Director of Growing Together

The Nashville Food Project

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Job Summary

Mission, Vision, and Values
The Nashville Food Project brings people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city. At The Nashville Food Project, we embrace a vision of vibrant community food security in which everyone in Nashville has access to the food they want and need through a just and sustainable food system. This mission and vision are guided by core organizational values, including hospitality, stewardship, interdependence, learning, justice, and transformation.

Organizational Background
The Nashville Food Project (TNFP) was born from the idea that good food is a matter of basic dignity. Since its start in 2007, TNFP has served thousands of Nashvillians facing food insecurity. In 2011, TNFP was incorporated as an independent nonprofit, shifting the focus of its meals program toward a collaborative partnership model and launching an urban agriculture program. Today, TNFP continues to connect people to nourishing food and to each other through vibrant urban agriculture projects, made-from-scratch meals, and food shared with local partners working to disrupt cycles of poverty.

Position Summary
The Director of Growing Together is both a doer and a visionary who enjoys putting their hands in the dirt one day and planning the future of the program the next. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer (CPO), the Director of Growing Together (DGT) oversees the Growing Together program and collaborates with the CPO and the Garden Team to define and implement the strategic goals and priorities for the program. The DGT leads daily work on the Growing Together farm alongside staff, interpreters and volunteers, and provides farmer education, production and marketing support, and site management. The DGT is a vital representative of, and an advocate for, Growing Together and is a steward of the welfare and success of its farmer community. The DGT is excited to work with farmers who speak languages other than English and are from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. This position has supervisory responsibilities.

Program Summary
Growing Together is TNFP’s farm incubation program, engaging farmers interested in growing produce for market, generating personal income, and building community food security. Growing Together expands opportunity for aspiring farmers through access to land, resources, training and technical assistance, and marketing support. Growing Together farmers sell their produce through a variety of channels, including a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and restaurants, among others. Priority is currently given to people from Nashville’s New American communities who have agrarian backgrounds but limited pathways to farming and earning income. Growing Together currently supports farmers who arrived in the U.S. as refugees from Burma and Bhutan. In the future, TNFP hopes to expand participation to additional communities of color in Nashville.

Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Program Leadership
● Collaborate with the CPO and the Garden Team to develop the strategic vision, goals and metrics for the Growing Together program
● Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of the annual Growing Together budget, ensuring expenditures are aligned with allotted funds
● Implement quarterly and annual impact reporting protocol and support the creation of year-end and quarterly reports for internal and external stakeholders
● Collaborate with the Garden and Share Teams to establish and achieve annual produce sharing goals for Growing Together and the Community Farm at Mill Ridge
● Lead and maintain regular communication with the leadership of Christ Lutheran Church, the site of the Growing Together Farm
● Manage the Growing Together apprenticeship program, including recruitment, onboarding, facilitation of mentor/apprentice relationship, skills training, and support
● Collaborate with the CPO and Development Team to create and implement Growing Together’s annual marketing strategy for the CSA program and general vegetable sales
● Provide support to TNFP’s Development Team by representing Growing Together through writing articles/blogs, photos and content for social media and newsletters

Business & Partnership Development
● Build and maintain relationships with community organizations to facilitate distribution of Growing Together produce to low-income communities in Nashville
● Establish and maintain a network of wholesale partnerships with restaurants, Nashville Grown, and other food businesses in order to provide reliable market access opportunities
● Design and oversee annual plans for marketing and managing Growing Together produce, including customer and partner communications, produce inventory, produce harvesting and distribution, and invoicing of sales
● Identify and design opportunities to expand mission-aligned revenue-generating activities through Growing Together, including grants, program fees, sales, and social enterprises
● Develop engagement opportunities at the Growing Together Farm for CSA customers, partner organizations, volunteers, and community members
● Facilitate volunteer groups from diverse backgrounds, ages and levels of experience

Education & Outreach
● Design and facilitate hands-on farm training for farmers using participatory adult education methods and peer to-peer knowledge sharing
● Work closely and regularly with program interpreters to coordinate weekly farm activities, including workshops, trainings, and production, harvest, and post-production schedules
● Conduct annual meetings with farmers to develop individual education and production plans
● Direct farm site management, including overseeing maintenance schedules for garden tools and equipment, mowing and weed-eating, and sustainable stewardship practices
● Plan and manage seasonal and daily needs of the farm, including setting and managing schedules for procuring seeds, transplant production, greenhouse work, soil preparation, pest management, compost maintenance, weeding, irrigation, and harvesting

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
● High school diploma/equivalent or relevant life experience
● Experience and confidence in managing teams of diverse individuals
● Experience facilitating educational opportunities with individuals and groups
● A strong background in urban agriculture, whole farm management, and sustainable food systems, with at least 3-5 years experience with vegetable production and marketing
● Interest in anti-hunger work and food justice
● Ability to regularly lift and move at least 40 pounds
● Ability to delegate farm management responsibilities to volunteers and colleagues
● Highly organized and confident working independently and collaboratively
● Strong interpersonal skills and ability to cultivate safe and ethical community relationships
● Strong communication skills—written, verbal, and in one-on-one interactions
● Cooperative and collaborative work ethic and a positive attitude
● A valid driver license and safe driving record
● English fluency, oral and written

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
● Bachelor’s degree or higher
● Experience working with adults learning English as a second language
● Awareness of, and sensitivity to, power dynamics within immigrant and refugee, and/or BIPOC communities
● Proficiency and comfort using computers, with abilities in Microsoft Office Suite
● Bilingual language proficiency in Spanish, Swahili, Arabic, Nepali and/or Burmese

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in our work and mission to info@thenashvillefoodproject.org. Applications received on or before January 27, 2023 will receive priority consideration. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

In all aspects of its work, The Nashville Food Project strives for a culture of inclusivity and fairness without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics protected by law.

Details

• Date Posted: January 5, 2023
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Other
• Service Area: Community Development
• Working Hours: 40hrs/wk