Food Systems Community & Network Coordinator

Reports To: Executive Director

Location: Santa Barbara County, CA (Hybrid: Remote with In-Person Engagements)

Employment Type: Temporary Part-Time (15-25 hours per week), with the potential to grow into a Permanent Full-Time position

Compensation: $35 - $40/hour

Benefits:

• Collaborative, supportive and flexible work environment that is 90% remote.
• Paid time off, including holidays, office closures the week between Christmas & New Years, and accrued vacation and sick leave.
• A commitment to Pay Equity and ongoing compensation adjustments to allow our team to thrive in the Central Coast.
• Health Stipend, Remote Employee Stipend, Cal Savers Account (401k).
• Opportunities for professional development.

Organization Overview

The Santa Barbara County Food Action Network (SBCFAN) works to build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system in Santa Barbara County. As the steward of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan, SBCFAN connects, advocates for, and builds capacity with food system stakeholders to foster a thriving local food economy, a healthy community, and a well-stewarded foodshed.

Position Summary

The Food Systems Community and Network Coordinator plays a key role in supporting SBCFAN’s regional network of farmers, producers, nonprofits, public agencies, and community leaders. This part-time position focuses on coordinating collaboration, amplifying local food initiatives, and strengthening connections between community needs, partner efforts, and broader systems-level goals.

As only the second paid staff member at SBCFAN, this is a foundational position in our growing team. The role requires someone who is equally comfortable coordinating meetings, managing communication systems, and supporting the ongoing operations of our Community of Practice (CoP). While temporary and part-time to start (funded by a grant), our goal is to grow this role into a full-time, long-term position.

Key Responsibilities

Network Coordination & Relationship Building

• Serve as a key point of contact for SBCFAN’s hundreds of network members
• Support the coordination of partnerships across sectors (e.g., producers, agencies, health systems, nonprofits)
• Coordinate communication and engagement across working groups, ensuring clarity and alignment
• Help support outreach to expand and diversify the network with a focus on equity and access

Community of Practice (CoP) Support & Facilitation

• Coordinate the logistics of SBCFAN’s CoP four working groups aligned with regional food system clusters
• Manage the CoP listserv, member roster, shared calendar, and Zoom account
• Prepare agendas (in English and Spanish), set up Zoom links, and send calendar invites
• Host virtual bilingual meetings, manage chat and technical needs, take detailed meeting notes (in English or Spanish) and translate into the second language, and distribute follow-ups
• Collaborate with co-conveners to keep communication organized and timely

Community Engagement & Convening

• Assist outside event production team with planning and logistics for workshops, conferences, and events (in-person and virtual)
• Represent SBCFAN at occasional local meetings and community events (as availability allows)

Bilingual Communication & Resource Sharing

• Share timely opportunities and resources via newsletters, the Online Food Hub, and social media
• Monitor social media inboxes, general email and voicemail for CoP inquiries and route as needed
• Contribute to outreach and storytelling efforts, including drafting content in English and Spanish and managing files

Administrative Support

• Provide calendar and inbox support for CoP co-conveners
• Monitor the CoP’s voicemail and general email account
• Maintain a well-organized Google Workspace, including folder creation, file naming, and sharing management

Impact Tracking

• Track participation and engagement across meetings and events
• Support ongoing documentation of outcomes, feedback, and lessons learned

You are:

