Field School Manager

Future Harvest is seeking a full-time Field School Manager to oversee educational programming for farmers in the Chesapeake region. The role involves planning events, conducting outreach, and collaborating with various stakeholders. While primarily a remote position, there is an option to work from the office in Cockeysville, MD. The manager will travel regionally for events and networking, requiring strong organizational and communication skills.
Mission: Future Harvest’s mission is to advance agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment. We provide education, networking, advocacy, and research to help build a sustainable Chesapeake foodshed, where food flows from farm and fishery to table in ways that strengthen farming and the regional food economy; protect our land, water, and air; and provide healthy, nutritious food that sustains the region’s communities.

Position overview: We are seeking a full-time, energetic, self-motivated, highly organized, and visionary Field School Manager to operate field education programming for the Future Harvest Field School in the Central and Western Chesapeake regions – which covers Central, Western, and Southern Maryland, Northern Virginia, Eastern West Virginia, and Washington DC. The Field School offers peer-to-peer and expert-led education programming for farmers at all experience levels on growing and selling locally and sustainably produced food and fiber. The Field School Manager will report directly to FH’s Field School Director but will also work closely with the Future Harvest Beginner Farmer Training Program Manager, Communications Manager, and Conference Manager when developing programs.

The manager would work from home, but, if interested, can work out of FH’s office in Cockeysville, MD. This is a highly flexible, dynamic position that requires regular regional travel for field days and networking, and some travel outside our region.

Key Responsibilities:
• Plan and execute roughly 10 field educational programs per year, including 4 hands-on days for beginner farmers and 3 events connected to Future Harvest’s Soil School (involves picking topics, recruiting speakers, ensuring event promotion and smooth logistics)
• Provide support for: 2-3 regional study circles, consultant mini-grant program, the annual conference, and ongoing projects (may include tool share platform support)
• Conduct farm visits and other outreach activities to build relationships with regional farmers and partner organizations; work in collaboratives with external partners
• Use FH tech platforms to create registration pages and conduct surveys and interviews
• Review, analyze, and report on progress toward goals, including grant reports, annual reports, and strategic planning
• Conducts general organizational duties such as: keeping work and important organizational papers organized in Google Drive, attending weekly staff calls, annual conference, and other major meetings
• Tables and exhibits at regional and local meetings and conferences
• Additional tasks and responsibilities as needed

Qualifications:
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in agriculture or education, or relevant work experience (e.g. two years’ work experience in food and farming systems, in the non-profit, farming, research, or government sectors)
• Proven track record with event planning and execution
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Organized, detail-oriented, punctual
• Able to work independently and with a team
• Proven track record working with diverse stakeholders in the regional food economy – from farmers to retailers, wholesalers, food system workers, ag researchers, chefs, and consumers
• Knowledge of and contacts in the farming community for the following regions: Central, Western, and Southern Maryland, Northern Virginia, Eastern West Virginia, and/or Washington DC., contacts in the BIPOC farming community a strong plus
• Skilled at relationship building and networking
• Demonstrated commitment and ability to advance organizational racial equity goals
• Creative problem solver and able to juggle multiple projects at a time
• Demonstrated ability to strategically implement field school vision and programming, step-by-step
• Able to work remotely and travel, which includes access to good wifi, car in good working condition, smartphone with unlimited data plan, laptop computer with adequate memory, and color printer all kept in good working condition
• Skilled with multiple types of online platforms and/or ability to learn them quickly
• Willingness to travel and do some weekend work
• Fundraising and grantwriting experience a strong plus
• Sustainable farming experience, knowledge, and/or research a strong plus

Compensation: This is a full-time, salaried position with a starting salary of $45,500-$50,000 and a 7.35%-of-gross-salary benefits/equipment maintenance stipend.

How to apply: Upload application materials, which should include resume, cover letter, three writing samples and references, to https://forms.gle/3XsYWU3tXbUFb7Bt9. Position open until it is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is August 1, 2021 or earlier.