Contract Position: Urban Farming Project Manager

By On · Add Comment · In International District Garden

Friends, we are searching for a project manager to help us develop SWOP and Project Feed The Hood’s urban farming project. This is a great opportunity for someone who loves working on the land and who has a passion for local economic development related to food systems. Please distribute the following contract position notice to your networks. It is for a contract of 10 months duration, with the possibility of continuing on with the project into the future. Many thanks!

 

SouthWest Organizing Project

Project Manager Contract Position

 

POSITION: Project Manager to develop local urban gardening earned income project

CONTRACT DURATION: 10 months

REPORTS TO: Co-Director of Operations

START DATE: May 1st

CONTRACT RATE: $20,000-$25,000 minimum 25 hours a week

The SouthWest Organizing Project was founded in 1980 with a mission to empower our communities in the southwest to realize racial and gender equality and social and economic justice.  Our work is built on a foundation of direct community organizing—building personal and political relationships in the community, developing leadership, and taking action.  We are a statewide community based organization and work throughout New Mexico in working class communities of color.

PROJECT SUMMARY: In 2010 SWOP launched a food justice campaign entitled, Project Feed the Hood. Now in our third year, our next phase includes an earned income component through which we further the objectives of project. We’ve developed an initial earned income business plan for intensive farming of a variety of vegetables at two Albuquerque “micro farm” locations that are then marketed through existing local food channels.  A ¼ of an acre is being prepared at our Riverside location in the South Valley and ½ an acre at our North Valley location.  We are currently in the initial stages of implementation.  The Project Manager will be tasked with further developing the business plan of the project, ensuring effective daily operations, managing staff and working with SWOP staff to assure objectives are met.

JOB RESPONSIBILITES:

 

  1. Develop a 3 year business plan
    1. Design crop cycling and growing plan plan for both sites
    2. Develop farm infrastructure (example: building of hoop houses in the fall, researching Aqua-Ponics system plan)
    3. Develop a 3 year income and expense budget that is supported by market analysis
  2. Manage daily operations of sites
  3. Work with Co-Directors to hire other contract positions
  4. Manage staff once hired
  5. Implement farm plans at two  farm locations: Riverside in the South Valley and Gallegos in the North Valley
  6. Ensure that production quotas are being met and the project is running as cost-effectively as possible
  7. Manage equipment and supplies
  8. Create Monthly reports to the Co-Director of Operations
  9. Create Quarterly reports to the SWOP Leadership Team
  10. Work with Project Feed the Hood staff to understand vision for the project and explore potentials for interconnection with community work
  11. Work with SWOP Co-Directors to hire a contract position to market and sale products
  12. Work with marketing contractor to create and execute a marketing plan
  13. Maintain a Project Feed the Hood presence at farmers markets
  14. Work to connect earned income project with Project Feed the Hood overall campaign
  15. Ensure proper marketing and sale of products

 

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

·           Minimum two years experience in a farm/garden related area

·           Experience with business plan development and execution

·           Experience in program development and execution

·           Skill set in accounting or bookkeeping, and ability to work related software

·           Community or worker organizing experience a plus

·           Superior professional manner & networking abilities

·           Bilingual English/Spanish a plus

·           Computer literacy: word processing, internet navigation, and other work-related applications

·           Knowledge of and commitment to social justice work and SWOP mission

·           Relationships with resources in the community connecting to farming and selling of crops

·           Must be able to work a flexible schedule

 

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Accepting applications until April 16, 2012. Only those offered interviews will be contacted.

 

To Apply:

Please mail, fax, or email the following documents to SWOP, Attn: Bineshi Albert.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please be sure to clearly reference job title “Project

Manager” in all correspondence with SWOP. Interviewees will be expected to clearly articulate ideas on how to execute this contract.

1) Résumé

2) Cover letter

4) References

Send materials to:

bineshi@swop.net

OR

Bineshi Albert

SouthWest Organizing Project

211 10th St. SW

Albuquerque, NM 87102

505-247-8832 (p)

505-247-9972 (f)

Share →