Solidarity Economies in Agroecology Project Manager

CAN is seeking qualified applicants for a Project Manager for its Solidarity Economies in Agroecology (SEA) Project. This is a new position that is responsible for strengthening CAN’s focus on solidarity economies across its agroecological and food sovereignty projects.

The SEA Project Manager works collaboratively with CAN project managers and directors to support:

1)Researching case studies, economic opportunities, and solidarity economic models guided by inquiry and actions emerging from CAN’s initiatives

2) Collective learning about solidarity economies with the CAN team, and

3) Cultivating, leveraging, and sustaining relationships with socially responsible ethical supply chain actors and ecological or cooperative businesses

4) Overseeing CAN’s direct trade model AgroEco ® Coffee

The SEA Project Manager will primarily support these efforts in service of the campesino community organizations that form part of CAN’s network through the RIAC (International Youth Network in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty) and a forthcoming Youth Solidarity Revolving Loan Fund, regional California partners focused in agroecology, and AgroEco® Coffee. This position will support the creation of economic and social infrastructure that can continue to regenerate territorial community based processes led by these same campesino and youth organizations.

This is a guaranteed one year position with ongoing employment pending funding. CAN is currently seeking ongoing funding to integrate this as a long term position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Development and Management

CAN’s Solidarity Economies Strategic Direction

• Works closely with the executive director and associate director to build alignment across the organization on the topic of solidarity economies, agroecology, and food sovereignty.
• Cultivates and stewards relationships with ethical supply chain actors to develop alliances and support fundraising for economic solidarity projects led by CAN and network partners.
• Supports writing reports and articles related to solidarity economies and project learnings with CAN team members.
• Reports and makes recommendations regarding programmatic changes.

Youth Solidarity Revolving Loan Fund

• Researches potential models for the revolving loan fund and seed fund that fit the needs of the communities participating in the co-creation of the program.
• Cultivates relationships with a network of advisors who can provide expertise and lead learning sessions with youth.
• Co-facilitates planning meetings to establish the mission, management, distribution and regeneration processes of the revolving loan fund.
• Supports RIAC project managers with planning sessions to create the protocols and procedures for the creation of a loan fund and support in the co-production of a written charter of community agreements.
• Jointly manages collective dialogue at a monthly video meeting and in-person exchange to reach shared agreements.
• Builds relationships to raise funding from specific businesses committed to ethical sourcing from existing and new partners. Stewards existing business donor relationships from GrowAhead and local businesses in northern California.
• Liaises with RIAC project managers and the Youth Commission that will support the loan fund’s operations.
• Responsible for ensuring that Youth Commission members have the necessary information and capacity to implement the Revolving Loan Fund’s protocols and procedures.

CAN’s direct trade model AgroEco® & Local Solidarity Economies

• Organizes, analyzes, and co-publishes CAN’s AgroEco direct trade model systematized archives (history, changes, and learnings) as they relate to topics in solidarity economies for sharing with other CAN staff and communications cluster.
• Supports the research of possible market channels in California’s Central Coast and the Bay Area.
• Maps out business strategy and pricing research from a solidarity economies lens.
• Builds relationships and alliances that promote new or support existing local community efforts connected to CAN’s solidarity economies and agroecological work.
• Oversees local permitting processes for food and produce vending and upkeep of AgroEco contracts and legal registrations.
• Coordinates learning sessions with local projects on solidarity economies.

Administration

• Assists in the development of project budgets, program goals and objectives.
• Ensures that funding reports are completed in a timely manner.
• Attends CAN staff meetings, retreats.
• Supports the communication team by creating reports and other written materials.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• B.A. level or 5 years of knowledge in alternative economies, values-based supply chains, ethical businesses in food systems preferred knowledges in solidarity economies
• Experience working with rural or agricultural communities
• Experienced in working collaboratively with people of different backgrounds and worldviews
• Committed to economic and social justice in rural and agricultural communities

Language Skills

• Bilingual Spanish and English; excellent verbal and written skills in both languages
• Able to provide group presentations in both languages via video and in-person to community members and funders.

Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation

• Five years of successful program planning and implementation.
• Great communication and organizational skills
• Ability to assess project needs and conduct market and supply chain research.
• Ability to work in a participatory manner with youth and other community members.
• Proven experience developing in writing and implementing protocols and procedures for programs.
• Experienced in establishing systems for recording group meetings and developing joint materials.
• Able to establish and maintain professional and supportive work relationships among youth and other community members to ensure: program participation, ongoing communication, constructive feedback and partnership.
• Ability to develop and implement evaluation tools to monitor project success.

Strong vacation & benefits package (medical, dental, vision, retirement savings plan, life insurance plan).

• Bilingual Spanish and English; excellent verbal and written skills in both languages
• Able to provide group presentations in both languages via video and in-person to community members and funders.