of participation in the Equal Employment Opportunity process, grievance procedure, or any authorized complaint procedure.

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