Farm Fresh Rhode Island seeks an outgoing and energetic Community Education Associate with demonstrated initiative and clear organizational communication skills to support Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Community Education program operations and ensure activities are carried out effectively and efficiently.
Farm Fresh RI is a growing and increasingly complex organization, with significant back-end demands to ensure that programs run efficiently and in concert with each other. Our Community Education programs provide hands-on learning experiences for the public around food, food systems, healthy eating, and accessing healthy, local foods.
The Community Education Associate plays a central role in facilitating this well-balanced flow of activities by assisting with scheduling and coordinating education initiatives, as well as executing education programming with community partners. This position plays a key role in executing grant activities and ensuring programming topics are responsive to community, funder, and organizational needs.
A central function of the role will be fostering positive relationships with Community Education and Farm to School partners, and supporting education and outreach efforts to increase the amount of locally grown foods consumed by Rhode Islanders. This role demands an ability to stay organized, think on a systems level, and readily jump between projects.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Execute educational programming such as after-school, in-school, library, cafeteria, and senior center programs.
- Review and schedule requests for Community Education programs.
- Manage and nurture relationships with site contacts, working closely with them to customize activities to the needs of the participants and sites.
- Assist Program Director with training and support of Community Education AmeriCorps members, part-time employees, and volunteers.
- Monitor inventory of education materials and supplies as needed while ensuring effective use of program resources and budget.
- Assist with implementing and tracking grant objectives and upholding compliance with grants.
- Ensure that program data is collected and entered into tracking databases accurately and in a timely manner.
- Ensure weekly programming schedules and logistics are documented and communicated to staff, volunteers, and interns using email, text, and digital calendar updates as well as in person.
- Support Program Assistant Director with financial and budget tracking as needed.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Needed to Perform this Role
- Self-starter and ability to maintain a self-motivating attitude
- Passion for local food, food systems and social justice
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to juggle and track multiple tasks and responsibilities
- Demonstrated commitment to the success of co-workers and Farm Fresh RI’s mission and values
- Ability to prioritize and handle a variety of assignments simultaneously in a vibrant work environment
- Must be able to build relationships with people from varied cultural, economic, educational, racial, and religious backgrounds
- Must be able to collaborate and work on cross program and departmental teams and efforts
- Must have strong and evolving commitment to participating in Farm Fresh RI’s equity goals
- Must hold valid driver’s license and have access to reliable personal transportation in order to transport materials to and from programs (business miles will be reimbursed)
- Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the U.S.
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must pass a background check in order to provide services in schools and senior care settings
Priority Skills
Candidates with any of the following skills will be prioritized:
- Spanish speaking or non-English language skills
- Formal or informal education experience
- Deep understanding of communities in Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls
- Knowledge and experience with community organizing
Physical Demands (Physical, Mental & Environmental)
The following capabilities are required in order to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations that do not create an undue burden on the company are available to address the following requirements.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit/stand for long periods of time at a desk; use hands to handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls on computers; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear in meetings and on the telephone or on the computer in an office or variable setting.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Employees must be able to lift and carry up to 40 lbs.
- Ability to travel, which may include travel via car, train, bus.
Compensation
- This is a part-time, 30 hour per week position paid hourly at $20 per hour.
- Paid Sick & Safe Leave benefits accruing hourly starting first week of employment.
- Annual professional development credit and opportunities.
To Apply
- Please send your resume and cover letter Attn: Stephanie Bush to [email protected] with subject line “Community Education Associate.”
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis for start in early May. Final application deadline is April 17, 2023.
- No phone calls or drop-ins please.
Organizational Info
Farm Fresh has grown briskly since achieving 501c3 status in 2007, to capture the public interest in locally grown food and translate it into sales for local and regional farmers and producers. Strongly mission-driven, Farm Fresh RI hosts a variety of programs to enhance the local food system, with particular attention to farm viability and low-income access to fresh food. Farm Fresh also operates a range of marketplace programs (retail, wholesale, processing) that engage and connect tens of thousands of eaters with thousands of farmers and food producers across the Northeast region.
Mission: Farm Fresh Rhode Island is growing a local food system that values the environment, health, and quality of life of farmers and eaters in our region.
Vision: A Northeast region abundant with diverse family farms and fertile soils, with locally and honestly produced foods and flavors at the heart of every dinner table.
Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s work environment is fast-paced and collaborative. We value creative thinking, approach our work with energetic spirit, and strive to have fun together while we’re at it!
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment for all employees. We encourage enquiries from candidates who will enrich and contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our organization. Farm Fresh RI does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, or disability status in employment or programming. Farm Fresh Rhode Island is an Equal Opportunity Provider.