North Shore Youth Development Manager

What We Seek

The North Shore Youth Development Manager - Root Crew plays an integral role in implementing and developing The Food Project’s youth engagement model. They provide primary leadership for The Food Project’s Root Crew during the summer and academic sessions. The Youth Development Manager also contributes significantly to the organization's youth crew development and evaluation.

The Food Project’s Youth Development Model

At The Food Project, we work in three youth crews, each related, but different, dynamic, and particular. Root Crew is our most advanced opportunity for youth, and one in which Crew Members continue to deepen their personal learning about sustainable food systems by taking leadership for public initiatives in the communities where we work, leading volunteers on our farms, facilitating peer workshops with Seed Crew and Dirt Crew, developing and facilitating public workshops, presenting at local, regional and/or national conferences, etc. Root Crew Members may continue to apply for positions in Root Crew throughout the time they are in high school.

Responsibilities

Youth Engagement - Summer Season (May-Aug) and Academic year (Sep-May) 80%

Summer Recruitment and Setup: Overseeing and being the overall point person for Root Crew summer recruitment, interviews, and selections. Work with the Operations Coordinator to coordinate logistics around calendars, transportation, MBTA tickets, and workshop supplies.

Summer Program: Implement daily sessions with the Root Crew in accordance with stated schedule, design and learning objectives, focusing on building deeper knowledge of social justice and food justice issues and skills in communication and relationship building across social barriers, farmer and community engagement.

Summer Supervision: Coach, mentor, and supervise academic peer leader and assistant Root Crew Supervisor to ensure a smooth, high-impact experience for Crew Workers throughout the summer (leader meeting).

Academic Year Recruitment: Overseeing and being the overall point person for Root Crew academic year recruitment, interviews, and selection.

Academic Program: Implement weekly group sessions with Root Crew throughout the academic season in accordance with stated learning objectives, focusing on building youths’ knowledge of social justice and food justice issues and their skills in community engagement, and performing rigorous work in sustainable agriculture.

Academic Year Supervision: Coach, mentor, and supervise academic peer leader and assistant Root Crew Supervisor to ensure a smooth, high-impact experience for Crew Workers throughout the academic year (leader meeting)

Community Engagement, Program Strategy, and Impact 10%

Community of Practice & Engagement (Team): Work with Regional Team to implement a community of practice & engagement contributing to the alignment, maintenance, and further development of a strong, coordinated, multi-year program development in accordance with organizational strategy.

Institutional Partners: Represent TFP at various strategic community and institutional gatherings and committees as needed

Resident Engagement: Work in collaboration with North Shore Associate Director of Youth Programs and Community Partnership to research, help build up TFP’s model of resident engagement in Lynn through local food systems change initiatives.

Evaluation: Participating in Root Crew overall evaluation, managing Growth Guidelines in partnership with TFP Impacts and Initiatives team

Curricular & Experience Alignment: Work in collaboration with the Director of Learning and Programs and Regional Associate Directors to co-design an aligned flow of curriculum and experience structures for Root Crew youth programs, based on organizational goals for both summer and academic seasons.

Farmers' Market: Support with staffing of the Lynn farmers' market on Thursdays from September through October.

Management 5%

Supervisor Check-ins: One on one check ins between supervisor and supervisee.

Vehicle Upkeep: Manage maintenance and upkeep of 15-passenger van

Budget: Update and Management of budget

Organizational Health 5%

• Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, Equity: Training, work, affinity group space, dialogue space.
• Feedback Participation: Real Talk, Peacemaking Circle, etc.
• All Staff Meetings: Team Building, Trainings, Activities, Strategic Planning/Annual Planning as determined
• Supplemental Strategic Planning, Annual Planning, Budgets: Individual supplemental working time to work on these pieces outside of built-in staff time. This complements all staff meetings.
• Support Recruitment, Onboarding, Orientation, Training: Tap into various networks, participate in screenings, interviews, etc., for all organizational positions.
• Health & Wellness: Building in intentional time to dedicate for your personal health and wellness.
• Perform other duties as needed, within capacity.

