Regional Food Systems Program Manager

Location: Sonoma County office – TBD

Hours: 1.0 FTE

Salary: Competitive salary offered. Medical, dental, and vision benefits offered.

Stat Date: January 7, 2012

The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) is a non-profit organization whose

mission is to advocate for California family farms and sustainable agriculture. CAFF is a

membership organization guided by a board of directors that includes family farmers and others

who are passionate about food, farming and the environment. CAFF staffs Regional Food

Systems work on the ground such as Farm to School projects, Buy Fresh Buy Local campaigns,

and providing technical assistance in accessing new markets to farmers; and CAFF also operates

at the statewide level in policy advocacy and coalition building in these areas. Our main goals

are to increase the economic viability of California family farmers and to connect communities

with their local producers. See http://www.caff.org for more information.

The Regional Food System Managers (RFSMs) are primarily responsible for overseeing CAFF's

current programs and developing opportunities for program growth in their region. This position

is in charge of overall programming and is integral to elevating CAFF's presence in the region.

Specific projects implemented will vary depending on the region's needs and current landscape.

The RFSMs are the foundation for staffing in the regions but may need to hire support staff or

may rely on technical support from other staff within CAFF to carry out projects. Sonoma

County is CAFF's newest staffed region, but the position will be supported by an active CAFF

Chapter and the Farm to Institution committee of the Sonoma County Food Systems Alliance.

The current projects in Sonoma County include providing technical assistance to school districts

throughout the county in sourcing local produce, supporting local aggregation and distribution

efforts with partners, and overseeing a Harvest of the Month tasting kit program for students in

the region. This position supervises a Farm to School Coordinator and reports to the Regional

Food Systems Director in Oakland.

Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Program Management (75%):

• Oversee current projects in the region

• Lead Farm to School, Buy Fresh Buy Local, and farmer technical assistance efforts in the region

• Provide technical assistance to Sonoma County schools, particularly Santa Rosa City Schools, in procurement of local produce

• Support development of a aggregation hub by providing technical assistance in sales, marketing, and connections with buyers and growers

• Evaluate results of implemented projects

• Track all program results

• Manage relationships with partners

• Manage local funder relationships and reporting

• Supervise staff and/or Americorps Members, if applicable

Regional Development (20%):

• Build membership in the region

• Conduct outreach to potential partners/customers

• Build and maintain relationships with regional farmers to keep up to date with their needs

• Participate in local collaborative efforts and develop relationships with potential partners and funders

• Conduct presentations to promote CAFF's work; promote fee for service offerings

• Identify and apply for local opportunities for program funding

• Strategize ways for building community support for CAFF's programs

• Manage chapter relations and support chapter efforts, as needed

Program Administration (5%):

• Collaborate with regional staff statewide

• Manage data collection and funder reports

• Handle administrative duties in the regional office

• Participate in program and strategic planning as needed

Qualifications:

• At least five years of program management and staff supervision experience

• Thorough understanding of school food programs and institutional procurement practices

• Experience in and knowledge of food aggregation and distribution

• Strong project management skills

• Ability to work autonomously and independently

• Excellent communication skills including writing and presenting to groups

• Experience in working with schools and/or farmers

• Knowledge of agriculture, health and nutrition, obesity prevention efforts, etc.

• Experience in performing evaluations and/or assessments

• Experience in fundraising for non-profits

• Sonoma County residency strongly preferred

• Applicant must have access to a vehicle as some driving to area schools is required