Community Kitchen Project Manager

Job Title: Community Kitchen Project Manager

Status: Full Time/non exempt

Duration: Permanent

Reports To: Market Programs Director

Location: Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands

(5513 S. Cloverdale St. Seattle, WA 98118)

About Tilth Alliance

Tilth Alliance works in community with Washington farmers, gardeners and eaters to build a sustainable, healthy and equitable food future. Through our work we endeavor to promote and support the adoption of organic, regenerative, sustainable growing practices by farmers and gardeners throughout Washington; to make the food produced by these farmers and gardeners more accessible; and to inspire people to enjoy growing, cooking, and eating food that is both good for them, for their communities, and for the environment. The primary strategies we employ in this effort are advocacy, education and collaboration. Equity, inclusion and the promotion of a culture of anti-oppression are important outcomes expected of all the work we do.

About the Position

Tilth Alliance works statewide to help build an ecologically sound, economically viable and socially equitable food system by supporting organic and sustainable farming and gardening practices; raising awareness of the environmental, social, and health impacts of food choices; and promoting stewardship of soil, water, and other natural resources. Tilth Alliance’s Community Kitchen Project Manager is primarily responsible for overseeing our Community Kitchen Program meals, workshops, and educational outreach, and is part of the Market Programs team. In addition to the Community Kitchen work, the Market Program team manages our food access programming including Good Food Bags, our sliding scale discount farm stand and online Marketplace.

This position is responsible for Community Kitchen program planning and execution, outreach and event operations. This includes collaborating with community chefs and small food business owners to plan menus and shop for supplies, working with waste reduction partners to highlight resources and skills, engaging youth in waste reduction workshops, and creating online and print outreach and educational materials. This staff member will also support our staffing for our sliding scale discount farm stand weekly during the summer (mid-June through September) as well as off-season pop up markets, and helps to maintain the shared use kitchen at Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands by helping to coordinate inventory restocking, cleaning, and equipment maintenance.

The Community Kitchens Project Manager will work primarily out of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands (RBUFW), as this is where the programming is based.

Addressing issues of equity and inclusion is a priority for Tilth Alliance. We are committed to recognizing and addressing issues of equity and inclusion within our programs and organization, as well as within the communities where we work. People who have lived experience with food insecurity are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Job Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate and host (x4 annual) Community Kitchen meals at RBUFW with various community chefs- supporting them in sourcing and food prep as needed. Create educational hand-outs and activities focusing on sustainable, local food systems and food waste mitigation.
• Plan, coordinate, and host (x2 annual) Community Kitchens Partner Events highlighting local organizations, resources, and skills for repair, reuse, and other waste reduction activities.
• Plan and lead (x4 annual) workshops with local youth age 14-22 about mitigating food and other types of waste.
• Create (x5 annual) online educational materials such as blog posts and short videos highlighting Community Kitchen events and workshops to share the work and waste reduction skills with a wider audience.
• Identify, cultivate and strengthen relationships with new and existing community chefs, food entrepreneurs, and farmers.
• Classroom kitchen use coordination and support between internal and external users, including support of space rentals. Convene and coordinate Kitchen Committee to foster shared maintenance across programs and users.
• Ensure all aspects of programs abide by food safety rules and regulations.
• Support grant reporting with data collection and tracking.
• Help to identify funding sources and contribute significantly to applications.
• Explore opportunities to support other Tilth Alliance events and projects with Community Kitchen programming.
• Identify areas of program improvement via community focus groups/feedback, and implement those improvements
• Work with the rest of the Market Team as needed, including shifting schedule to support our weekly summer farm stand and off season pop up events.
• Create an inclusive working environment for team, volunteers and partners.
• Supervise and support interns and volunteers.
• Attend staff meetings, speak publicly on behalf of Tilth Alliance, support events and other duties related to being a member of the Tilth Alliance staff.

Required Skills

• Sincere passion for social justice and food sovereignty.
• Experience in kitchen environments including food prep and service.
• Experience in event planning, operations or logistics.
• Experience and knowledge of food safety.
• Experience leading educational programming with youth 14-22.
• Strong community organizing background in the context of diverse populations.
• Experience and understanding of challenges small farmers face in this region.

Desired Experience

• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Strong computer skills. Proficient user of Microsoft Office software and Canva graphic design program.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Work well independently and highly self-motivated.
• Experience working with diverse audiences.
• Are from or have experience building community in the Rainier Valley.

Benefits & Compensation

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) non-exempt position that requires occasional evening and weekend work. It is eligible for our benefits package that includes medical (80-85% employer paid), dental (95% employer paid), employee-funded Flexible Spending Account, 401k with employer match most years, 10 flexible holidays (employee-chosen), 12 sick days per year, 3 weeks paid vacation in years 1 and 2, 4 weeks in years 3 and 4, and 6 weeks in years 5+, 2x annual bereavement days when needed, employee discounts and produce shares, no cost for Tilth Alliance classes/workshops/conference attendance, and annual professional development stipend.

Compensation is $25.00 per hour

In line with our commitment to equity practices, the salary for this position has been carefully determined to reflect market standards and internal equity considerations. We value the skills and expertise that each candidate brings to the table, and we believe that our non-negotiable salary approach fosters a level playing field for all applicants. This practice aligns with our core values of transparency and fairness.