• Passionate about SBCFAN’s mission with an unwavering commitment to advancing equity, inclusion and sustainability within our local food system.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, able to fluently speak and write professionally in both languages.
• Comfortable managing logistics, digital platforms, and bilingual communication (English/Spanish)
• An experienced network builder with a passion for community engagement and a familiarity with food systems or agriculture-related work.
• Capable of both the “ground level” and “birds eye” view, able to solve problems “in the trenches” and then apply that experience towards improving our work.
• An expert project manager, with experience on how to initiate, plan, execute, monitor and close a project.
• Highly skilled at interfacing with diverse partners, providing the highest level of customer service, resolving complex problems with delicacy and composure.
• An internet-savvy taskmaster who can thrive in a mostly virtual environment; loves working under minimal supervision; and embraces the solitary nature of working from home for a portion of your time
• Comfortable “managing up,” working collaboratively with colleagues who may have decades of experience, knowing that diverse teams are strong teams and that each of our lived experiences contributes to our success as a whole.
• Experienced with digital tools (e.g., CRM systems, Google Workspace, Zoom, online collaboration tools, project management software, generative AI and social media).
• You’re not afraid to ask questions—you value clarity, seek feedback, and believe that asking for help or more context is a sign of strength, not weakness.
• Undaunted by the fact that you may not fill EVERY requirement in this job description because you’re confident that you can prove your ability to acquire these skills and are eager to do so.
• Committed to maintaining a healthy work/life balance in your life by acquiring a position that is challenging, fulfilling AND flexible.

Commitment to Equity & Inclusion

SBCFAN is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We believe that equity, inclusion, and justice are essential to a thriving local food system. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and members of other historically marginalized groups. If you meet most but not all of the qualifications, we still encourage you to apply—we value lived experience, potential, and passion just as much as formal credentials.

Application & Hiring Process

1. Fill out the online application and upload your resume. NO NEED to write a cover letter or jump through other hoops. NOTE: only applications who answer “yes” to the minimum qualification questions will be considered for an interview.
2. We will review applications as they are received and hold first and second round interviews on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
3. Estimated Hiring Timeline:
   1. 6/20/25 - Job Posted
   2. 6/30/25 - Interviews Begin
   3. 7/14/25 - 8/1/25 - Position Offered
4. We won’t ghost you and we won’t waste your time. If it’s not the right fit at this time, we’ll let you know! And we ALWAYS invite applicants to re-apply as new positions become available.
5. This temporary part time position is funded by a grant through August 2026. It is our strongly held intention to secure funding to move this to a full time, permanent position.
6. We WILL be offering the position within the stated wage range ($35 - $40/hour). Please do not apply if this range is not acceptable to you.

Example of a Typical Work Week for the Food Systems Community & Network Coordinator (Part-Time, 15–25 Hours)

Monday (4 hours)

• Check and respond to emails and messages from the CoP listserv, general email account, voicemail and social media inboxes
• Prioritize tasks in Asana and flag urgent items for the Executive Director or co-conveners
• Update the Community Kitchen Hub with a new funding opportunity
• Meet with the event planning firm on logistics for an upcoming regional Blue Economy convening

Tuesday (4–5 hours)

• Host the monthly virtual CoP working group meeting on Zoom:
  • Attend and host the zoom, manage participant access and chat, record the meeting
  • Take detailed meeting notes, translate notes to English / Spanish
  • Upload meeting notes, any relevant documents and zoom recording to Google Drive.
• Schedule follow-ups and share highlights with the broader network via the listserv
• Prepare for next month’s CoP meeting:
  • Set up the Zoom link
  • Create the meeting agenda in both English and Spanish
  • Create and send the calendar invitation with the agenda to the full CoP list

Wednesday (3 hours)

• Build a set of templates and folders in Google Drive to help organize the CoP’s upcoming multi-million state grant application
• Review engagement metrics and update the bookkeeping firm that is helping with tracking and reporting grant deliverables

Thursday (3–4 hours)

• Meet with one of the co-conveners to review calendar logistics and prep for an upcoming Lompoc site tour for the Working Lands Working Group
• Draft content in English and Spanish for the monthly newsletter and social media, including member highlights and policy updates; send to the Executive Director for review/approval.

Friday (2–3 hours)

• Finalize and schedule social media posts
• Review project progress in Asana and adjust timelines as needed
• Respond to general inquiries in the CoP email account and voicemail
• Wrap up outstanding communications and prep materials for the following week