Qualifications

• At least two to three years of experience working directly with high school youth in teaching, organizing, mentoring, and/or facilitative capacity.
• Experience facilitating discussions or training about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIBE) as well as working with diverse groups of people.
• Experience in curriculum design, including ability to make complex information accessible to adolescent learners and understanding of how to adapt content to learning exceptionalities.
• Demonstrated skills in youth development, including setting healthy boundaries between youth and supervisors and responding effectively to the non-programmatic issues youth bring up in the course of their work.
• Capacity to uphold high standards set by the community and ability to motivate a group of young people while fostering their potential.
• Strong interest in working with youth as partners and supporting the youth-centered aspects of the work.
• Excellent organizational skills, dependability, flexibility, and capacity to manage time effectively both independently and on group projects.
• Some familiarity with food systems and food access issues.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to drive large (15-passenger, cargo van, and/or truck) vehicles in the city.
• Farming or gardening experience (preferred).
• Familiarity with the City of Lynn (preferred).

Location & Schedule

This position is a 40-hour-a-week full-time role based in Lynn and Wenham, MA, with a fluctuating Tuesday-Saturday (Sep-May) and Monday-Friday (June-August) schedule.

Recruitment Process

Please send resume and cover letter via email to: jobs@thefoodproject.org. In the subject line, write your name and the position for which you are applying, eg, “Jordan Smith – Full JOB TITLE”.

We will review all submissions, identify viable candidates, and contact ONLY those individuals selected to continue in the search process. The position will be filled when a desired candidate is found.

The Food Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to creating an inclusive organization. We actively seek a diverse pool of candidates for this position.

Full Time Positions’ Summary of Benefits

List for Job Posting/Descriptions

• HCHP Health Insurance: TFP pays 70% of premiums; and provides up to $2,000 in a Health Reimbursement Account
• Paid Time Off including vacation, personal days, paid holidays and sick time
• 403 b plan with match by TFP
• Budgeted Professional Development
• Time off for Jury Duty, Voting, Bereavement, Military Service
• Short Term Disability, Workers Compensation

Note: this is a summary for information purposes; details are outlined in the Employee Guidelines. Offer Letters will state specific benefits on those not mandated by the state/federal government.

Mandated

• PFML Massachusetts: up to 12 weeks of paid family leave; 20 weeks of paid medical leave; 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for family member with a serious health condition; additional for service members and their families
• Workers Compensation: coverage varies based on nature of injury or accident
• Small Necessities Leave: up to 24 hours unpaid time for school activities; accompany children or relatives to routine medical or other appointments

POLICY OF TFP FOR ALL EMPLOYEES FULL TIME OR AT LEAST 30 HOURS/WK AVERAGE YR

• HEALTH & WELLNESS:
  • HCHP Health $2500 deductible plan: employee pays 30% for any level (indiv/family)
• PTO (Personal Time Off) which encompasses
  • Vacation: first year 10 days; Yrs 2-3: 15 days; Years 4+: 20 days
    • Staff working avg of 30 hrs/week are eligible for vacation pay: see Handbook for details
  • Personal Days: 5 days/annually for all YR staff working at least 30 hours
    • Growers Assistants accrue 1 day/month to a maximum of 5 days
• Holidays: 12 currently for all YR FT & PT (30hrs+)
• Sick Time: 40 hours/annually for all YR FT & PT (30hrs+)
• Jury Duty: paid up to 3 days
• Voting Leave
• Professional Development: $300 per person per year
• Bereavement Leave: up to 3-5 days depending on circumstances
• Leave of absence for military service: 100% paid for up to two week assignments; additional depending on length of deployment

Short Term Disability: will pay 60% of regular wages up to 12 weeks.