Position Announcement

January 24, 2012

Project Coordinator

PLEASE NOTE: This announcement updates and replaces the previously posted announcement for a part-time Project Coordinator position.

Ag Innovations Network (AIN) is now hiring a full-time Project Coordinator to join the AIN staff team and oversee projects. AIN designs, organizes, convenes, and facilitates multi-stakeholder collaborative processes and initiatives to improve outcomes from the food system. These efforts are undertaken on the local, regional, statewide and national levels. The focus is on locally or regionally specific issues or outcomes (e.g. regional food system infrastructure development, farm-to-institution programs, food system assessments, land use policies, etc.) as well as overarching issues such as ag water stewardship, ag greenhouse gas emissions, reducing the ag regulatory burden through inter-agency coordination, farm worker housing, etc.

Position Description
The Project Coordinator will serve as the lead staff coordinator of a number of these projects, implementing the projects’ workplans as described in funding grants and AIN’s internal planning documents. The Project Coordinator will organize and support the efforts of a team of AIN staff and consultant(s), under the direction of the AIN President, to research and assess needs, build organizational partnerships, organize and support advisory/steering committees, implement communications plans, research and present best practices case studies, convene workshops, webinars, meetings, and forums, draft and disseminate reports, and work with government and organizational partners to implement recommendations.

Specific duties of the Project Coordinator will include but not be limited to the following:

• Support the AIN project teams and committees, including meeting scheduling, managing the agenda and meeting logistics, tracking work products and facilitating discussions and decision-making.
• Serve as the primary outreach agent and researcher for the projects.
• Create and co-create project information, descriptions, communications, reports, etc.
• Oversee development and maintenance of project websites and databases.
• Maintain and manage updates to project workplans.
• Serve as planning and logistics lead on workshops, meetings, forums, etc.
• Serve as primary recorder of results at all meetings.
• Serve as back-up and/or breakout process facilitator at meetings.

Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and experience:

• Five years or more of experience working to advance sustainable food and agriculture goals. Qualifying experience may include work in not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, academic institutions and the private sector.
• Previous leadership or extensive participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability in working with diverse stakeholders, including government and industry representatives and public interest advocates.
• Excellent communication skills, including both written and verbal communication.
• Excellent meeting management skills including agenda preparation and process facilitation.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and project management software applications.
• Meticulous organizational skills and ability to keep track of multiple project efforts.
• Ability to work as part of a team to solve problems, coordinate projects and to develop short and long-term business plans.
• Ability to multi-task; work within a fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions.
• A minimum of an undergraduate degree in agriculture, public policy, community development or related field. A graduate degree is preferred but not required.

About AIN
Ag Innovations Network (AIN) is a leader in the effort to create a vibrant, healthy, and enduring food system. Since 2000 we have worked with farmers, ranchers, farm labor advocates, environmentalists, food processors, distributors, retailers, and health and food access advocates—virtually every stakeholder in the food system—to devise strategies that create better results at every stop from farm to fork. We focus exclusively on facilitating the dialogue between stakeholders that will lead to new business models, new ways to grow and distribute food, new community efforts, and new public policy to create a better food system.

Compensation and Benefits
The position is a full-time, exempt, salaried position. Compensation is dependent on experience. Paid vacation leave, employer-paid health benefits, and an employer-matching retirement plan are included as benefits.

Position location
This position is based in Ag Innovations Network’s Sebastopol, CA office.

To apply:
Please send a resume and letter of interest to jobs@aginnovations.org.

Ag Innovations Network is an equal opportunity employer.

Candidates will be considered on rolling basis until the position is filled.